On 1 January 1945 Lancaster DP377 'WS-U' was involved on a dawn attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal, when the bomber was badly hit by two shells, setting the aircraft ablaze. FS Thompson noticed the mid-upper gunner on fire and helped him to a safe place. Badly burned himself, he went to drag the rear-gunner, also ablaze, to a safe space. The aircraft crash landed and the crew were taken to hospital. Thompson started to recover, but developed pneumonia and passed away. Two weeks later he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, now proudly commemorated on the tail of this 9 Sqn Typhoon FGR4.