On 27th March 1942 the crew of this No.6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit aircraft was about to undertake a basic circuits and landings exercise around Thornaby airfield, when, at 05.05hrs the aircraft was almost airborne the wheels struck a ridge on the runway. The pilot then retracted the undercarriage but the aircraft sank back towards the ground, it then struck a barbed wire entanglement on the airfield boundary and crashed. Unfortunately the aircraft caught fire and was destroyed by fire. Sadly one of the crew was killed as a result of this accident. The three survivors were all later posted to 53 Squadron and flew together in the same crew.
Pilot - P/O George Hugh Lavery RAAF (400927). Uninjured.
Observer - P/O Henry Kelso Dryden RAAF (403566), aged 26, of Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, Australia. Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Walter Herbert Knowles RAFVR (1169989). Uninjured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt James Slater RAFVR (947973). Uninjured.
Henry Dryden was born in Ariah Park, New South Wales on 17th January 1916 but lived on Bellevue Hill, Sydney, Australia and was working in a bank when he enlisted. He enlisted for RAAF service on 3rd February 1941 in Sydney and trained as an air observer in Canada. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on 24th November 1941 on completion of his training in Canada and was later posted to 6 OTU on 24th February 1942 on arrival in the UK. He was buried in Thornaby Cemetery on 30th March 1942. I thank his nephew, Mr Brian Selby, for the photograph of his uncle and the information that he has kindly provided to this account.
George Lavery was born in January 1914 and worked for the Commonwealth Bank in Melbourne peioe to enlisting for RAAF service in 1939, following training at 6 (C)OTU he later served with 53 and 233 Squadrons. He died in September 2002 in his native Australia.
James Slater received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 5th February 1944 (172032) and rose to F/O six months later.
Walter knowles received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 5th January 1944 (171087), he rose to F/O six months later and to F/Lt on 5th January 1946.
Hudson AM847 was purchased direct from Lockheed-Vega at Burbank, California by the B.P.C. without contract and was shipped to the UK in August 1941. On arrival in the UK it was assembled by The Lockheed Assembly Division (UK) Ltd. and was test flown. It then went to 24 MU on 8th December 1941 and after acceptance was issued to 6 (c)O.T.U. on 18th February 1942. Following the crash on 27th March 1942 the damage was assessed as Cat.E/FA and the aircraft was struck off charge.