Language selection


Search veterans.gc.ca

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Thomas Joseph Roche

In memory of:

Warrant Officer Class II Thomas Joseph Roche

July 28, 1943

Military Service


Service Number:

R/115295

Age:

26

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

106 Sqdn.

Additional Information


Son of Thomas A. and Catherine R. Roche, of Toronto, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 208 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

Panel 180.

Location:

During the Second World War more than 116,000 men and women of the Air Forces of the British Commonwealth gave their lives in service. More than 17,000 of these were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or Canadians serving with the Royal Air Force. Approximately one-third of all who died have no known grave. Of these, 20,450 are commemorated by name on the Runnymede Memorial, which is situated at Englefield Green, near Egham, 32 kilometers by road west of London.

The design of the Runnymede Memorial is original and striking. On the crest of Cooper's Hill, overlooking the Thames, a square tower dominates a cloister, in the centre of which rests the Stone of Remembrance. The cloistered walks terminate in two lookouts, one facing towards Windsor, and the other towards London Airport at Heathrow. The names of the dead are inscribed on the stone reveals of the narrow windows in the cloisters and the lookouts. They include those of 3,050 Canadian airmen. Above the three-arched entrance to the cloister is a great stone eagle with the Royal Air Force motto, Per Ardua ad Astra". On each side is the inscription:

IN THIS CLOISTER ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY THOUSAND AIRMEN WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM IN RAID AND SORTIE OVER THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE LANDS AND SEAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE

In the tower a vaulted shrine, which provides a quiet place for contemplation, contains illuminated verses by Paul H. Scott."

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Memorial– Warrant Officer Class II Thomas Joseph Roche is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Warrant Officer Class II Thomas Joseph Roche is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of THOMAS JOSEPH ROCHE– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of THOMAS JOSEPH ROCHE– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of THOMAS JOSEPH ROCHE– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star August 1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star August 1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star June 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram July 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of Thomas Joseph Roche
  • Photo of John Bennett Charters and Thomas Roche– Thomas Joseph Roche (right) is seen here posing with John Bennett Charters.
  • Letter– Attached is a transcript of the letter which Thomas Roche wrote to Mrs Elizabeth Charters, following a visit which Thomas made to 
her home home with John and it was actually written only a few hours 
before his death.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Memorial– Entrance - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Stone of Remembrance - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Panels - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

Date modified: