Ansons with RAF (Polish) Fighter Squadrons

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Anyone have details such as serial numbers of Avro Anson's that were used by the RAF (Polish) Fighter Squadrons during WW2 as transport or comunication aircraft ?
Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alex

Morgala lists:
HN237 with 302 Sq in 1944
R9589 with 318 Sq in 1943

As you already know, the Anson File by Air Britain does not list any Ansons as serving with these units and I presume it is not necessary they were officially transferred, they could have belonged to the base or been on loan which was not recorded.

I have however not gone through the book's list one by one....

Cheers
Stig

[VoyTech]

The sequence of Ansons nominally on strength of 318 Sqn where in fact allocated for maintenance only, as their role was as personal transport aircraft for Gen. Wladyslaw Anders, commanding the 2nd Polish Corps in the Middle East/Italy.

I am not aware of any Ansons being officially allocated to single-engined fighter squadrons. I understand the policy was to have single-engined aircraft for secondary roles in these units, so that all pilots could fly them if necessary. An average Spitfire pilot did not have multi-engined flying authorisation.

I'd guess Mr Morgala's info was based on individual pilot log book entries, but that wouldn't necessary mean these aircraft were allocated to these squadrons.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Makes very much sense Wojtek

Thanks for the clarification

Cheers
Stig

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Many thanks for the replies.

Not heard of Morgala's list before is it online ?
Anson file gives only-
R9588 to R9591 - To RCAF 6.5.41.
so not helpful with R9589's history.

Same for HN237 as this would have been an OXFORD not an Anson.
HA100-HZ999 has the following:
HN232 to HN239 - Diverted to SRAF.

Interested in 318 Sqdn info as regards the attachment of aircraft for high ranking Polish Officers though. I seek a link to such an Anson aircraft that was involved in a fatal ground accident, and was seeking serial number and details of how the accident happened.

Thanks again
Alex

[VoyTech]

Would you mean the 11 December 1944 accident when L/Cpl Antoni Grygo was struck by propeller of NK433 when the Anson taxied into its dispersal?

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alex

Andrzej Morgala is a Polish author/researcher who has been writing books about the Polish Air Force since the 1970's.

I was quoting from a book published in 1976, Polskie Samoloty Wojskowe 1939-1945. Back in those days I assume it was not as easy for a Polish citizen to check RAF aircraft details as it is today. I also assume, as Wojtek already pointed out, that Morgala probably got a lot of details from log books, and he either misinterpreted the details he read (sloppy hand writing is something everyone fights with when researching handwritten notes/documents) or the details he noted down was wrong, for any number of reasons.

Unfortunately none of his works has been translated into English (as far as I know) which is a great pity, since no one has gone into such details with regard to serial numbers etc, especially his two books about the inter war period are magnificent, even for a non-Polish reader....

Cheers
Stig

[Alex Smart]

Thank you everyone.
Stig, the Morgala book would be OK for its time, as you say that was years ago and small details such as a/c serial numbers would not be important to the main text.
Vota, yes 11th Dec 44 event, I had info re hit by Anson proppellor but no serial number. How did you come by it please ?
Many thanks
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,

A single reference to "the old Anson" in use by 318 Squadron is made in this personal diary: http://www.polishsquadronsremembered..._318diary.html just above 16 September (1944).
The two F/O's mentioned were with same squadron.

If accident of 11 Dec 1944 was on same airfield as 318 Squadron was, then unfortunately no report of it in this diary.

Regards,

Leendert

[VoyTech]

Alex, IIRC many years ago I got a transcript of the accident card from the late Ray Sturtivant.
Stig, I wouldn't take all serial numbers etc. in Mr Morgala's books at face value.