Re: info needed on Anson crashes - L7905 and N5205

[Danny152]

Hi all.

I am trying to find information on the two Avro Ansons. I know L7905 was lost on 11 October 1940.

Any crew names, anything at all would be appreciated.

Thanks

Danny

[AndyMa]

Danny,
I don't have any crew details, but L7905 was lost on 11 October 1939 with 6 FTS.
N5205 was one of many supplied to Greece in May 1939.
Andy

[Danny152]

Thanks Andy, abit confused as the photo I have, apparently of N5205 is of a Anson coded N NR, it has hit the ground somehow. Was she rebuilt and sent out to Greece? I don't know. The photo was apparently taken when the aircraft was with 220 Sqn in 1940, she crashed when piloted by a Sgt pilot, that's all I know.

[Danny152]

Also the crash on 11 Oct 39 states that Anson A was SOC with the sole occupant killed. However, looking at the CWGC site it does not show any such losses?

Any thoughts, as now believe these photos have been inscribed incorrectly.

[Chris Goss]

The casualty could have been buried privately hence no CWGC record?

[AndyMa]

Danny,
I note that you asked for info on L7905 and N5205, which makes me think you can't read the photo very well.
Also, 220 Sqn did not operate Ansons in 1940. They converted to Hudsons in November 1939, so the photo must have been taken in the last months of 1939, when 220 Sqn was using its wartime code NR- (it used HU- and PK- during the pre-war period)
Looking at all the candidate ___05s (ie those delivered by the end of 1939, so N9905 would be the highest), only one had known service with 220 Sqn. This was K6205, but this was lost in Oct 37, long before the NR- code came into use.
The only two immediately obvious (to me) losses in the Sep/Dec 1939 period were:

K6152 DBR 13.10.39 (overshot landing at Catterick)
K6202 NR-E DBR 25.9.39 (overshot landing at Thornaby) - SOC 22.11.39 (code confirmed by ORB)

So maybe NR-N was indeed not badly damaged.
Andy

PS Like all the Ansons supplied to Greece at that time, N5205 had no service with the RAF.

[AndyMa]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

The casualty could have been buried privately hence no CWGC record?

I would be very surprised if there was no record on CWGC, even if there was a private burial. Otherwise there would be hundreds (thousands?) of missing people.
Where is the info that there was a casualty coming from?

[AndyMa]

I think I have found NR-N. It will have been K6200:
https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk...k39/k6200.html
which the ORB confirms was coded NR-N.
The ORB says:

"Anson K6200, while engaged in local circuits and landings at night, overshot on the first landing, crashing through the aerodrome boundary hedge, with resultant damage to the aircraft. The aircraft touched down at 65 knots but the application of full brake failed to arrest its progress. This failure was attributed to the dampness of the grass. Pilot SERGEANT PILOT 564819 HOLBECHE P No injuries No fire"

The pilot's correct initial was D, maybe just poor writing in the ORB.
As can be seen, K6200 was sent away for repair before being allocated to Canada and its ship sunk by a U-Boat in transit.

[Danny152]

Thanks guys. This information came from a pilots photo album so only had that to go on. It stated on the back. Sgt pilot -it seems with the wrong serial number. That’s why we have people like you guys. The first Anson was at 6FTS and that date seems correct. Just the pilot name needed.

Cheers

Danny

[rafcommands]

Originally Posted by Danny152

Also the crash on 11 Oct 39 states that Anson A was SOC with the sole occupant killed. However, looking at the CWGC site it does not show any such losses?

Any thoughts, as now believe these photos have been inscribed incorrectly.

Another case of "where was the survivor buried?"

F/O M N Hancocks - who was flying on his first night solo was not injured.

Ross