LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Axel Henning ANDERSON
Service No: 404159
Born: Sandgate QLD, 29 November 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 June 1940
Unit: No. 1437 Strategic Reconnaissance Flight (RAF)
Died: Injuries from an Aircraft Accident (loss of No. 1437 Strategic Reconnaissance Flight Baltimore aircraft AG829 on 22 April 1943), Tunisia, 23 April 1943, Aged 24 Years
Buried: New Cemetery, Sfax, Tunisia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Axel Anderson and Abigail Anderson, of Shorncliffe, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Shorncliffe QLD
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 22 April 1943, Baltimore AG829 was being ferried on a non-operational flight to a new landing ground on an advance move forward of the unit. It crashed at 1300 hours at Monastir landing ground, Tunisia. In landing the port wing dropped, and the port undercarriage hit the ground and collapsed. The aircraft caught fire and all the crew left the aircraft but Flight Sergeant Anderson’s clothes were on fire. The cause of the accident was due to the Pilot stalling the aircraft. Two of the crew members were injured and two uninjured.
The crew members of AG829 were:
Flight Sergeant Axel Henning Anderson (404159) (Navigator Bomb Aimer) Fatally injured: Died 23 April 1943
Flying Officer C T Gandy (14627) (RAFVR) (Pilot) Slightly injured
Sergeant E A Harwood (1311714) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Uninjured
Sergeant R G Hughes (112722) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Uninjured
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/3/45