The Rescue of Old Miss Anson
By Sgts Craig Chislett (404
Sqn) and André Ravary (415 Sqn)
February 1, 1999.
On the 8th of January 1999, 413 Squadron was tasked to rescue an
elderly lady who had been stranded in a snowbound field in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.
This tasking received high priority as this lady had been stranded for 40+
years. The valiant crew under the command of Captain Goostrey, assisted by
Captains Jack Simpson and Gord Holm, boldly headed west to where no Herc crew
has gone before. We, accompanied by Traffic Tech MCpl Drew Hine, joined the crew
as the advance party.
Before our readers are mislead, we should fill you in on some facts about
this elderly lady… The lady in question, made of tubular steel and plywood
(what’s left of it), is an Avro Anson MkII aircraft of WWII vintage. She has
been sitting dormant in a museum field owned by the Reynolds Aviation Museum,
under the curatorship of Byron Reynolds, of Wetaskiwin, Alta.
The Avro Anson was used in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
(BCATP)
to train aircrew. 4,413 were built and the aircraft saw active duty between 1940
and 1954. It was used for pilot training, navigation, gunnery, and ferry duties.
It was the most widely used aircraft type in the RCAF. It is a two engine
aircraft, covered in fabric or plywood, depending on the version. (If more
information is required, please visit the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum,
Bryan Nelson, curator)
Now that you have the facts, let’s join up with our fearless crew… After
arriving in Edmonton on the 8th of January, it was determined that
the recce party would venture off early the next morning to ensure that all
angles would be covered for the arrival of Hercules 311 (this never having being
seen before in that sleepy town, the Herc that is…) The recce party found
their way to Wetaskiwin via slippery, snow-covered roads.
Once this old lady was pointed out to us, it was determined that a very large
crane would be required to  gently lift her out from her snow covered bed. While
waiting for the hoisting apparatus, all of her bits and pieces were carefully
dug out of the snowbank and piled neatly on the side of the road. The next step
would be to extract her out and carry her to the airstrip, ¼ mile away.
While all of this was underway, Mr. Byron Reynolds graciously arranged for
the municipal runway to be plowed and swept in record time. Once the frame and
extra parts were moved to the side of the airstrip, this taking about 6 hours at
–30deg C, ( Brrrrrrrr!), all that was left was to wait for the crew of 311.
Although there were 6 bodies involved in the extraction process, this soon
turned into a large crowd. News of a Herc landing in Wetaskiwin is not an
everyday affair! This evolved to be a 2 hour airshow and static for some folks.
The Herc arrived with much fanfare and the loading process began. The two
loadmasters, Sgt Dave Rowe and MCpl Gary Keir, along with the traffic tech, Cpl
Drew Hine, were soon busy measuring, calculating, estimating, scratching their
heads and mumbling "is it going to fit?" Yes, it was determined that
it would fit. So the loading process was started. Once the lady’s nose was
positioned on the back ramp, she was slowly and gently pushed inside. All that
was left to do was to pack her pieces and parts and strap her down, ready for
the long trip to her new home. Luckily for us the navigator, Captain Robert
Brooks, had it all planned out. With a couple of stops in Winnipeg and Trenton,
she arrived in Greenwood late on the 10th of January. To our
amazement, a small group of people was anxiously waiting to see the grand dame.
She is now residing in 9 Hgr where she will receive a major makeover in the next
let’s say 4 to 5 years?
On behalf of the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum, we would like to thank
Col Handley, 14 Wing Commander, LCol Dorey CO 413 Squadron and his squadron
members: Captains Mike Goostrey, Jack Simpson, Gord Holm, Robert Brooks, Sgts
Reg Patoine and Dave Rowe, and MCpl Gary Keir.
We would also like to thank Major Tom Sand, D/CO 404
Sqn, without whom this
evolution would have been impossible; Mr. Byron Reynolds and his crew; MCpl Drew
Hine, Traffic Tech and Mr. Mike Vacheresse, resident of Edmonton. Mike helped us
with getting things ready from the Edmonton side.
For all interested in this restoration project, the Greenwood Military
Aviation Museum is looking for volunteers, experienced or not, to help in giving
this noble lady a new lease on life.
Please contact Mr. Bryan Nelson, GMAM curator at (902) 765-1494 ext. 5955
Reprinted here with permission from The Aurora Newspaper.
Originally appeared in Volume 20 No. 5 dated February 1, 1999.
  
  
Photos, André Ravary & Mike Vacheresse
The photos above show the rescue of the Anson
from a snowy field in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, in January 1999. This monumental
undertaking was accomplished with the generosity and help of the Wing Commander,
Col Brian Handley, and the fine people at 413 Squadron.
    
DND Photo
These photos show the Anson as it quietly sits in storage in a
Base hangar. As the project progresses, more pictures and possibly text will be
included to keep our visitors informed of the latest developments.
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