ATA

Address in 1940: 2 Anding Ave, Merrick, Long Island New York

Joined the engineering staff of the Berliner-Joyce Aircraft Corp, Baltimore, in 1929

Operated the E.B. Anding Flying Service in Haiti; had also done crop dusting

prev. exp. 4,980 hrs

"A sound and intelligent pilot."

Seconded ("Loaned") to Atlantic Ferry Organisation (Atfero), 20 Mar 1941

left, with Al Torrey (?Eaglerock) of Atfero

d. 14 Aug 1941 - one of four ATA pilots, travelling as passengers, amongst the 22 killed in the crash of Liberator AM260 when taking off from Ayr.

The others were Philip Lee (M.228), Buster Trimble and Martin Wetzel.

The cause of the crash was that "the pilot in command [Cpt Richard Charles Stafford of BOAC] started the take off procedure from runway 06 which was not suitable for the takeoff as it was too short for such aircraft."

In October, his wife Jessie wrote bitterly to the ATA:

"Dear Sir,

I have in my possession a check for $1,005 as full settlement of my late husband's salary. I feel there has been a mistake in the amount, which I sincerely hope was not intended by the ATA.

Although it is to no avail to blame anyone for the accident I cannot help feeling that to a certain extent it was nothing more than 'manslaughter'. Capt. Stafford on two occasions at St Hubert airport in Montreal almost let his ships get away from him. Both occasions Capt. Anding was in the ships and I have heard my husband and other pilots discuss the fact that Capt. Stafford was not capable of flying the ships assigned to him. Of course "mere Americans" to even dare assume that an Englishman couldn't out-fly them would be something short of "treason".

and his brother-in-law added: "... in conversation with [Elbert] I learned there were only two things he was afraid of, Fire and Capt. Stafford - he met both."

Jessie had suffered financial hardship as a result of her husband's death (he had no insurance), but refused to cash the cheque for some months in protest at what she regarded as the shabby treatment handed out to her and the other families.

Eventually, on 16 July 1942, an ex-gratia payment of $4,000 was agreed for Jessie, with a further $4,000 in War Bonds in the name of their 9 year-old daughter Mary Anne.

Jessie wrote back to say she was " ... greatly pleased. Might I add that any sarcasm I have shown in past correspondence has not been towards any one individual but to all those who from lack of foresight failed to realize the value and ability of other mankind."

 Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):