Early education and family

Dennis was born in Hammersmith on Wednesday 10^th November 1915 the son of Geoffrey Arthur Tomlinson & Maud Vivian Tomlinson [neé Moult], of Eyot Gardens, Hammersmith who were married in 1914. During the first world war Geoffrey Tomlinson served with the 7^th North Staffordshire Regiment. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last and they were divorced in 1920 with his paternal grandmother now acting as his guardian during his school days. Dennis’s father later re-married in January 1922 and he then emigrated to Rustenberg, Transvaal, South Africa: he died in 1954 in Cape Province, South Africa.

Dennis began his primary education at the Magdalen College School, Brackley, Northamptonshire. The school, which is still educating children today, is one of three ancient "Magdalen College Schools", the others being Magdalen College School in Oxford, and Wainfleet All Saints in Lincolnshire, all associated with Magdalen College, Oxford and its founder William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.

Wrekin College education

His early years at Wrekin, commencing in the Lent Term of 1928 in Windsor [W.F.Higgs-Walker, MA] were not easy for him as he was clearly affected by his unsettled home life living with his paternal grandparents with his father now in South Africa. His mother’s whereabouts at the time are unknown.

He struggled in most subjects within his first year being described as “sleepy” and “lethargic.” Whilst there were slight improvements academically it was determined that it would be in his best interests to repeat the school year before progressing further. This explains why he was one of the few pupils to complete six years at the school.

On the sports field Dennis had greater success representing his house in Boxing, Cricket, Gymnastics, Golf, Shooting and Colts Rugby. He left at the end of the Summer Term in 1934 with no academic qualifications but his Housemaster said he was “quite good as a Prefect”.  The next and final chapter of his short life was to prove his doubters wrong!

Early Military Service

At some point Dennis, who by this time had developed a keen interest in aviation, taking up flying as a civilian, joined the Royal Air Force, gaining his wings with the North Staffordshire Aero Club on 5^th June 1936. His lack of academic qualifications notwithstanding, he received his commission as a Pilot Officer on 4^th August 1936. [He had attained the rank of cadet Sergeant in the College OTC]. In the initial stages of his flying career, he was stationed in Egypt for three years before returning to the UK at the outbreak of war, having been promoted to the rank of Flying Officer. Dennis was, assigned to 10 Squadron¹, known as the “Shiny Ten”, at RAF Dishforth where he began to play a significant role in the squadron’s operations. On 8^th September 1939, the Squadron began its first operation of the Second World War when it flew a leaflet dropping mission over Germany.

Forced Landing near Nether Silton - 3^rd/4^th September 1940

July 1940 saw the Squadron move to RAF Leeming. On 3^rd September that year Dennis was piloting Whitley P4967 (ZA-J) which took off from Leeming at 20.26 hrs to bomb a power-transformer plant in Berlin. As cloud cover prevented the crew from locating either the primary or secondary target, they instead identified a marshalling yard two miles from the primary target and made two attacks on it.

During the return flight to Yorkshire, the aircraft ran low on fuel and its wireless failed. At 06.45 hrs, Dennis made a wheels-up forced landing in a small field near Hall Farm, Nether Silton. The aircraft was severely damaged, but the crew escaped injury.

Bremen & Loss of the Rear Gunner - 11^th /12^th September 1940

On the night of 11^th /12^th September 1940, Dennis was piloting Whitley P4961 (ZA-D) with the task of bombing the shipyards and engineering works at Bremen docks. The aircraft took off from Leeming at 19.28 hrs and attacked the target between 22.10 and 22.34 hrs reporting clear but hazy conditions over the target.

After encountering heavy anti-aircraft fire and being caught by searchlights, Dennis took evasive action and successfully escaped. Soon afterwards, however, the crew discovered that the rear gunner, Sgt Angus Jack McIntosh, had left his position and baled out without receiving an order to abandon the aircraft.

The remaining crew returned safely to Leeming, landing at 02.20 hrs. The aircraft sustained only slight damage to its rear, possibly when Sgt McIntosh exited.

It was never fully established why the rear gunner baled out but it is probable that the severity of the evasive manoeuvres led him to think the aircraft was out of control. He survived and became a prisoner of war.

Attack on the Bismarck — 17^th /18^th September 1940

On the night of 17^th /18^th September 1940, Dennis and his crew of Whitley P4961 (ZA-D) was tasked with attacking the German battleship Bismarck at Hamburg. The secondary target was Tirpitz at Wilhelmshaven.

The aircraft took off at 22.14 hrs and made two attacks on the primary target between 00.35 and 01.05 hrs but were unable to observe the results of their bombing.

Anti-aircraft fire was intense. The aircraft was struck on the starboard side of the fuselage, and shrapnel hit Pilot Officer Kenneth Brant², acting as second pilot, without injuring him. Despite the damage, Dennis managed to return the aircraft safely, landing at 05.40 hrs.

Recognition and Further Service

Dennis’s dedicated service with 10 Squadron was recognised on 17^th January 1941, when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Following the completion of his tour with the squadron, he briefly took command of 104 Squadron. Subsequently, Tomlinson was posted to an instructional role with 10 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Abingdon, where he was responsible for training night bomber aircrew. His progression continued with a promotion to Squadron Leader on 1^st September 1941.

Final Operation and Sacrifice

On Tuesday 2^nd June 1942, No.10 OTU was among several training units tasked with contributing aircraft for a major night operation to Essen, Germany, known as the second “1,000 bomber” raid. During this operation, Squadron Leader Dennis Tomlinson piloted Whitley Z-6581 which took off at 23.40hrs from RAF Abingdon, the home base of No.10 OTU. Tragically, his aircraft was shot down by a Luftwaffe night fighter at Breedenbroak, near Arnhem, resulting in his death at the age of 26. All five crew members perished. He lies buried at Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery in the Netherlands. The inscription at the foot of his headstone reads “In Proud And Precious Memory Of My Darling Husband.”

In 1941 Dennis had married Hannah Clare Maxted, of Dry Sandford, Abingdon, Berkshire, and their son Hugh G.W. Tomlinson was born in 1942. Hannah went on to marry Dr Stephen Eisenhammer in 1956: he passed away in 1995, with her death in 1998.

Dennis's five cousins also attended Wrekin College: Derek Arthur Grose Tomlinson [W.1937-42] also lost his life in WW2 and his story can be found within the year 1944. George Keith Venables Tomlinson [W.1943-48], Richard Martyn Tomlinson [W.1948-53], 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].

1. It currently flies the Airbus Voyager KC2/KC3 in the transport/tanker role from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.
    
2. Killed on 26^th June 1941 at the age of 21 while flying with 21 OTU at Kinloss in Whitley N1379. His aircraft crashed near Kinloss soon after taking off for a training flight. Kenneth is buried in Durrington Cemetery, Worthing, Sussex.

A copy of this story is downloadable here.

Revised: October 2026