Anson LT595 at Clifton airfield.
On 1st June 1944 Anson LT595 was in the care of No.4 Aircraft Delivery Flight, the unit was set up to deliver fighter aircraft to a number of units within No.12, No.13 and No.14 Groups. The Anson was probably used as a basic taxi aircraft to fly pilots around and collect them from other airfields. On this date it was being used to ferry a number of pilots to an unknown location and in the process of taking off from Clifton airfield it swung out of control at 13.45hrs and the tail wheel broke off. A further swing developed and the undercarriage then collapsed. The damaged aircraft was later assessed and was deemed beyond economical repair. An investigation found the mountings holding the wheel had rotted from the inside and the wheel section had sheared off at the weld.
Pilot - P/O William Snowdon Douglas RAFVR (171007).
Eight Passengers - Names Unknown. One seriously injured.
William Douglas received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 10th January 1944 and was promoted to F/O on an unknown date (but probably 10th July 1944) and then F/Lt (war subs) on 10th January 1946. He was appointed to a permanent commmission in the RAF on 1st April 1952 to the rank of F/Lt. While in this rank he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air on Her Majesty's Coronation on 1st June 1953 and the same award again on Her Majesty's Birthday list on 11th June 1960. He retired from the RAF on 7th July 1965.
Anson LT595 was built to contract B137211/40 by A.V.Roe Ltd at Yeadon and was delivered to 275 Squadron at Valley for Coastal Command duties in April 1943. It was transferred to A&AEE at Boscombe Down later in 1943 for transportation duties but then returned to 275 Squadron who were still at Valley. It later moved with the unit to Warmwell on 14th April 1944 but shortly after transferred to the care of No.4 Delivery Flight at Clifton. In the incident reported above the damage was deemed serious enough for Cat.E2/FA damage to be recorded and it was written off.