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Labella, Anthony Joseph (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-August-12

Male Head

Birth Date: 1915-November-28 (age 26)

Son of Peter and Emily Labella, of Port Chester, New York,

Home: Port Chester, New York, USA

Service
RCAF
Unit
3 WS- Wireless School
Base
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Pilot Officer
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
J/9486
124 Ferry Squadron, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Two Anson aircraft collided. At the time of the Crash Pilot Officer Labella was still on strength of 3 Wireless School where he was posted. He was being posted to "Y" Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia effective 1942-08-20 to be deployed overseas. I am not sure why he was involved with 125 Ferry Squadron, but it could have been that he was using the trip to travel part way to Halifax.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry – 1942-08-12

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)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I 6717
  2. Anson Mk. I 6267

All the aircraft in the above list are in this report.

Crew on Anson Mk. I 6717

There were no casulaties listed on Anson Mk. I 6267

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 6717

Ex RAF W2405. To No. 3 Training Command on 28 August 1941, for use by No. 2 Air Navigation School at RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge, NB. To Eastern Air Command with this School on 5 November 1941. Transferred from EAC to No. 2 Training Command for use by No. 1 Air Navigation School at Rivers Camp, Manitoba on 27 May 1942, reported delivered on 31 May 1942. To MacDonald Brothers Aircraft for overhaul, 14 July 1942. Assigned to Eastern Air command on 6 august 1942, for use by No. 1 General Reconnaissance School in PEI. Category B crash at Armstrong, Ontario on 12 August 1942, probably while ferrying to EAC. Crash location also reported as Winnipeg? To workshop reserve at No. 8 Repair Depot in Winnipeg on 14 September 1942. Scrapped there.
1941-06-04 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1942-February-18 Accident: 2 Air Navigation School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Jackson | Jackson | Keohn | Martin | Quinn | Schoepf | Tremlett | White
1942-August-12 Accident: 124 Ferry Squadron Loc: Armstrong Ontario Names: Boswell | Holmes | Kirby | Labella | Macintyre | Rushton
1942-10-15 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20


Anson Mk. I 6267

Ex RAF W1772. To No. 4 Training Command on 8 January 1941, for use by No. 3 Service Flying Training School at Calgary, Alberta. Category D2 damage at Calgary, at 15:55 on 28 March 1941. To Aircraft Repair in Edmonton for overhaul, 23 April 1942. Scheduled for assignment to No. 9 Air Observer School at St. Jean, Quebec on 3 August 1942, but this was cancelled. Category A crash at Winnipeg on 12 August 1942, possibly while ferrying to eastern Canada. To No. 8 Repair Depot at Winnipeg on 14 September 1942 for scrapping
1940-12-17 Taken on Strength MacDonald Brothers Aircraft 2019-08-20
1941-January-24 Accident: 3 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Unoccupied
1941-March-28 Accident: 3 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Calgary Names: Cowan | Gardner
1942-August-12 Accident: 124 Ferry Squadron Loc: Armstrong Ontario Names: Boswell | Holmes | Kirby | Labella | Macintyre | Rushton
1942-10-15 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20


3 WS- Wireless School (3 Wireless School)

Trainees in the "Wireless Air Gunner" (WAG) stream spent 24 weeks at a Wireless Schoo learning the theory and application of wireless communications. This included signalling with lights and flags as well as radio. Their "WAG" training was completed with four weeks at a Bombing & Gunnery School.
  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Winnipeg MB - 3 WS

  • 1941-02-17 Primary Location Winnipeg
    1941-02-17 Detachment Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada

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