ANDERSON – Basil Courtnay

Rear Gunner – 218 Sqn – Lancaster – POW

[Source: CMHA]

1802306 – Basil Courtnay Anderson – Trinidad – 158 Sqdn – Sgt – Rear Gunner

Sergeant Basil Courtnay Anderson was shot down on the night of 8-9 October, 1943, on a 500 bomber raid to Hannover.  He left RAF Lissett in East Yorkshire as a rear gunner in Halifax bomber no. LW371 of 158 Squadron, which was hit just before arriving at the target.  The fuel tank and no. 2 engine on the left were on fire and Basil reported seeing the flames lick his turret.  Pilot John Clifford Mattey ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft.  Having repeated the drill many times, the whole crew jumped within 30 seconds and all landed safely.

Basil Anderson was captured by the Germans and imprisoned in Stalag 4B in Mühlberg-an-der-Elbe, along with the rest of the crew.

[Source: http://www.evasioncomete.be, courtesy AD]

Basil Anderson and his crewmates.

 

 

 

 

From left to right: Basil Anderson, Alan Steen, George Harris, John Mattey, Maurice Airey, Raymond Wootton and Ronald Duck

[photo: The Anderson Family]

[Trinidad Guardian 18 January 1944 – Courtesy Jerome Lee, CMHA]

One addition to “ANDERSON – Basil Courtnay”

  1. Robin A. Anderson Crumley (daughter) adds:

    Sgt. Basil Courteny Anderson RAF Tail Gunner for the Lancaster Bomber. Shot down on his 13th mission en route to targets over Hanover, Germany, evaded capture for approx. 2 weeks before being seized by Nazi patrol. Was a POW for over 2 years at camp Stalag IVB just outside Muhlberg, Germany. Upon Sgt. Andersons repatriation he was promoted to the grade of Warrant Officer and released From the RAF to return home to Trinidad. 12-12-1922 to 11-17-2004

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