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Helmer, Edward Charles (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-06-29

Birth Date: 1915-07-18 (age 25)

Born: Queen Charlotte Island, British Columbia

Son of Charles and Edith M. Helmer, of Kinuso.

Home: Kinuso, Alberta

Service
RCAF
Unit
33 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (RAF)
Loyalty
Base
Carberry, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
R/76623
33 Service Flying Training School, Carberry, Manitoba. LACs Helmer and D.H. Ross were killed when Anson aircraft 6391 crashed five miles south-east of the Railway Station at Pleasant Point, Manitoba. The accident occured one day before LAC Helmer was to graduate.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Find-A-Grave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew on Anson Mk. I 6391

Avro Anson

Avro Anson Mk. V
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Museum's Anson Mk. V was built by MacDonald Brothers in Winnipeg in 1944. It flew with No. 7 Photographic Wing and No. 414 Squadron in Ottawa on photo survey work until the late 1940s. In 1956, it was purchased by INCO and used for mineral surveying until 1980, when it was donated to the Museum. The exterior is painted in the yellow colour common to all BCATP trainers and is in its same wartime RCAF markings.

The Avro Anson was known by a number of nicknames including "Faithful Annie" or "Flying Greenhouse". It was the first aircraft to be flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936. In 1940, a Canadian government owned company, Federal Aircraft Limited, was created in Montreal to manufacture the Anson for Canadian use. Nearly 3,000 Anson aircraft were produced and, in the early days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the Anson was the standard trainer for many pilots, observers (navigators), wireless operators and bomb aimers. More than 20,000 aircrew received training on the Anson. In Canadian service, the aircraft was substantially re-designed with the substitution of North American engines and many other airframe and equipment changes. Harold Skaarup web pages

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube Avro Anson History

YouTube Avro Anson Construction

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (4404), RCAF 400 Squadron (6), Canadian Aircraft Losses (257)
last update: 2022-02-22 21:45:24

Anson Mk. I 6391

Ex RAF W1911. To No. 2 Training Command on 24 February 1941, for use by No. 33 Service Flying Training School at Carberry, Manitoba. Noted on 17 March 1941 as one of 15 dual control Ansons exchanged with the RAF for single control Ansons. Ownership to RAF account on 16 April 1941. Winter conversion kit installed by 3 July 1941. Category A crash at 15:30 on 29 June 1941, near Pleasant Point Station, Manitoba (8 miles east-south-east of Carberry aerodrome). Reported to have crashed in steep spiral dive, exploded on impact. LAC E.C. Helmer, RCAF killed. Had 360:00 logged time when written off.
1941-01-18 Taken on Strength No. 8 Repair Depot 2019-08-20
1941-May-02 Accident: 33 Service Flying Training School Loc: Carberry Aerodrome Names: Browne
1941-June-29 Accident: 33 Service Flying Training School Loc: Pleasant Point Names: Helmer | Ross
1941-08-23 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

33 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (RAF) (33 Service Flying Training School)

Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.

There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.

SFTS NO33 SFTS Publication

Notable student Actor Richard Burton

For Information on RCAF Station Carberry see here

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Carberry MB

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Petrel MB

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Oberon MB

  • General Manitoba Historical Society - Carberry Airport

  • General Clarence Simonsen - 33 SFTS

  • Museum Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum

  • 1940-12-26 Primary Location Carberry MB Canada Abandoned now home of McCain Food Processing Plant
    1940-12-26 Relief Field Petrel MB Canada Abandoned returned to agriculture. Still visible on satellite imagery.
    1940-12-27 Relief Field Oberon MB Canada Approximate location returned to agriculture. Original turf runway.

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