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Avro Anson AW 849Print Page 
04-August-2014 (Graeme Saunders)
Photographs supplied by Graeme Saunders / Stephen Warren
The memorial commemorates the crew of the Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F.) Avro Anson AW 849 which crashed and burned 5 miles west of Tantanoola after from returning from a mission searching for an enemy submarine in October 1942.
The aircraft was returning from an intensive sea search operation following a report from this unit of an enemy submarine. The crew were attached to 2 Air Observation School and based at the RAAF station in Laverton, Victoria. The aircraft crashed after running out of fuel due to a navigation error. The 2 crew members parachuted to safety, but the pilot, Flight Officer Baxter Watson, was killed in the crash. The aircraft burned after crashing.
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The aircraft was returning from an intensive sea search operation following a report from this unit of an enemy submarine. The crew were attached to 2 Air Observation School and based at the RAAF station in Laverton, Victoria. The aircraft crashed after running out of fuel due to a navigation error. The 2 crew members parachuted to safety, but the pilot, Flight Officer Baxter Watson, was killed in the crash. The aircraft burned after crashing.
Location
| Address: | Railway Terrace East, Tantanoola, 5280 |
|---|---|
| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.696685 Long: 140.455738 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 14-October-1942 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 14-October-1942 |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | May-2009 |
|---|
Front Inscription
Source: MAErected In Memory Of The Crew Of RAAF Anson AW 849
Which Crashed 5 Miles West Of Tantanoola On 14 October 1942
The One Airman Killed Was.
411417 PO BAXTER WATSON
Aged 27, Sydney NSW
The Two Airmen Who Escaped By Parachute Were
408014 SGT RICHARD L. AYERS
Aged 33 Of Narung SA
416243 SGT JOHN H. CARROL
Aged 21 Of Adelaide SA
The Aircraft Was Returning From A Sea Search Operation
Authorised By A.O.R. Whereby An Intensive Search Was Being
Carried Out Following A Report From This Unit Of An Enemy
Submarine. The Crew At The Time Were Attached To RAAF Station
Laverton. The Cause Of The Crash Was Due To Errors In
Navigation Resulting In Exhaustion Of Fuel.
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au
