Date:	Saturday 3 August 1940
Time:	19:00
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk III
Owner/operator:	253 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L5110
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Tanfield, NW of Causey Arch, near Stanley, County Durham -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Northolt, West Ruislip, Middlesex
Destination airport:	RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh, East Lothian

Narrative:
A Fairey Battle MK. III L5110 of No 253 Squadron en route from Northolt to Turnhouse on 3rd August 1940 suffered an engine fire and then engine failure as they flew over Tanfield at about 19.00. The aircraft crashed just to the North West of the Causey Arch, near Stanley, County Durham. The crew of two, Sergeant J.A. Anderson and L/AC Ricks, baled out and landed on the Gibside Estate; both were injured and were taken to Rowlands Gill, later being treated in Newcastle Infirmary.

The full story of this crash only emerged much later. Sergeant Anderson had exhibited great bravery that day as this excerpt from his obituary explains:

"JOHN ANTHONY ANDERSON
John Anderson, or 'Andy' as he was affectionately known to his close friends, died on 28th May, 1978, aged 61 years"

"The Squadron had been given two old Battles for hack work and target practice, and one day one of them, burst into flames. An airman passenger in the rear gunner's well was too shaken to jump and Andy, despite the flames, climbed along the fuselage trying to persuade the airman to jump and pull his rip cord. Unfortunately Andy was blown off by the slipstream and landed by parachute after suffering some burns. Meanwhile the airman had pulled his rip-cord while still in the well and miraculously was snatched clear by the open parachute, breaking a leg on the main plane but otherwise landing safely intact."

Sergeant Anderson was subsequently shot down during the Battle of Britain and severely injured. His treatment included pioneering plastic surgery making him a member of the "Guinea Pig Club" as well as one of "The Few".

[Air Ministry Form 1860 circa 1939 was A3 size folded to A4 making a four page servicing record for every RAF aircraft. Fairey Battle Mk.III (shown on form as Mk.I) L5110 was one of 1029 built by the Austin Motor Company and was delivered to 6 MU Manston storage on May 12th 1939. The records continued on this oil-stained form until December 12th 1939.

At some point after this, reportedly 21st December 1939, the aircraft was delivered to 253 Hurricane Squadron to join another Battle as Squadron hack! These two were obviously spared the Fairey Battle massacre over in France.]

1. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997 p.143)
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1979 p.33)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/2520: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16471882
4. http://ne-diary.genuki.uk/Inc/ISeq_05.html
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/14779.php
6. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/AndersonJA.htm
7. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1940-1949_28.html
8. http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3212106/RAF_Form1860_with_Battle_of_Br

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Sep-2018 00:28	Dr.John Smith	Added
08-Oct-2018 17:59	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
24-Oct-2020 00:01	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
24-Oct-2020 00:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]