On 8th November 1939 the crew of this 220 Squadron aircraft were undertaking a training exercise and were on their approach to land at Thornaby airfield, when at 16.55hrs whilst flying at 600 feet the aircraft stalled. Still a relatively new aircraft to these crews at Thornaby, there was no time to try and recover the aircraft from the stall and it crashed into houses onto No.65 Cambridge Road, Linthorpe and caused a large fire to the property. The four airmen on the Hudson were killed in the crash, somehow no-one on the ground was killed, although a fireman sustained injuries. A number of people were recommended for commendations for their actions following this accident in attempting to rescue the crew, they were Fireman Thomas Harding AFS, Senior Fireman Fred Lord, Fireman Frederick Nicholls AFS, Chief Fire Officer Walter Henry Mardon (King's Police and Fire Services Medal), Fireman Ernest George Pipe AFS, Fireman Peter Keegan.
Hudson N7290 was built to contract 791587/38 by Lockheed at Burbank, California. On arrival in the UK it was assembled and was issued to 27 MU for acceptance. It was then taken on charge by 220 Squadron on 8th September 1939. It was destroyed in the accident on 8th November 1939. Cat.W/FA(burnt) damage was the damage assessment that saw it struck off charge on 15th November 1939.
Pilot - P/O Augustine Harold Jervis Ryan RAF (41324), aged 21. Buried Hartshill Cemetery, Stoke on Trent.
Pilot - P/O Douglas Haig Robertson RAF (41469), aged 21. Buried Thornaby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Pilot - Sgt Rex Mitchell RAF (580183), aged 24. Buried Byker and Heaton Cemetery, Newcastle.
Wireless Operator - AC1 Albert Wade RAF (534389), aged 26. Buried Burley in Wharfedale, Yorkshire.
AC1 Albert Wade.
P/O Robertson's gravestone in Thornaby Cemetery. As an Acting Pilot Officer on probation he was graded as Pilot Officer on probation with effect from 3rd September 1939, this appointment was confirmed with effect from 6th October 1939. He was from Westport, Nelson, New Zealand.
Augustine Ryan was born on 7th March 1918 at Richmond, Nelson, New Zealand and was a son Tierney Jervis Ryan and Ethel Daisy Ryan (nee Alcock). The family appear to have later moved to Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. He received a commission as P/O on probation on 29th August 1939. His younger brother, P/O Lenard Terence Jervis Ryan RAF (41744) was killed near Swanton Morley, Norfolk on 26th November 1940 flying Blenheim T1886 of 105 Squadron. His brother is also buried at Hartshill. The family connection to Stoke on Trent is that their mother's parents lived there and while they had previously died there were other family members in the area. Another brother, Cecil, also served in the RAF.
The accident scene (photo via Mr Jim Rutland).
Another photograph of the crash site and a modern comparison (photo's Mr Chris Rock).