R Brown Rank: Flight Sergeant Status: Killed in Flying Accident 1942-11-28

Robert Basquin, was a French citizen that responded to General de Gaulle's call by joining the FAFL (Free French Air Forces). On this occasion he asked to change his name and is now called Robert Brown. Like other French aviators, he chose to take an assumed name during the war in hope to avoid reprisals against his family in the event that he was captured by the Germans.

In July 1942, he was sent to Canada to No. 31 Air Navigator School based in Port-Albert, Ontario, to complete his navigator training. He was reported missing 28 November 1942.

He is listed on the Mmorial du Trport, erected to the memory of the 123 fighters of the Free French Air Force that are missing with no known graves. (Source Bernie Goodman)

Anson N9838

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 Owned (4404) RCAF 400 Squadrons (6) Canadian Crewed (259) Canadian Manufactured (3956) Canadian Museum (1)

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

Anson Mk. I N9838

To No. 1 Training Command on 16 January 1941, for use by No. 31 Air Navigation School, Port Albert, Ontario. Still with this School when lost on 28 November 1942, on a night cross country training flight. Wreckage found on shores of Lake Huron, icing may have been a factor. All 4 crew killed: AC1 W.H. Addis, Flight Sergeant R. Brown, Leading Aircraftman C.P. James, Sgt. J.L. Shaw (pilot).

1940-12-04 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1942-November-28 Accident: 31 Air Navigation School Loc: Lake Huron Names: Addis | Brown | James | Shaw
1943-03-16 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

31 ANS (31 Air Navigation School)

Nos. 1 & 2 Air Navigation Schools offered four-week courses in astronavigation and were the last step for Air Observers.

The RAF schools, Nos. 31, 32, and 33, provided the same training as Air Observer Schools.

NO31 ANS Port Albert ON

Originally Navigation School No. 48 General Reconnaissance from St. Athan, Wales, which moved to Port Albert as No. 31 Air Navigation School in October 1940.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Port Albert On