I just spotted this over on AIX
Hi
this is my first posting. Bit of a shot in the dark.
I have just found out that my grandfather was the pilot in the Anson which collided with a Hurricane on 26/06/1941 during the filming of A Yank in the RAF. He was based at RAF Bircham Newton Norfolk .
Sergeant Ernest Polden was killed at the young age of 24 and my mum was then a war orphen who was adopted by a Reginald Waterfield.I just wondered if anyone had any photos etc surrounding the event?
The only response so far has been:
Hurricane IIB Z3391 of 257 Squadron , RAF Coltishall , and Anson I N9732 of 500 Squadron , RAF Bircham Newton , collided in mid air and crashed 3 miles SW of Aylsham in Norfolk .
The CO of 257 at that time was a certain S/L RRS Bob Tuck DFC .
The best place to find more information would be the PRO at Kew who hold the base and squadron Operational Record Books .
Anyone here have any information or images?
Moggy
By: trumper - 24th June 2014 at 14:43
What a lovely end to sad a tale,well done to them all.
By: N.Wotherspoon - 24th June 2014 at 12:59
I don’t know if any one will read this but this is simply to say a big thank you to Bob Collis and David Wade for making the story below possible.
Good to hear that you were able to find someone able to help and that you managed to fulfil your wish to visit the site – many on here will always try to assist relatives whenever we can – well done Bob and Dave.
By: djb - 24th June 2014 at 12:02
I don’t know if any one will read this but this is simply to say a big thank you to Bob Collis and David Wade for making the story below possible.
By: djb - 21st January 2014 at 13:12
He was my grandfather
Hi everyone.
I was the one who seems to have prompted the discussion.
My grandfather was Earnest Polden of 500 Squadren who was flying the ill fated Avro Anson when it was struck by one of the Hurricanes.
I am anxious to obtain any photographs or footage or indeed any information whatsoever about my grandfather.
My goal would be to visit the crash site and maybe obtain a little piece of the wreckage of the plane to preserve for my own. It would mean so much to me.
If anyone has any information could they please e-mail me at:
[email]Daniel.bennington@dwp.gsi.gov.uk[/email]
Many many thanks for any help.
By: DazDaMan - 30th November 2013 at 15:49
Not to forget the B-25/AT-6 collision during the filming of God is my Co-pilot.
By: bazv - 30th November 2013 at 09:58
Yes unfortunately many pilots have been killed whilst filming!
There is a reason that you never see the ‘Phoenix’ landing near the end of the original Flight of the Phoenix,I also hesitate to link this clip but it is on topic,if the direct link does not work just type in ‘Flight of the phoenix Paul Mantz accident’
By: Propstrike - 30th November 2013 at 09:32
Doubt it was the first, and certainly wasn’t the last occasion where people died flying during filming.
I think it happened more than you might imagine. Did not Don Gentile crash his P51 showing off to the assembled press ?
There was also this very sad accident during a fly-by for the cameras, which I almost hesitate to post, but it is germane to the discussion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfuUvfxWrWM
The following were all lost.
623 Flight Lieutenant D.C. Dey (Pilot)
408149 Pilot Officer R.L. 5olomon
(wireless operator / air gunner)
407561 Pilot Officer.l. Norman
(wireless operator/ air gunnerJ
410093 5gt H.S.C. Richardson
(wire less operator/air gunner)
49-27 (Lead aircraft)
408110 Flying Officer R.5. Creen (Pilot
409118 Flying Off icerr4.F. Hoban (Navigator B)
4Oe077 Sgt E.W. Sweetman {WOAC)
409976 5et A.J. Bailey(WOAC)
http://lockoweb.com/first%20a%20series/aamb%20project/a9%20beaufort/2012-12-19/beaufort0030.PDF
By: Snapper - 29th November 2013 at 23:48
A waste? yes, maybe…but consider the effect on support for plucky old England generated by the film. I can think of worse wastes. Straight off the top of my head, two typohoons, fog comes in, one diverts around dover harbour, the other doesn’t, hits baloon cables and goes in. Stanley Spallin comes all the way from Canada to hit a cable and die. Alan Haddon, who diverted had previously flown with Raymond Dopere who crashed into a hill at Ashburnham when he chose to descend, Haddon choosing to climb. He came from belgium to die on a hill.
Haddon’s loss was more ‘glorious’ perhaps, happening in combat while protecting a crippled MTB though he and John Wiseman both died having been snuck up on out of sea mist and being shot down in short order. In the melee that ensued when the rest of the squadron were scrambled Fridolin Armbruster, Leonhard Deuerling and Gerhard Bischoff died.
Did any of those seven deaths make enough of a difference to not be regarded as a waste? Sergeant Polden died on active service for King and Country with as much honour as any of them.
By: Alan Clark - 29th November 2013 at 23:01
Doubt it was the first, and certainly wasn’t the last occasion where people died flying during filming.
By: trumper - 29th November 2013 at 21:31
What a waste of life-dying during filming .Dying in war is bad enough 🙁
By: Alan Clark - 29th November 2013 at 16:55
It cropped up on RAF Commands
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November 29, 2013 at 4:47 pm