Early Life and Family

Derek was born on Friday 25^th April 1924 in Newcastle-under-Lyme to Leslie Grose Tomlinson and Winifred Mary Tomlinson [neé Swann] of Acton, nr Newcastle, Staffordshire. During the early stages of the war Derek’s father served as a Special Constable and a member of the Royal Observer Corps: his mother as an ARP warden. His mother passed away in 1950 and his father in 1969. Derek attended Newcastle High School prior to his arrival at Wrekin in Windsor House [W.F.Higgs-Walker, MA] in May 1937. He was a member of the House Rugby and Gymnastic teams as well as representing his school in the latter sport.

At the time of his leaving the Headmaster, Walter Maxwell-Gordon said this of Derek; “Capital: the finish of an excellent school career. He deserves great credit for all he has done. I say goodbye with regret to one who has earned my respect. He has overcome many difficulties, and he leaves us as a young man with a good manner & distinct possibilities.”

Whilst in his final year he applied, and was accepted, by Manchester University with the intention of studying medicine after the war.

Wartime Service and Crash

However, it was not to be as the war intervened and so Derek joined the Fleet Air Arm on leaving Wrekin in July 1942, and completed his initial training as an airman in Trinidad, receiving his commission in 1943.  Based at HMS Nightjar (RNAS Inskip), with 766 Naval Squadron, a Royal Naval air station in Lancashire, Derek was killed on Friday 17^th November 1944 whilst piloting a Fairey Swordfish [NF337], a medium-sized bi-plane [torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft] when it suffered an in-flight fire and crashed in a field killing both Derek and his observer. At the time of his death, aged 20, he was engaged to Naval Wren Audrey Wood of Worcester. He was buried with full Military honours in the churchyard of St.Peter's in Inskip, Lancashire.

Dereks's two brothers also attended Wrekin College: George Keith Venables Tomlinson [W1943-48], Richard Martyn Tomlinson [W.1948-53], together with his two half-brothers, John Wheatly Tomlinson [W.1956-60], and Robert Copeland Tomlinson [W.1965-70]. Tragically John Wheatly Tomlinson died in his twenty-first year from leukemia and his obituary appeared in "The Wrekinian" [No.125 Easter 1963]

Derek’s cousin, Dennis Brendan Geoffrey Tomlinson was also at the school [W.1928-34]  losing his life in WW2 and his story can be found within the year 1942.

A copy of this story may be downloaded here.

Revised:October 2026