CRASH OF A P-40N KITTYHAWK
OR A P-39 AIRACOBRA
AT EAGLE FARM AIRFIELD, BRISBANE, QLD
ON 13 SEPTEMBER 1943

1st Lieutenant William Lambert Anderson (0-1699387) of the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, crashed his P-40N Kittyhawk or was it a P-39 Airacobra at Eagle Farm Airfield in Brisbane, Queensland at about 10:25 am on 13 September 1943 after his aircraft engine failed during takeoff, and the plane crashed back on the runway. 1st Lt. Anderson received 3rd degree burns and a fractured skull as a result of this tragic accident.

William Anderson's mother told Richard Jenkins, a cousin of William Lambert, that he had crashed his plane on takeoff. It was believed that the aircraft’s engine failed. It was said that he was crushed to death by the aircraft’s engine. The cause of death as indicated on the form below indicates, "3rd degree burns, and fracture of skull due to air crash".

The book "Attack and Conquer describes this crash as follows:-

“September 13, 1943: 1st Lt. William L. Anderson (35th). P-40N. He was a native of Manchester, Connecticut, and was probably a fairly recent arrival in the 35th. At about 8:30 in the morning he was taking off in what may have been his orientation or perhaps a ferry flight in the P-40. he was killed instantly when his fighter suffered engine failure and crashed back on the strip."

Richard Jenkins told me that 1st Lt. Anderson was an experienced pilot. He had received his flying wings while in the service of the Royal Canadian Air Force prior to America’s involvement in World War II. Within days of America entering the war, he requested transfer to the United States Army Air Force and was assigned the task of instructor pilot at a flight training base in Louisiana. He soon volunteered to be assigned to a fighter squadron seeing action and was transferred to the South Pacific.

1st Lieutenant William Lambert Anderson was buried at the U.S. Military Cemetery Ipswich in Grave No. 188 at 3:00pm on 15 September 1943. His body remained at Ipswich until 20 December 1947 when all Americans were exhumed and efforts began to collect all US dead throughout the South West Pacific destined for reburial on American soil.

1st Lieutenant William Lambert Anderson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously. The award read as follows:-

"For operational flight missions from 4 December 1942 to 25 August 1943. For extraordinary achievement while participating in fifty operational flight missions in the Southwest Pacific Area, during which hostile contact was probable and expected. These operations included escorting bombers and transport aircraft, interception and attack missions, and patrol and reconnaissance flights. In the course of these operations, strafing and bombing attacks were made from dangerously low altitudes, destroying and damaging enemy installations and equipment. Throughout these flights, outstanding courage, ability, and devotion to duty were demonstrated."

Photo:- Dick Jenkins

His headstone in East Cemetery, Manchester,
 Hartford County, Connecticut, USA

The Courier Mail (Brisbane), 18 September 1943, page 3

The Telegraph 17 September 1943, Page 2

The Northern Miner (Charters Towers), 24 September 1943, Page 6

The above articles indicate that an American aircraft crashed at about 10:30am one day that week near some Civil Constructional Corps huts in a C.C.C. Camp.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Richard Jenkins for his assistance with this web page. Richard is the cousin of 1st Lieutenant William L. Anderson of the 35th Fighter Squadron of the 8th Fighter Group.

REFERENCES

Courier Mail, 18 Sep 1943. Page 3

The Telegraph, 17 Sep 1943, Page 2

The Northern Miner (Charters Towers), 24 September 1943

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 13 June 2015

This page last updated 02 February 2020