Version 6.01

02 January 2023

David March © 2014

NORMAN KEITH THOMSON and RUBY VIVIAN THOMSON née HILL

Norman Keith Thomson was born on 19 May 1889 in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba to Richard S Thomson (1855-1933) and Jennet McGregor (1861-1907). His siblings were: Frank Valentine (1883-1907), Mable McGregor (b 1884), Fred Bell (1886-1961), Ella Irene (b 1891) and Douglas Earle (b 1892). Half siblings from his father's second marriage to Edith Eliza Hughes (1877-1915) were: Donald Harvey (b 1913) and Edith Elizabeth (Beth) (b 1916). Norman lived with his parents and siblings in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba until at least 1906.

In the 1910 Saskatoon Henderson City Directory Norman is listed as a watchmaker working with C H Stephenson and living at 227 2nd Ave S. He was single, living in the Morton Block, at the time of the 1916 census and married Ruby Vivian Hill on 28 June 1916. Ruby was born on 30 September 1888 in Clinton, Ontario to Hiram Hill (b 1858) and Sarah Brownlee (b 1861). She had one brother, Frederick Calvin Wesley (b 1882). The Hill family lived in Clinton until at least 1911.

The 1918 Saskatoon Henderson Directory listed Norman as a jeweller, watchmaker and issuer of marriage licenses. By the time of the 1921 census, Ruby and Norman were living at 674 Saskatchewan Crescent and had two children, Richard Keith (1918-1944) and George Douglas (1920-1997). They later had a daughter, Eleanor Joan (1923-2001) and a son, Robert Gordon (Bobby) (1930-2014). Both Ruby and Norman died in Saskatoon and were buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. Ruby died on 20 June 1975 and Norman on 8 April 1960.

Richard Keith Thomson was a Flying Officer in RCAF, 76 (RAF) Squadron when he was killed in action during WWII. In 1944, 76 Squadron was stationed at Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire, England. Richard was navigator on Halifax mark III bomber serial number LW696. The following extract from the operational report describes the circumstances:

Aircraft airborne at 22:10 on 30 Mar 1944 from Holme-on-Spalding Moor to bomb a target in Nürnberg. Outbound, shot down by a night-fighter (Oblt Martin Becker, I./NJG 6) using "Schräge Musik", crashing near Daubhausen, 12 km NW of Wetzlar. Those killed are now buried in the Hanover War Cemetery

Courtesy of LostAircraft.com

Richard is commemorated by the Veteran Affairs Canada

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Thomson Tree.