Date:	Friday 1 January 1943
Time:	19:00 LT
Type:	Avro Anson
Owner/operator:	1 (O) AFU RAF
Registration:	AX145
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Geale Farm, near Skiddaw, Cumberland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wigtown, Scotland
Destination airport:	RAF Wigtown

Narrative:
Anson AX145 set out on a navigational training flight on the night of 1st January, 1943. The last wireless communication with the aircraft was at 19.00 hrs, when an acknowledgement of a correct frequency was received.

Nothing further was heard, and so at daybreak searches were commenced by other aircraft and marine craft over the land and sea route which the aircraft should have followed. Despite the most prolonged and extensive searching no trace of Anson AX145 could be found and it was feared that the plane had come down in the sea.

Nothing further was known until the night of January 29th when a message was received from R.A.F. Silloth, to the effect that F/O Norman of 83 M.U. whilst inspecting a crashed Hurricane on Skiddaw, was informed of a wrecked aircraft having been sighted on a very high crag. A party was immediately formed and proceeded to the scene of the aircraft wreckage, when it was discovered to be Anson AX145. The aircraft had come down near Geale Farm, at approximate co-ordinates 54°38′49″N 3°08′46″W

Crew: (all killed)
RCAF J/16171 PO Thompson W P C (Pilot)
RAF 129765 PO Burt, W (Navigator)
RAAF 414574 Sgt E O Knight (Navigator)
RAAF 413950 PO Bown, B O (Wireless Air Gunner)
RAF 1257904 Sgt G D Singleton, (Wireless Air Gunner)

PO Thompson, PO Bown and Sgt Knight are buried in the Silloth (Causewayhead) Cemetery, Holme Low, UK. PO Burt is buried in the Annan Cemetery, UK. Sgt Singleton is buried in the Hampton Hill (St James) Churchyard, UK.

Report frm No. 1 (O) A.F.U. WIGTOWN
Air Britain: RAF Aircraft AA100 - AZ999, published 2000
AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/6/6 Commonwealth War Graves records
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?7638-430101-Unaccounted-airmen-1-1-1943
https://www.awm.gov.au//catalogue/research_centre/pdf/rc09125z023_1.pdf

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Sep-2008 01:00	ASN archive	Added
25-Nov-2010 02:55	penguin832	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
29-Nov-2010 04:07	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Source]
03-Jan-2012 05:36	Uli Elch	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
19-Jan-2012 14:19	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
11-Apr-2012 07:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative]
11-Apr-2012 07:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location]
11-Apr-2012 07:36	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Narrative]
04-Jun-2015 07:47	Wilbur	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Narrative]