489 Sqdn info on Gt Uncle killed in 1943

The Guardroom · 29-11-2007, 01:31 PM

Hi ,
Could any forum members help with any information on 489 Squadron in WW2. Recenlty found my Gt Uncle's name on a war memorial in Carville in Durham and found out from teh CWGC that Leading Aircraftman Allan Richardson aged 21 was killed on the 13th Feb 1943 whilst serving with the RAF Volunteer Reserve.

I am not sure if he may have been in a bomber and this shot down, as no known grave for Allan is found. He is recorded on the Runnymede Memorial in Berkshire.

Any info or history welcome to help me share with the family.

Many thanks.
Alan

Peter Clare · 29-11-2007, 04:05 PM

A little info on 489 Squadron. I'll try to find more.

489 Squadron

No. 489 Squadron RNZAF - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MalcolmII · 30-11-2007, 01:37 AM

489 was a Coastal Command squadron and was based in the following bases..

No.489 Squadron RNZAF

Aye
MalcolmII

Peter Clare · 30-11-2007, 10:54 AM

Hadley Page Hampden I L4037

Suffered an engine fire during an air test and crashed into the sea off Staxigeo, near Wick at 12:00 hrs. Sgt Wrench of Port Augusta, South Australia and his crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

The above information is supplied by Ross McNeill / 'Howard' rafcommands.com

Crew:

Horace Wrench - CWGC :: Casualty Details

Allan Richardson - CWGC :: Casualty Details

Robert Erskine Burt - CWGC :: Casualty Details

Owen · 30-11-2007, 11:02 AM

Excuse my ignorance on RAF matters but I thought by that time all aircrew were Sergeants ?
What would an LAC being doing on a plane?
On a jolly?
(I know my Brother and brother-in-law in modern times used to, they were ground crew and would often go up for a flight.)

Peter Clare · 30-11-2007, 11:11 AM

Owen

Operational aircrew were indeed Sergeants, but as the aircraft was on an air test, probably due to work having being carried out on it, its possible Richardson might have been involved in that work and went on the air test to check said work.

Harry Ree · 30-11-2007, 11:48 AM

There were many incidents of groundcrew being lost from "air test" failures.Many aircraft were lost from such air test flights undertaken by a squadron after first line servicing or after damage repairs carried out by an airfield based contractor from the various RAF repair categories. These air tests were necessary to determine if the aircraft was to be declared serviceable for operations.Many were carried out during the day prior to being listed in the overall plans for the next operations.Information which would be made available to the planners to be included in the planned air operations which could be less than 12 hours away or within the hour as the case may be.

Usually the crew manning the aircraft would be the minimum for air duties and groundcrew some of senior NCO rank may be included to assess aircraft or equipment performance.For instance this Hampden was crewed by three, two being the minmum, pilot and navigator, for a prolonged cross country flight or a flight over safe home waters.LAC Richardson may have been undertaking an assessing role or taken the opportunity for a ride in an Hampden.

Its test flight was related to "acceptance" and it failed on engine failure which suggests that the lost may have possibly been due to the failure of a newly changed engine.Whatever it was, there must have been indication of the problem raised by the pilot to base for these facts to be known.No doubt the full facts should be recorded in the Squadron ORB 540.

davidnzl · 29-03-2008, 03:16 AM

Greetings Guardsman from NZ - About a year ago, I editted and published an unofficial history of 489 Squadron, and I am now completing a Roll of Honour. A few copies of this unofficail history are still available for former 489 personnel - thier widow or next of kin. Please email me if you are interested and/or feel free to check out BURROWES.ORG and/or IWM, RAF museum, Fochabers, Yorkshire Air Museum or Museum of Flight in UK for a copy - I would appreciate any info you hold on your great uncle - David Burrowes

spidge · 30-03-2008, 01:25 AM

Sgt Horace Wrench on the Runnymede Memorial.

panel 197 top.JPG

I do not presently have the others however I may be able to get them.

29-11-2007, 01:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
The Guardroom Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 53	489 Sqdn info on Gt Uncle killed in 1943 Hi , Could any forum members help with any information on 489 Squadron in WW2. Recenlty found my Gt Uncle's name on a war memorial in Carville in Durham and found out from teh CWGC that Leading Aircraftman Allan Richardson aged 21 was killed on the 13th Feb 1943 whilst serving with the RAF Volunteer Reserve. I am not sure if he may have been in a bomber and this shot down, as no known grave for Allan is found. He is recorded on the Runnymede Memorial in Berkshire. Any info or history welcome to help me share with the family. Many thanks. Alan

29-11-2007, 04:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Peter Clare Legendary Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Neverland Posts: 5,648	A little info on 489 Squadron. I'll try to find more. 489 Squadron No. 489 Squadron RNZAF - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia __________________ On weald of Kent I watched once more Again I heard that grumbling roar Of fighter planes; yet none were near And all around the sky was clear Borne on the wind a whisper came 'Though men grow old, they stay the same' And then I knew, unseen to eye The ageless Few were sweeping by Last edited by Peter Clare; 29-11-2007 at 04:45 PM.

