Halifax at East Moor airfield.
On the 14th of October 1942 this Halifax took off from East Moor to attack Kiel. Whilst over the Selenter Sea the port inner
engine was hit by flak, the bomb load was jettisoned and the pilot turned the aircraft around and returned home. During the
final stages of coming into land the aircraft was barely controlable and it stalled whilst on its final approach. The aircraft caught fire and burnt out in the area of Thrush House Farm,
just to the north of East Moor airfield. The resulting
crash at 00.50hrs caused injury to all seven airmen on board to some extent, the pilot and at least four other airmen were
admitted to York Military Hospital, where one later died. The crash was also blamed on inexperience of the aircrew generally. They were:
The aircraft was built to contract B73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and delivered as new to 158 Sqdn at East Moor on 30th June
1942. It was written off as a result of the incident above, Cat.E2/FB damage being sustained. The aircraft completed eight Ops.
Pilot - Sgt W J McAlpine RCAF, inj.
F Eng - Sgt H D Ellerby RAF, inj.
Nav - Sgt A E Surridge RAF, inj.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt James S Anderson RCAF, aged 22, seriously injured. Taken to York Military Hospital where he died on
17th Oct. Of Craigmyle, Alberta, Canada. Buried Fulford Cemetery, York.
W Op - Sgt T Campbell RAF, inj.
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt E Bradley RCAF, inj.
Rear Gunner - F/Sgt A D Lewis RCAF, inj.
Sgt Anderson's gravestone.
Another brother, F/Sgt Lloyd George Anderson RCAF, was killed on 31st March 1944 when the 625 Sqdn Lancaster W5009 crashed
near Hellenthal, he was initially buried locally but he now lies at Rheinberg War Cemetery. He was 27 years old.
Lloyd Creek, in Alberta is named after him. Mr Harry Sanders of Canada is researching these losses and informs me that a book was written
some years ago showing photographs of all three brothers. The Anderson of Craigmyle School was also opened locally in
memory of the three boys but has since been demolished.
Sgt Anderson's family lost two other sons as a result on the War. James Sangster Anderson's twin brother William (Billy) Boyd
Anderson RCAF was lost on 20th January 1943 whilst serving with 407 Squadron when his aircraft failed to return from a flight over the sea,
the aircraft probably crashed into the sea. His body was never found. He was also aged 22. I've yet to learn about the actually reasons for his loss with 407 Squadron.
Anderson Creek in Alberta is named after James Sangster Anderson, and Boyd Creek is named after his brother, William Boyd Anderson.