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Hilchie, Ralph Howard (Corporal)

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-11-23

Male Head

Age: 28

Son of Angus H. Hilchie and Etta M. Hilchie, of Pope's Harbour, Halifax Co., Nova Scotia.

Home: Sheffield Mills, Pope's Harbor, Halifax County, Nova Scotia

Service
RCAF
Unit
4 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School
Base
Fingal, Ontario, Canada
Rank
Corporal
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
Service Numbers
R/76059
Killed in the crash of Lysander - 2332. The a/c took off on a routine target towing mission and suddenly dove into Lake Erie. Sgt R.O. Gray and Cpl R.H. Hilchie were both killed. The cause of the crash was “obscure”. An elevator trim problem was later suspected.

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)

Corporal Ralph Howard Hilchie has no known grave.

Crew on Lysander Mk. IIIA TT 2332

Westland Lysander

Westland Lysander Mk. IIIA
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

Westland Aircraft of Yeovil, UK, started to design an Army Cooperation aircraft for the British Air Ministry, in June 1935. The first Lysander flew a year later and demonstrated a remarkable short field performance that today would be seen in a STOL aircraft. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, seven RAF squadrons equipped with Lysanders were sent to France in support of the British Army. In May-June 1940, 118 Lysanders were destroyed in action and 120 aircrew were killed or taken prisoner. These severe losses showed that the old ideas about army support aircraft were out of date and the future lay in fighters like the Hurricane.

The most daring use of Lysanders in WW II was with the Special Operations Executive, which supported the Resistance in German occupied France and Belgium, by flying in agents and picking up escapees. It was during these night operations, that the Lysander came into its own, using its remarkable STOL capabilities to fly into the small fields marked out by the Resistance.

The first Canadian built Lysanders rolled out of National Steel Car factory at Malton, Ontario in September 1939 and later were delivered to RCAF No. 110 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at Rockcliffe, Ontario. In February 1940, No. 110 became the first RCAF squadron to be ordered overseas to Britain, becoming No. 400 Sqn..

By late 1941, most Canadian built Lysanders had been transferred to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), where they were used for target towing at gunnery training schools. National Steel Car, which became Victory Aircraft, stopped building Lysanders in September 1942, as it started to gear up to manufacture Lancaster bombers. 1,652 Lysanders were built between 1938 and 1943; 225 of them in Canada. Lysanders served with the RAF, RCAF and the RAAF, as well as the air forces of seven other nations. Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

YouTube Lysander

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Lysander

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrek Publications Lysander - Kestrel Publications

General Century of Flight Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (329), RCAF 400 Squadron (1), Canadian Aircraft Losses (26)
last update: 2022-11-15 18:46:26

Lysander Mk. IIIA TT 2332

Assigned to No. 1 Training Command and served with No. 4 Bombing & Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario. Involved in fatal crash at Fingal, on 14 Oct 1942. The a/c took off on a routine target towing mission and suddenly dove into Lake Erie. Flight Sergeant R.O. Gray and Cpl R.H. Hilchie were both killed. The cause of the crash was “obscure”. An elevator trim problem was later suspected.
1942-04-22 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-10-14 Accident Category A 2021-12-30
1942-November-23 Accident: 4 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: In Lake Erie Names: Gray | Hilchie
1943-02-02 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20


4 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School (4 Bomb and Gunnery School)

The Bombing and Gunnery School (B&GS) offered instruction in the techniques of bomb aiming and aerial machine gunnery to Air Observers, Bomb Aimers, and Wireless Air Gunners. These schools required large areas to accommodate their bombing and gunnery ranges, and were often located near water. The Avro Anson, Fairey Battle, Bristol Bolingbroke, and Westland Lysander were the standard aircraft used at B&GS schools.
NO4 BGS Fingal Ontario
  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Fingal Ontario

  • Museum Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum - 4 BGS History

  • General RCAF Fingal Blog

  • 1940-11-25 Primary Location Fingal ON Canada Abandoned return to agriculture.

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