The following is an extract from the Macleay Valley's tribute to its silent heroes. This is a book called 'We Have Remembered Them - Streets of Honour'. One of the things that strikes the researcher compiling these poignant histories of the Macleay valley's airmen who were killed abroad is the little time they had to utilise their months - sometimes years - of training. In so many instances they were doomed men from there very first sortie and those who survived enemy ground and air fire often had a lease on life that lasted only a few weeks. One such was Flt/Sgt Thomas William Hennessy whose actual combat duty lasted a few days over two months before he was posted missing presumed dead. Yet he had three years' training overseas to equip him for his role as a wireless operator/air gunner.

Tom's life as an airman began on June 21, 1941 when he enlisted. After initial training at Bradfield Park (NSW) he left Melbourne on March 21, 1942 with a contingent to join the Empire Training Scheme in Canada. He arrived there on April 18, completed his course in wireless and gunnery and bomb and gunnery and graduated on December 7, 1942 as flight-sergeant.
He did not leave Canada until March 8, 1943, his destination being the United Kingdom which he reached on March 17. There was more training before moving into a conversion unit, no doubt to familiarise him with the medium bombers then being used on German raids. However, these aircraft had a limited range during 1943 and were replaced by Halifax and Lancaster bombers. Tom "converted" to Lancasters. The course completed he was posted to 115 Squadron (United Kingdom which was under RAF command. The date January 13, 1944.
Bomber Command was now using its squadrons of long-range aircraft to launch heavy attacks on German aircraft factories and other strategic industries as the Allies prepared for the European invasion. Tom was despatched on his last mission on March 18, 1944 - a night attack on the heavily-industialised central German city of Frankfurt. The Lancaster failed to return and the entire crew was lost "somewhere over Germany". His mother, Mrs M.A. Hennessy, learned that he was missing within days of the raid. The presumption of his death did not reach her until some months later - December, 1944 - by which time the war has turned in the Allies' favour.
Tom Hennessy was born in Kempsey on February 22, 1933 to Herbert and Mary Alice Hennessy (nee Ward). He had a brother Frank and two sisters: Agness and Gwen. He began his education at West Kempsey Primary School, continued to Kempsey High School and then began his working life at Macleay River Co-operative Dairying Company.
He was a popular young man and prominent in surf life saving as an active member of the Kempsey-Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club which he represented in surf carnivals until his enlistment. He appears to have been a regular correspondent not only to his mother but also to other members of his family. One episode of life on 115 squadron that he recounted with relish was the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth who spoke to and shook hands with every member of the squadron.