W/T OPERATOR –
Born in Airdrie, Lanarkshire on 30 September 1892, Thomas Connelly worked as a miner and warehouseman until he joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a Air Mechanic 2 at the age of 24 on 6 September 1916. After a short stint on President II, Connelly was posted to Daedelus – the Royal Naval Air Service Training Establishment Cranwell on 12 September.
On 20 February 1917, Connelly was briefly transferred to the RNAS Flying School at Eastchurch, Kent – considered the home of the RNAS and British aviation itself. He then went to The RNAS seaplane base at Killingholme in Lincolnshire.
Moving back to Scotland on 20 April 1917, Thomas Connelly was posted to East Fortune where he remained until 1 February 1918.
At the time of his death (according to the Norfolk Chronicle) his home address was Midfield Cottage, Inveresk, Midlothian.
Service numbers: F20367/220367
NS11 – As Bright As Day is very much a work in progress and has been made possible by the generous and enthusiastic support of many individuals and organisations. If you have any information, records or material relating to British NS Class airships we would be very interested to hear from you – especially anyone related to members of the crew of NS11 or any airship of the class during their service with the RNAS or RAF during and beyond WWI. 
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