Tom Drennan came from the Shandon area of Cork in Ireland, he was the eldest of 13 children. He travelled to Belfast to enlist in September 1943. 

He arrived at ACRC in Regent's Park in January 1944, his identity card is stamped "Abbey Lodge":

Tom was the oldest of the crew, at 22.  He kept a diary for the last three months of his life, initially covering their second month at LFS, where duties included clearing snow from runways, and much time spent at dances or cinemas!  The crew learned of their posting to Waddington at 2pm on 3 February, they were there mid-day the next day.  Their first two days involved moving "window", bundles of metal strips that were thrown out of aircraft to confuse enemy radar. Later they did fighter affilations (being "attacked" by RAF fighters for practicing evasion), and high level bombing practice, as well as cross-country navigation exercises.  Tom notes on one that the air temperature was -45 deg F, the coldest yet, and that his heated electrical suit wasn't working!  The crew's first operational sortie with Rolly as skipper was on 24 February: "Up at 7.30 this morning for a daylight.  Took off 1.45pm for Dortmund-Ems canal. WAAFs etc at caravan to see us off. V. exciting.  Flew loose formation.  Some flak over target, also 10/10ths cloud - brought bombs back."  Return to In Memorium

Tom enjoyed the popular music of the time, much of which reflected the troubled and emotional turmoil that people experienced during the war years.  Tom copied out the words of many of his favourite songs in his notebook; perhaps the most fitting for those of bomber crews was "So deep is the night", some words of which also inspired Don Charlwood to name his book about his experiences with 103 squadron at Elsham Wolds "No Moon Tonight".