Anson N5197 near Hedon.
During the evening of 12th April 1940 this 608 Squadron Anson was flown on a sea search for a missing crew in a rubber dinghy and took off from Thornaby airfield at 20.45hrs. The crew saw nothing but forced landed near Hedon, Hull when it ran out of fuel at 20.45hrs. There had been a civilian aerodrome at Hedon in the 1930s. Whether this aircraft landed on this field is unclear though it could well have done. Little, if any, damage resulted and it was flown out to be used operationally a few days later.
Pilot - W/Co Geoffrey Shaw RAF (90297).
Pilot - P/O Proctor.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - AC1 George Edward Lumley RAF (AAF) (808308).
Air Gunner - A/C Barker
After serving with 608 Squadron Anson N5197 went to No.3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit and then No.5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit. On 7th October 1941 it crashed at Morte Bay, Devon after breaking up in a dive.
On 19th June 1940 George Lumley survived the crash of Anson N5067 crashed at North Skelton. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1943 and received a commission on 2nd February 1944.
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 but he was one of four crew killed. He was aged thirty two and is buried in Darlington West Cemetery.