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Pidgeon, George Wallace (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-12-09

Birth Date: 1924-01-01 (age 19)

Son of Frank B. Pidgeon and Agnes C. Pidgeon, of Weston.

Home: Weston, Ontario

Service
RCAF
Unit
23 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School
Base
Davidson, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
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/255200
LAC Pidgeon was killed when his Cornell aircraft FR 789 crashed in a field, during solo practise, seven miles north-east of Craik, Saskatchewan.

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)

Burial
Google Map Riverside Cemetery, Canada
Sec D Plot 139 Grave 2

Fairchild Cornell

Fairchild Cornell Mk. II
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

In early 1942, an agreement was signed between the Canadian Government and Fairchild Aircraft, which licenced Fleet Aircraft of Fort Erie, Ontario to construct the PT-26 Cornell in Canada. The first 800 Cornells used by the RCAF were supplied from Fairchild, until production commenced at Fort Erie in November 1942. By the end of the war in 1945, 2,853 Cornells had been built by Fleet - 1,565 for the RCAF and 1,288 for the RAF.

PT-26 Cornells were flown at many of the Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS) of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, where they replaced the Fleet Finch and the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane trainers. After the Second World War, many Cornells were sold to the civilian market, but some were retained by the RCAF, where they were finally retired in 1948. CWPHM



YouTube Cornell Trainer

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Cornell Trainer

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (1590), Canadian Aircraft Losses (54)
last update: 2021-08-30 13:45:56

Cornell Mk. I FH789

Ex USAAF PT-26, serial number 42-14437. To RCAF in Canada, retained RAF serial number. With No. 23 Elementary Flying Training School at - when it crashed on 9 December 1943, north-east of Craik, Saskatchewan. Only occupant, LAC G.W. Pidgeon, killed.
1942-10-21 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-December-09 Accident: 23 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Craik Names: Pidgeon
1944-01-14 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

23 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School (23 Elementary Flying Training School)

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.

Formed at Davidson, Saskatchewan on 1942-10

More Information on RCAF Station Davidson can be found here

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Davidson Saskatchewan

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Davidson (West) Saskatchewan

  • Museum Vintage Wings - Ghosts of Saskatchewan

  • Moved to Yorkton, Saskatchewan 1945-06-29

    More Information on RCAF Station Yorkton can be found here

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Yorkton SK

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Sturdee SK

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Rhein SK

  • Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial

  • Unit was disbanded on 1945-09-15.

    1942-10-01 Primary Location Davidson SK Canada Now site of Davidson Municipal Airport CJC3
    1942-11-09 Relief Field Davidson SK Canada Grass runway returned to agriculture.
    1945-01-29 Primary Location Yorkton, Saskatchewan Canada Canada Present site of Yorkton SK Airport CYQV
    1945-01-29 Relief Field Rhein, Saskatchewan Canada Location turf runways, returned to agriculture
    1945-01-29 Relief Field Sturdee, Saskatchewan Canada Abandoned return to agriculture still visible on satellite imagery.

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