Avro Anson Mk.I AX583 of No.2 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit crashed on Drum near Conwy on the 25th April 1944

 

Reginald William Thomas Smith	Sergeant	Pilot	Killed
John Marshall Polomark	Pilot Officer, RCAF	Navigator	Killed
George Williams	Pilot Officer	Passenger	Killed
Norman Valentine Neville Robson	Sergeant	Wireless Operator	Killed
Wilfred Jackson	Sergeant	Wireless Operator / Air Gunner	Killed

 

The crew of the aircraft were on a night navigation and bombing exercise from RAF Millom in Cumbria. The planned route, to be flown at 2,500ft, was Millom – Beaumaris – Meni Bridge – Strumble Head – Santon Head – Douglas – Millom, it was while on the first leg of the flight that a navigation error was made which lead to the aircraft being 8 miles off track by the time it reached the North Wales coast. The crews who were flying that route were warned about high ground close to where they were to be flying and to use the radio beacon at Llandwrog to assist in locating their turning points along the North Wales coast as well as listening for the warning beacons which had by then been placed on some of the mountain tops.

At around the time the aircraft should have passed over its first turning point at Beaumaris it flew into the north-eastern side of Drum in the Carneddau killing all onboard.

When it failed to return to Millom the aircraft was reported as overdue and the RAF Mountain Rescue Team at RAF Llandwrog near Caernarfon were notified that it was possible the missing aircraft had crashed in North Wales. They were given the course the aircraft was believed to be flying on its first leg, on the basis of that they set out at 08:10 from Llandwrog to search Foel Fras and Foel Grach. While on the hill they received a radio message via the Police to say that an Army unit had discovered the wreckage of the aircraft further north on Drum.