Britland, Lionel Poston
Killed in Flying Accident 1941-09-21
Birth Date: 1920-January-09
Born:
Son of William and Vera Britland, of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Home: Vancouver, British Columbia
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
32 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Base
RCAF Stn. Patricia Bay, British Columbia
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
2341A
Vancouver, British Columbia
Article from Esprit de Corps Magazine regarding the attempted recovery of the Crew by Anne Gafiuk
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.comThis incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Anson Mk. I Serial: N9818
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Anson N9818
Avro Anson
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
Avro Anson History32 OTU (32 Operational Training Unit)
The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.
More information on the RCAF Station at Patricia Bay, British Columbia can be found at:
Project 44 BCATP
BC Aviation Museum Video On History Of Pat Bay Anson N9818
Anson Mk. I N9818
Assigned to Western Air Command on 3 September 1941, for use by No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC. Destroyed when it struck a mountain peak north-west of Yale, BC late in the afternoon on 21 September 1941. All 3 occupants killed, pilot Pilot Officer L.W. Brooks, Sgt. L.P. Bretland and D.B. Hartley (on leave from McLeod, Alberta). Aircraft was ferrying to Western Air Command when it crashed. Crash location also reported as 4.5 miles south-west of Yale?1941-06-25 Taken on Strength Aircraft Repair 2019-08-20
1941-September-21 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Yale British Columbia Names: Britland | Brooks | Wortley
1942-02-21 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20