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Rodger, William Craig (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-June-28

Male Head

Birth Date: 1915 (age 28)

Son of William Muir Rodger and Marion Sneddon Rodger, of Stane, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Service
RAF
Unit
31 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School (RAF)
Base
Picton, Ontario, Canada
Rank
Sergeant
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
657688
31 BGS, Picton, Ontario.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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

Burial
Google Map Glenwood Cemetery, Canada
Block 1 Row 10 Grave 1 7

Crew on Anson Mk. II 7207

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. II 7207

Delivered to storage at Picton, Ontario. Issued from storage on 20 July 1942. Category A crash while with No. 31 Bombing & Gunnery School at Picton, request to scrap dated 10 July 1943, approved 26 July 1943. To No. 6 Repair Depot for write off action on 29 July 1943.
1942-01-26 Taken on Strength No. 1 Training Command 2019-08-20
1943-June-28 Accident: 31 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Waupoos Island Names: Brown | Rodger
1943-07-26 Struck off Strength Written off, reduced to spares and produce 2020-10-05

31 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School (RAF) (31 Bombing 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.
  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Picton Ontario

  • 1941-04-28 Primary Location Picton ON Canada Now site of Picton private airport.

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