27 October 1939 – 608 Squadron, RAF Thornaby on Tees – Avro Anson - N5204 – P/O A D Baird – Ops Convoy Escort Patrol.
Location – Crashed in Humber Estuary near on of the Humber Lightships. Shot down by Hawker Hurricane.
The Avro Anson was undertaking a coastal convoy escort task off the east coast when it was attacked in error by a Hawker Hurricane on a similar duty.
The crew was as follows :-
Pilot: Pilot Officer (91062) Arthur Denis Baird RAF - killed.
Co-pilot: Flt Lt (90302) Geoffrey Whitley Garnett RAuxAF - killed.
Corporal (808180) Richard Andrew Wilson RAuxAF - killed (died of injuries same day)
AC2 (808285) J.P. Smith wounded.
AC2 Smith - the sole survivor - was rescued by the Royal Navy frigate HMS Stork at about 12:00. HMS Stork also recovered the body of Corporal Andrew Wilson.
HMS Stork. A Bittern Class sloop that was highly active and successful in WW2 sinking 4 U Boats
As a result of this tragic error, instructions were received from Air Ministry that all the roundels (the red, white and blue disc-markings) on fuselages and wings be repainted and that undercarriages were to be left down when near our shipping, which our fighters were also protecting, often in very poor visibility.
P/O Arthur Denis Baird RAF – Pilot – 20 - 608 Sqn - Son of Arthur William and Rosalie Mary Baird of Danby, Yorkshire – Runnymede Memorial
F/L Geoffrey Whitley Garnett RAFAuxAF – Co-pilot – 608 Sqn - Son of George and Edith Garnett, of Eccleshill, Yorkshire - Runnymede Memorial
Cpl Richard Andrew Wilson RAFAuxAF – 34 – 608 Sqn - Son of Sidney John and Catherine Wilson, of Stockton-on-Tees, husband of Phyllis Mary Wilson of Stockton-on-Tees – Stockton on Tees Oxbridge Lane Cemetery – Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham
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Geoffrey Garnett came from Eccleshill in Bradford where I lived for a number of years. He is commemorated on the Eccleshill War Memorial and also Memorial Plaque to the employees of George Garnett and Sons Ltd killed in WW1 and WW2 which is now on display at the Bradford Industrial Museum. George Garnett and Sons Ltd were very prominent local woolen and worsted manufacturers at Apperley Bridge. He is also commemorated as an addition to a grave stone at the Idle Upper Chapel Burial Ground,Westfield Road, Idle Moor, Bradford. The family lived in the Eccleshill and Idle areas of Bradford and it appears that Geoffrey Garnett was related to the Garnett family and had probably worked for the company at some stage.
Compiled by David Fell with photo from my archive.
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