Avro Anson Memorial facts for kids

The Avro Anson Memorial is a special monument. It is also known as the RAAF Anson Aircraft Memorial. This memorial remembers four brave airmen from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). They died when their Avro Anson plane crashed. This sad event happened near Clackline, Western Australia on 9 October 1942.

Local people built the memorial soon after the crash. It is made from a pile of rocks called a cairn. On top of the rocks is a cross made of jarrah wood. The names of the airmen are carved into the cross. These airmen were Flying Officer Lynton Birt, Sergeant Geoffrey Debenham, Sergeant Noel Nixon, and Sergeant Kenneth Hugo.

For many years, the memorial was forgotten. Trees and bushes grew all around it. In the early 1980s, it was found again. Volunteers from the Royal Australian Air Force Association helped restore it in 1984. Since then, they have held a special service there every year. In 2013, the Northam RSL helped make the site safer. They added paths and handrails for visitors.

What Happened?

On 9 October 1942, an Avro Anson aircraft (No. W2262) took off. Sergeant Geoffrey Debenham was the pilot. Flying Officer Lynton Birt, Sergeant Noel Nixon, and Sergeant Kenneth Hugo were also on board. They were all part of 68 Reserve Squadron. Their base was in Geraldton.

The airmen were on a training flight. They were flying from Cunderdin to Pearce air force base. It should have been a normal flight. But the plane crashed and caught fire. All four airmen died. The plane was completely destroyed.

The Crew Members

Kenneth Colin (Les) Hugo was born in Perth. He went to school in Armadale. He loved sports like cricket and football. Kenneth joined the air force in 1941. He worked as a wireless operator and air-gunner. He was 21 years old when the crash happened.

Lynton Vennel Howard Birt was from Subiaco, Western Australia. He went to Hale School from 1931 to 1933. He was good at sports and school. When World War II started, Lynton joined the RAAF. He became a navigator. He was 25 years old at the time of the crash.

Noel Louis Nixon was from Bundaberg, Queensland. Geoffrey Lancaster Debenham was from Kempsey, New South Wales. Noel was 28 and Geoffrey was 25 when the plane crashed.

The Crash Site

The Avro Anson crashed shortly after 1:00 pm. It landed on land rented by Mr. George Edward Harvey. Mrs. Irene May Harvey saw the plane flying very low. It looked like it would hit her house. The plane flew over her house and some trees. Then it crashed about 1.2 kilometers away.

There was a big explosion and a lot of smoke. Mrs. Harvey rushed to the crash site. But she could not help because the plane was burning fiercely. Ammunition on board was also exploding. Many people heard the crash from miles away. About fifty people came to the site within half an hour.

The plane crashed into rising ground. It dug long trenches and two large holes. The wreckage ended up near a big tree. The airmen were thrown from the plane. Part of the plane, the rudder, was found in the branches of another tree.

After the Crash

Within an hour, the Avro Anson was just a pile of burnt metal. An RAAF ambulance took the airmen's bodies to the Northam morgue. Two days later, the Air Force Inquiry Board looked at the crash scene. Their team removed the wreckage.

Lynton Birt was buried in Northam Cemetery on 11 October 1942. Later, he was moved to the Perth war cemetery. Kenneth Hugo was buried at Perth's Karrakatta Cemetery. Geoffrey Debenham and Noel Nixon were also buried at Karrakatta Cemetery. Their service was held on 14 October 1942.

The Memorial

What it Looks Like

The memorial is in a small park. It is on the low side of Avro Anson Road. This is about 5 kilometers south-east of Clackline. The memorial is a cairn. It is made of granite and other rocks found nearby. The base is about 2.5 meters by 2.5 meters. It is 1.5 meters high.

On top of the rock pile is a wooden cross. The cross is about 1.4 meters tall. It is made from West Australian jarrah wood. An Australian Army Works Unit made the cross. They were based in nearby Spencers Brook. The names of the four airmen are carved into the cross.

How it was Built

Local people built the memorial in the months after the crash. It was officially opened and blessed on 12 December 1942. Senior Chaplain Lieut.-Colonel Elvey led the ceremony. Family members and people from the armed forces laid wreaths. Children from the nearby Clackline School also laid wreaths. The RAAF and Volunteer Defence Corps provided a guard of honour.

Bringing it Back to Life

Over time, the memorial was forgotten. It became hidden by shrubs and trees. A survey team from the Shire of Northam found it in the early 1980s. The Perth branch of the Royal Australian Air Force Association (RAAFA) then helped research its history.

Time and even an earthquake had damaged the memorial. In early 1984, a small group of volunteers worked to restore it. They rebuilt parts of the stone cairn. They also fixed and painted the cross. They put up a low steel fence around the memorial. A bronze plaque was also added. The plaque tells the story of the memorial. It says it was built by local citizens and dedicated in 1942. It also mentions the RAAFA restored it in 1984.

Its Importance Today

The RAAFA WA Division has held memorial services there every year since October 1985. These services are held on the weekend closest to the crash anniversary. Members of the Northam RSL keep the site clean. They also check the memorial for any damage each year. In 2013, the RAAFA officially passed control of the site to the Northam RSL.

Also in 2013, the Northam RSL spent $14,700 on the site. This money came from a grant from Lotterywest and a small amount from the RSL. The Shire of Northam helped manage the grant. The work improved safety and made it easier for visitors to access the site. They added a concrete path and a handrail. These improvements were very helpful during the 2013 memorial service.