On 19th June 1940 the crew of this 608 Squadron Anson took off from Thornaby to undertake convoy escort duties but soon after taking off at 17.00hrs the aircraft struck high tension cables between Brotton and Moorsholm. The aircraft crashed into the ground and overturned at 17.20hrs near North Skelton. The crew were taken to North Ormesby Hospital where one of the pilots died later three days later. While I have yet to locate the crash site a police report puts the location to be near East Pasture Farm, North Skelton.
Anson N5067 was built to contract 766119/38 by A.V. Roe Ltd. at Newton Heath and was awaiting collection in February 1939. It was then issued to 608 Squadron who were based at Thornaby in March 1939 when the unit began conversion from Hawker Demon's and was initially coded "PG-L" but on outbreak of hostilities it was re-coded "UL-L". It sustained Cat.W/FA damage in the accident detailed above.
Pilot - Sgt Leslie Bertram Walpole RAFVR (745085), aged 22, of Alum Rock, Birmingham. Buried Castle Bromwich Churchyard, Birmingham, Warwickshire. Died 19th June 1940.
Pilot - P/O Bruce Duncan RAF (42677). Seriously injured.
Air Gunner - Sgt Oswald Shepherd RAF (808404). Injured.
Wireless Operator - AC1 George Edward Lumley RAF (808308). Injured.
Bruce Duncan was granted a short service commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 2nd September 1939 and was confirmed in the rank of P/O on 20th April 1940. Exactly a year later he rose to F/O (war subs) and F/Lt again a further year later. On 10th July 1943 he transferred to the Admin and Special Duties Branch of the RAFO. After this date nothing more is known of him.
Wireless operator George Lumley was a F/Sgt when he was Mentioned in Despatches while in the AAF on 1st January 1943. He received his commission on 2nd February 1944. F/O George Edward Lumley MiD lived in Billingham, he was killed on 16th September 1944 while flying in Wellington HF179 on a training flight with 6 OTU based at Silloth, the aircraft was ditched into the Irish Sea off St.Bees Head while on a training flight with the loss of the four crew. He was aged thirty two and is buried in Darlington West Cemetery.