Sgt. J.L. Anderson 535829, 253 Squadron, August 1940.

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo,

Could anyone please help me with this pilot ? He was injured when he and another crewman had to bale out of Battle L5110 on 3 August 1940 on 3 August 1940. Though equipped with Hurricanes at this time 253 Squadron had only Fairey Battles during the first months after its formation in late October 1939. It clearly retained one or more Battles as squadron 'hacks'.
J.L. Anderson does not appear in 'MEN OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN' (1989 or 1993) and I do not presently have access to the ORB for 253 Squadron. Nor can I find him on the AIR 78 online series. The above details came from the F.1180 accident report for this incident.

Does anyone know his Christian names or if his service number quoted above is correct ? Any other details welcome too.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

[PeteT]

Martin

(http://www.bishopweb.net/calbook.htm): Lists him as John Anthony Anderson
Also: www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36215/supplements/4622/page.pdf

A previous thread on here (http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?11448-Sgt.J.A.Anderson-535829-253-Sq) has:

James Alexander Anderson
http://www.bbm.org.uk/AndersonJA.htm

.... this will probably hinder rather than help!

Regards

Pete

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Pete,

I am indebted to you for these links and the information within. However, as you suggest, all this raises more questions !

Clearly the initial 'L' was incorrect on the F.1180 accident card and that did not help, but I am not too surprised at that. I did try the 'Search' function on this forum but for some unknown reason over the last few months it will not allow me to use it. Likewise I had no success on the London Gazette website with '535829', but I did find James Alexander Anderson using his officers service number (187307) as given in 'MENotBoB'. As this produced his enlisted man's service number of '995177' I believed therefore this could not be the man I was looking for.

Comparing everything, especially the family website, I now wonder if the details of the two men were mixed up in the original edition of 'MENotBoB' ? It seems to me that John Anthony is the correct man for 253 Squadron and that details (Christian names and service number)for James Alexander have somehow incorrectly entered the picture. Perhaps partly explained by similar initials and both being commissioned from the rank of Warrant Officer. The details on the BoB London Monument and family websites concerning the loss of Battle L5110 exceed the bare details on the F.1180 and reveal an amazing story of courage.

Many thanks again Pete. Would anyone else wish to comment on the above ?

Regards,

Martin.

[COL BRUGGY]

More Merriment Martin,

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?11454 - J.A.Anderson-253-Sq-Photo

The unfortunate passenger aboard Battle L5110 on 3-8-1940, was:

968763 LAC N. D. RICKS.

AIR 78 should fully identify him.

Col.

[Martin Gleeson]

Col,

Many thanks for that. No doubt in my mind now that John Anthony is the correct Anderson for the Battle incident.
I checked AIR 78 and indeed found 968763 Noel Desmond Ricks. A bonus I was not expecting. Just to show how fascinating this case is I see from his AIR 78 card that at some point he changed his name to Desmond Mortimer Hicks !

Regards,

Martin.

[dennis_burke]

To access the old board and old new forum messages Martin you have to use Google, Ross has been at pains to tell us this for months now!

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?5-How-to-access-posts-on-old-board