Operation: Ferry Flight

Date: 24th January 1946 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 1380 Transport Conversion Unit

Type: Avro Anson I

Serial: EG113

Code: Not known

Base: RAF Rearsby, Leicester

Location: Not known

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Bernard Frederick Perkins AFC. MiD. 89830 RAFVR Age 28. Missing - believed killed (1)

Px: Fl/Lt. Leonard Jack Lawrence DFC. 157491 RAFVR Age 24. Missing - believed killed

Px: Fl/Lt. John Macmillan Ireland MiD. 122500 RAFVR Age 25. Missing - believed killed (2)

Px: W/O. Kenneth Crabree 1239998 RAFVR Age 23.Missing - believed killed

Px: W/O. Reginald Arthur Webb 638543 RAF Age 28. Missing - believed killed

(note: we are unable to confirm crew positions for this flight)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Understood to have taken off from RAF Rearsby near Leicester on a Ferry Flight to Melbourne South-East of York. The Anson never arrived and despite several days of searching no trace of the aircraft or crew were found.

It is assumed that they crashed either in the Humber Estaury or the North Sea - no evidence for the cause of the crash but possible due to radio and electrical failure.

Avro Anson I: The most numerous variant of the Anson with some 6,688 built. Mostly at Woodford but some produced at Yeadon. Powered by 2 x Armstrong Siddeley IX radial engines. Range of 660 miles with a maximum speed of 188 mph. On operations It carried two machine guns – one fixed forward firing Vickers gun in the nose and one Lewis gun in a dorsal turret. It could carry two 100 lb. bombs under the wing centre section and eight 20 lb. bombs under the wings.

(1) Sq/Ldr. Bernard Frederick Perkins AFC. MiD. was a former pupil of Moseley Grammar school (Now secondary/grammar school. We are working very closely with the school's historians to remember all the ex pupils who died whilst serving with the RAF and recorded or not on the school memorial.

(2) Leonard Jack Lawrence DFC. London Gazette published 21st January 1944 whilst serving with 199 Squadron.

Burial details:

Sq/Ldr. Bernard Frederick Perkins AFC. MiD. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 285. Son of Frank and Daisy Hannah Perkins, of Hall Green, Birmingham, England.

Fl/Lt. Leonard Jack Lawrence DFC. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 285. Son of Frederick and Dorothy Mary Lawrence, of Fishponds, Gloucestershire, England.

Fl/Lt. John Macmillan Ireland MiD. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 285. Son of George and Alexandrina Kennedy Ireland, husband of Elizabeth Ireland, of Ralston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

W/O. Kenneth Crabree. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 285. Son of George and Agnes Crabtree, of Oldham, Lancashire, husband of Hilda Crabtree, of Oldham, Lancashire, England.

W/O. Reginald Arthur Webb. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 285. Son of Frank Webb, and of Edith Louisa Webb, husband of Doreen Joyce Webb.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of the crew. With many thanks to Keith Townsend historian of Moseley Secondary/Grammar school memorial records. Also to sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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