30-11-2007, 10:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
Peter Clare Legendary Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Neverland Posts: 5,648	Hadley Page Hampden I L4037 Suffered an engine fire during an air test and crashed into the sea off Staxigeo, near Wick at 12:00 hrs. Sgt Wrench of Port Augusta, South Australia and his crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. The above information is supplied by Ross McNeill / 'Howard' rafcommands.com Crew: Horace Wrench - CWGC :: Casualty Details Allan Richardson - CWGC :: Casualty Details Robert Erskine Burt - CWGC :: Casualty Details __________________ On weald of Kent I watched once more Again I heard that grumbling roar Of fighter planes; yet none were near And all around the sky was clear Borne on the wind a whisper came 'Though men grow old, they stay the same' And then I knew, unseen to eye The ageless Few were sweeping by Last edited by Peter Clare; 30-11-2007 at 11:03 AM.

30-11-2007, 11:02 AM	#5 (permalink)
Owen Top Moose Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Under the stairs Posts: 9,462	Excuse my ignorance on RAF matters but I thought by that time all aircrew were Sergeants ? What would an LAC being doing on a plane? On a jolly? (I know my Brother and brother-in-law in modern times used to, they were ground crew and would often go up for a flight.) Last edited by Owen; 30-11-2007 at 11:15 AM. Reason: making sense of sentence

30-11-2007, 11:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
Peter Clare Legendary Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Neverland Posts: 5,648	Owen Operational aircrew were indeed Sergeants, but as the aircraft was on an air test, probably due to work having being carried out on it, its possible Richardson might have been involved in that work and went on the air test to check said work. __________________ On weald of Kent I watched once more Again I heard that grumbling roar Of fighter planes; yet none were near And all around the sky was clear Borne on the wind a whisper came 'Though men grow old, they stay the same' And then I knew, unseen to eye The ageless Few were sweeping by

30-11-2007, 01:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
MalcolmII Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Scotland Posts: 209	489 was a Coastal Command squadron and was based in the following bases.. No.489 Squadron RNZAF Aye MalcolmII

30-11-2007, 11:48 AM	#7 (permalink)
Harry Ree Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 634	There were many incidents of groundcrew being lost from "air test" failures.Many aircraft were lost from such air test flights undertaken by a squadron after first line servicing or after damage repairs carried out by an airfield based contractor from the various RAF repair categories. These air tests were necessary to determine if the aircraft was to be declared serviceable for operations.Many were carried out during the day prior to being listed in the overall plans for the next operations.Information which would be made available to the planners to be included in the planned air operations which could be less than 12 hours away or within the hour as the case may be. Usually the crew manning the aircraft would be the minimum for air duties and groundcrew some of senior NCO rank may be included to assess aircraft or equipment performance.For instance this Hampden was crewed by three, two being the minmum, pilot and navigator, for a prolonged cross country flight or a flight over safe home waters.LAC Richardson may have been undertaking an assessing role or taken the opportunity for a ride in an Hampden. Its test flight was related to "acceptance" and it failed on engine failure which suggests that the lost may have possibly been due to the failure of a newly changed engine.Whatever it was, there must have been indication of the problem raised by the pilot to base for these facts to be known.No doubt the full facts should be recorded in the Squadron ORB 540. Last edited by Harry Ree; 30-11-2007 at 11:50 AM. Reason: Posting concurrent with Peter

29-03-2008, 03:16 AM	#8 (permalink)
davidnzl Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2	Greetings Guardsman from NZ - About a year ago, I editted and published an unofficial history of 489 Squadron, and I am now completing a Roll of Honour. A few copies of this unofficail history are still available for former 489 personnel - thier widow or next of kin. Please email me if you are interested and/or feel free to check out BURROWES.ORG and/or IWM, RAF museum, Fochabers, Yorkshire Air Museum or Museum of Flight in UK for a copy - I would appreciate any info you hold on your great uncle - David Burrowes

30-03-2008, 01:25 AM	#9 (permalink)
spidge Legendary Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,044	Runnymede - Sgt Horace Wrench Sgt Horace Wrench on the Runnymede Memorial. panel 197 top.JPG I do not presently have the others however I may be able to get them. __________________ Spidge, ------------------------------------------------------- My Avatar is the memorial to the 22 Commonwealth Coastwatchers at the Temakin Cemetery on Betio (Tarawa Atoll) who were beheaded by the Japanese on 15th October 1942. http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat...mem_beito.html "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war." (Winston Churchill made this prophetic pronouncement in a House of Commons speech in 1938, just after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement with Hitler. Chamberlain returned from Germany with the signed agreement in hand, proclaiming that "peace in our time" had been achieved. Churchill attacked Chamberlain's "politics of appeasement" in this and many other speeches.) What did the Australians do in ww2 and other conflicts? Check out this site: http://www.diggerhistory.info/00-pag...ster-index.htm Last edited by spidge; 30-03-2008 at 01:27 AM.

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