Sgt. Earnest William John Polden
Royal Air Force 500 Sqd.
(d.26th Jun 1941)
My grandfather Earnest Polden who was part of 500 Squadron was the pilot of the ill-fated Avro Anson involved in the crash over Cawston on 26/06/1941.
On 26th June 1941, while airborne three miles south west of Aylsham, Norfolk. Kanturek and Parry lost their lives when Hawker Hurricane 2B, Z3391 from 257 Squadron at RAF Coltishall, collided with their plane, Coastal Command Avro Anson N9732 from 500 Squadron at Bircham Newton. Otto Kanturek's remains were interred in Scottow Cemetery adjacent to Coltishall airfield but his age is given as 42 years and this is probably incorrect as he is alleged to have been a cameraman since 1913. O W Kanturek, 20th Century Fox Films Ltd died 26th June 1941 Age 42. Otto Kanturek was a very experienced cameraman with numerous films credits and an industry reputation. Along with another cameraman, Jack Parry, he was taking aerial action shots of Hurricanes as part of the making of the film, A Yank in the RAF The idea was that two Hurricane planes would swoop past Otto's plane. Jack Parry and Otto would take it in turns to film the Hurricanes. Just before midday on the 26 June, 1941, Jack Parry, Otto Kanturek and their pilot clambered into the jeep and made their way to the runway at RAF Coltishall. There they would board their plane for what they all thought would be a routine flight. The two film makers didn't even anticipate being that long. They were to get these shots in the can and then get to the set of another movie in production - a movie called One of Our Aeroplanes is Missing. But sadly this would be their last ever flight. During the flight one of the Hurricanes collided with the camera plane. The pilot of the Hurricane escaped, but everyone in the other plane was killed. Jack Parry is stated to be buried at Aylsham. The pilot of the 500 Sqn Anson was 754618 Sgt E W J Polden aged 24, he is buried in Branksome Park (All Saints) Churchyard, Poole. He was the son of Henry Richard and Minnie Elizabeth Anne Polden, of Parkstone; husband of Edith Grace Polden. Ernest is remembered on the Poole Grammar School Roll of Honour.
I have extensive research into the accident. The photograph of my grandfather on his wedding day, it’s a very interesting picture in as much as it was taken 74 years ago at their wedding. Earnest William Polden is the man in the centre left of the picture and his wife obviously stands next to him. The person to his left is Pat sister of Earnest Polden's wife. As much of interest to me personally is the gentleman and lady at the back to the right of the couple. This is the man I actually knew as my grandfather Reginald Waterfield and his wife, my grandmother whose name is escaping me). However I didn't know that the couple who adopted her were their best friends, in fact Reginald Waterfield was Earnest's best man. This picture to me is really special as it actually changes my past in as much as I did not know my grandfather and my adopted grandfather knew each other. I am also fortunate to have recently been given two fragments of the actual aircraft which I treasure.
