Anson L7924 near Hartforth, Richmond.
On 16th October 1940 the crew of this 14 O.T.U. aircraft were on the return leg of a navigation exercise back to Cottesmore from the Carlisle area. The aircraft was seen to fly low over Gilling West heading towards Hartforth and with one engine stopped and the other failing. Soon after passing over Gilling West the second engine stopped and the pilot was probably lining up a field to make a forced landing when witnesses saw both engines fire up and the aircraft dive into the ground from around 100-150 feet near Hartforth at 15.15hrs. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash and all five airmen on board were killed instantly. I thank Mr Tony Blades for contacting me in August 2013 and for his recollections of what his family had told him about this incident. His sister was at school in Gilling West and saw the aircraft fly over, his father was in the garden of his home in Hartforth and watched the aircraft approach and then crash. Both his mother and father then made their way to the crash site to see what they could do, and upon seeing an airman in the gun turret his father attempted to rescue him but had already died. In the weeks that followed the Air Ministry wrote to his father to criticise him for disturbing the wreckage of all things! There is a suggestion that a wing of the aircraft had clipped a tree just prior to the crash on Hartforth Hill Flatts and that visibility was reported as being poor at the time.
Pilot - Sgt Sidney John Howard RAF (566350), aged 24, of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. Buried Nettlesham Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
Pilot - Sgt Arthur Hurst RAFVR (745670), aged 21, of Tean. Buried Upper Tean Churchyard, Staffordshire.
Pilot - Sgt Stanley Robert Sumner RAFVR (748246), aged 20, of Luton. Buried Luton General Cemetery, Bedfordshire.
Wireless Operator - Sgt Thomas Huntley Todd RAF (640677), aged ? Of Fir Tree, Co.Durham. Buried Crook and Willington Cemetery, Durham.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Cyril Murray RAF (553919), aged 18, of Moss Bank, St.Helens. Buried St.Helens Cemetery, Lancashire.
Sgt Cyril Murray's gravestone in St.Helens Cemetery, his grave is next to Battle of Britain pilot P/O Norman Sutton of 72 Squadron who also died in October 1940 (whos gravestone photograph I show below).
Anson L7924 was built to contract 690658/37 by A.V. Roe Ltd, at Newton Heath and was awaiting collection in April 1938. It was taken on charge by 6 FTS at Netheravon shortly afterwards. On 26th August 1938 it moved with this unit to Little Rissington and on 3rd September 1939 the unit re-designated as 6 SFTS. On 8th April 1940 it transferred to 14 OTU at Cottesmore when this unit formed. Following the crash near Richmond on 16th October 1940 Cat.W/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft was written off.