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Best, Gordon Cooper (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1944-July-03

Male Head

Birth Date: 1925 (age 19)

Son of Jack Cooper Best and Enid Best, of Hull, England.

Service
RAFVR
Unit
1 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School
Base
RCAF Stn. Jarvis, Ontario
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
Service Numbers
1590496
Died in the crash of Avro Anson - 6086.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry "� 1944-07-03

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Burial
Google MapKnox Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Soldier's plot Grave 9

Anson 6086

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

last update: 2022-02-22 21:45:24

Anson Mk. I 6086

Ex RAF R9892. Delivered to stored reserve. To No. 1 Training Command on 20 September 1940. To No. 2 Training Command at Winnipeg on 11 November 1940. Winter conversion kit installed by 3 July 1941. In storage from 11 April to 6 May 1942. Later with No. 38 Service Flying Training School at Estevan, Saskatchewan. Category C14 damage at 16:20 on 11 May 1942, at Estevan. Collided with Anson W1997 (RCAF ?) on the ground while being parked. To MacDonald Brothers Aircraft in Winnipeg for overhaul, 11 June to 12 August 1942. To Eastern Air Command when completed, for use by No. 1 General Reconnaissance School at Summerside, PEI. To Canada Car & Foundry at Amherst, NS for crash repairs on 26 August 1943. To No. 1 Training Command on 13 November 1943. Category A crash on 7 July 1944, while with No. 1 Bombing & Gunnery School at Jarvis, Ontario. Starboard wing caught fire shortly after takeoff from Jarvis, aircraft exploded in flight while attempting forced landing. Three fatalities, LACs G.C. Best and R. Waller, both RAF and Flight Sergeant J.B. Watts, RAAF. To No. 6 Repair Depot for inspection and to be held pending decision on repairing.

1940-09-11 Taken on Strength No. 6 Repair Depot 2019-08-20
1942-May-11 Accident: 38 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Cole | Patterson
1943-August-22 Accident: 1 General Reconnaissance School Loc: Moncton Aerodrome Names: Lyle | Phaneuf
1944-March-22 Accident: 1 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Illney | Thompson | Ward
1944-July-03 Accident: 1 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Best | Waller | Watts
1944-07-26 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

1 BGS (1 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.
1944 Navigation chart showing RCAF Jarvis and surrounding area. from: http://www.flightontario.com/BCATP/bcatp-schools.htm

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Jarvis Ontario

General RCAF Jarvis Blog

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