Eugene Quimby Tobin

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-19121.jpeg UPL 19121 F/O Eugene Q Tobin 71 Eagle Sqn RAF.

Object Number - UPL 19121 - F/O Eugene Q Tobin 71 Eagle Sqn RAF.

Gene Tobin was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 4 January 1917, the son of Ignatius Quimby Tobin and Mary Alicia Tobin. He had two older sisters Helen, and Mary. The Tobin family lived in Salt Lake, where their father was involved in a mining interest, until Gene’s mother fell ill with the “Spanish” Flu, and she subsequently contracted Tuberculosis.



During a remission in his mother's illness, the Tobins returned to Denver to live with members of the maternal (Harrington) family, and it was in Denver where Gene’s mother died c. 1920. Tobin's father, Quimby, left the two girls with relatives in Denver, and left for Los Angeles with Gene, never to return; Gene was a mere toddler at the time, and quite possibly never knew he was born in Salt Lake.



Gene initially came to Europe to fight on the side of Finland against the Soviet Union's invasion of that country, but hostilities had ceased before he arrived. He was already a qualified pilot, having learned to fly in the 1930s.



Tobin and Andrew Mamedoff had been flying friends at Mines Field in California before the war.



He joined the French Air Force towards the end of the Battle of France, but as France fell he came to England with his friends and fellow Americans Andrew Mamedoff and Vernon Keogh and joined the Royal Air Force in 1940.



On 8 August 1940 Tobin was posted to No. 609 Squadron RAF at Middle Wallop airfield. He flew his first mission on 16 August 1940. He flew many missions during the height of the Battle of Britain in August and September. He was credited with two shared 'kills' – an Bf 110 on 25 August and a Do17 on 15 September.



He was one of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 31 October 1940, thereby qualifying for the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939–45 campaign star.



He was posted to RAF Kirton in Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 18 September 1940 and was a founding member of the No. 71 'Eagle' Squadron.



After arriving in Britain, Tobin had been diagnosed with lupus which at the time was a fatal disease, but kept his illness a secret so he could continue to fly for the RAF.



On 7 September 1941, Tobin was killed in combat with Bf 109's of JG 26 on No. 71 Squadron's first sweep over northern France, in Spitfire Mk Vb W3801, one of three Spitfires shot down. He crashed into a hillside near Boulogne-sur-Mer. He was 24 years old.



He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Nicknames: Popocatapetl I
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Salt Lake City, UT, USA 4 January 1917 Son of Ignatius Quimby and Mary Alicia Tobin.

Other

Battle of Britain Veteran

Great Britain, United Kingdom 10 July 1940 - 31 October 1940 1 of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 31 October 1940, thereby qualifying for the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939–45 campaign star.

Other

Posted 609 Sqn

AAC Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20, UK 8 August 1940 Posted to No. 609 Squadron RAF at Middle Wallop airfield.

Other

On Ops

16 August 1940 Flew his first operational mission on 16 August 1940.

Other

Credited 2 shared kills

15 September 1940 Credited with two shared 'kills' – an Bf 110 on 25 August and a Do17 on 15 September.

Other

Posted to No. 71 'Eagle' Sqn

Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK 18 September 1940 Posted to RAF Kirton in Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 18 September 1940 and was a founding member of the No. 71 'Eagle' Squadron.

Died

Boulogne-sur-Mer, France 7 September 1941 On 7 September 1941, Tobin was killed in combat with Bf 109's of JG 26 on 71 Squadron's first sweep over northern France, in Spitfire Mk Vb W3801, one of three Spitfires shot down. He crashed into a hillside near Boulogne-sur-Mer. He was 24 years old. Killed in Action (KIA).

Other

Joined the French AF

France He joined the French Air Force towards the end of the Battle of France.

Other

Joined RAF

England, UK Joined the Royal Air Force in 1940.

Buried

Terlincthun British War Cemetery, Rue de l'Aiglon, 62126 Wimille, France Re-interred Terlincthun British War Cemetery, France.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorLucy May
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Sources

Corrected details of Gene Tobin's early life after correspondence with Dr. Richard W. Cross, Gene Tobin's nephew.
Richard is the son of Mary Tobin (Cross), who is still alive at the age of 101, and still living in Denver, Colorado.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM DB Entry

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM DB Entry

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Combat Chronology / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Eugene Quimby Tobin: Gallery (12 items)