CRASH OF AN AVRO ANSON
AT BAIRNSDALE, VIC
ON 24 FEBRUARY 1945

On the night of 24 February 1945, thirteen aircraft took off from Bairnsdale Airfield on a night navigation exercise. Instructions were given that they were to abandon the exercise and return to Bairnsdale Airfield in the event of bad weather closing in.

Poor weather was encountered and the exercise was abandoned and various aircraft, at various times, set course for Bairnsdale Airfield, 4 aircraft making successful landing there, three landing at East Sale and two landing at West Sale.

Avro Anson DG213 of General Reconnaissance School RAAF was above cloud until 2138 hours when a bearing from Bairnsdale was received, and until the time it crashed at approximately 2345 hours, it was flying Q.D.M.'s in the vicinity of the Airfield. Anson DG213 was observed twice flying over the flarepath at about 50 feet and soon after it crashed into the ground 500 yards from the northern boundary of Bairnsdale Airfield, killing the pilot, seriously injuring the 2nd Navigator, and slightly injuring the remaining two crew members of the crew.

The crew of four were as follows:-

Sergeant Morton Lawrence (10095) - Pilot - of 6 Service Flying Training School - Killed
Warrant Officer John Keith Andrew Phillips (409586) - slightly injured
Pilot Officer William Lewis Haymes (443637) - slightly injured
Sergeant Edward John Richardson (444088) - seriously onjured
 

The aircraft was badly damaged.

REFERENCE BOOKS

RAAF Casualty Database

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Daniel Leahy for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 21 December 2016

This page last updated 03 February 2020