On 19th September 1939 this Anson collided with another on the ground at Thornaby airfield and both aircarft were later repaired. This aircraft suffered Cat.M/FA damage, only three days after being landed on Redcar Racecourse but was undamaged in this earlier incident. Both airmen converted to flying the Hudson type and were involved in a minor incident on 9th April 1940 (detailed on this website).
Pilot - P/O Cameron William McNeill RAF (41043), of Chesley, Ontario, Canada. Uninjured.
Observer - F/O Charles Philip Wright RAF (39427). Uninjured.
Cameron McNeill (left) and Charles Wright (right), taken from a 220 Squadron group photograph dated 4th April 1939 at Bircham Newton.
Cameron McNeill was Canadian but had enlisted into the RAF before WW2 begun, he was flying a reconnaissance flight over a German port on 3rd September 1939 when his wireless operator reported that war had been declared. He was commissioned in June 1939 and he flew more than 100 operational flights and was the pilot that first spotted the Altmark in February 1940. He was made a F/O on 3rd September 1940 and to F/Lt exactly a year later in September 1941. He was then promoted from F/Lt to (temporary) S/Ldr on 1st January 1944. He later relinquished his commission on 12th June 1944 on appointment to the RCAF. He then served for a further thirty years in the RCAF before retiring as a Cononel. As part of his service he was awarded the Atlantic and Pacific Stars. He then became a member of staff for the National Academy of Sciences in Washington. He died in July 2004 in Georgetown, Washington.
Charles Wright was made F/Lt on 3rd September 1940, and later to S/Ldr. He was commended for brave conduct on 1st June 1943. Post War he remained in the RAF until leaving the Reserve of Officers in April 1959 as Squadron Leader.
Anson K8825 was built to contract 497339/36 by A.V. Roe Ltd at Woodford and delivered to 224 Squadron at Thornaby on 10th July 1937, it moved with unit to Eastleigh on 17th January 1938 and then back to Thornaby on 26th March 1938. It returned to A.V. Roe Ltd at Woodford for modifications on 5th August 1938. In the meantime 224 Squadron had moved to Leuchars so when the aircraft was returned to it's unit on 2nd September 1938 it was flown to Leuchars. It then transferred to 220 Squadron at Bircham Newton on 27th June 1939 and coded "NR-Z". It then moved with unit to Thornaby on 21st August 1939 and on 16th September landed at Redcar but was not damaged. Three days later it suffered Cat. M/FA damage in an accident at Thornaby but was only slightly damaged and repaired on site and returned to 220 Squadron. It later transferred to S of GR at Thorney Island on 14th Noveber 1939 and then again moved with this unit to Guernsey on 26th April 1940 to assist with the evacuation. The Unit moved to Hooton Park on 19th June 1940 and was renamed No.1 S of GR. It was written off in July 1940 as destroyed on the ground on Guernsey during evacuation on 5th July 1940 but may have been left there as it was unservicable and was left to its fate only to be written off some weeks later as the paperwork went through.
The squadron coding this aircraft carried varies in publications, either "NR-Y" or "NR-Z".