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Campbell, Peter (Flight Lieutenant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1940-December-13

Male Head

Birth Date: 1916-March-29 (age 24)

Alexander Farringdon Campbell & Dorothy Fanny Campbell.

Service
RAF
Unit
1 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Camp Borden, Ontario, Canada
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
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
2P
Service Numbers
39219
Collision: Category "A" accident on 13 Dec 1940 at Camp Borden, Ontario. Nomad 3503 had gone missing on a solo formation flight with two other a/c on 12 Dec 1940. Nomad a/c 's 3512 and 3521 were assigned on 13 Dec 1940 in good flying conditions to execute a search along the projected flight path of the missing a/c. The a/c each took off with experienced crews at 09:10 hrs and were later spotted flying at about 700 ft over Lake Muskoka, while in close formation. The a/c then appear to have collided and both a/c crashed into the lake with the loss of both crews. Flight Lieutenant P. Campbell and Leading Aircraftman T.C. Bates on 3521 were both killed. The remains of the aircraft were discovered using side-scan sonar in 2010. In 2012 the Casualty Identification program divers recovered the remains and personal effects of Leading Aircraftman Theodore Scribner Bates and Flight Lieutenant Peter Campbell. In September 2013, both airmen were laid to rest side by side at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Guelph, Ontario.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry "“ 1940-12-13

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Nomad (Northrop) Serial: 3521
  2. Nomad (Northrop) Serial: 3512

All the aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Burial
Google MapOttawa War Memorial
Panel 1 Column 1

Nomad (Northrop) 3521

Leading Aircraftman Bates, Theodore Scribner (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1940-December-13
Woodlawn Memorial Park, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Male Head

Flight Lieutenant Campbell, Peter (RAF)
2P
Killed in Flying Accident
1940-December-13
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Nomad (Northrop) 3512

Male Head

Sergeant Francis, Lionel (RAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1940-December-13
Barrie Union Cemetery, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Male Head

Leading Aircraftman Gosling, William James Phillip (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1940-December-13
Beechmount Cemetery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Northrop Nomad

(DND Archives Photo, PL-6224)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Northrop A-17A Nomad, RCAF (Serial No. 3508), painted with target towing stripes
, RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario, 21 Nov 1941.

The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F model, was a two-seat, single-engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the U.S. Army Air Corps. When in British Commonwealth service during World War II, the A-17 was called Nomad.

The Royal Canadian Air Force received 32 Nomads that had been part of a French order of 93 aircraft. When France fell in 1940, this order was taken over by Great Britain who transferred 32 of the aircraft to Canada where they were used as advanced trainers and target tugs as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. All were assigned to No. 3 Training Command RCAF.

Nomads were never used operationally overseas. Initially, the aircraft were used at Camp Borden to check out qualified civilian pilots who were offering their services to the air force. In 1941, the aircraft were modified to a target-towing configuration to allow for air-to-air gunnery training at various schools in Quebec and Ontario. In addition to being used by the RCAF in Canada, the Royal Norwegian Air Force trained some aircrew in exile on the A-17A at airports in Toronto and Muskoka. The RCAF Nomads were retired with the cessation of hostilities. The Nomads were not particularly outstanding aircraft, but they did provide reliable training service logging an average of approximately 3,000 flying hours each in their four and a half years of service. Wikipedia and Harold Skaarup web page

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Nomad Trainer

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrek Publications Northrop Nomad - Kestrel Publications

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF Owned (32) Canadian Crewed (8)
last update: 2021-12-21 00:45:17

Nomad (Northrop) 3521

Delivered marked as NX-N46. First assigned to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Air Traffic Services, Camp Borden, Ontario. Category "A" accident on 13 Dec 1940 at Camp Borden, Ontario. Nomad #3503 had gone missing on a solo formation flight with two other a/c on 12 Dec 1940. Nomad a/c #'s 3512 and 3521 were assigned on 13 Dec 1940 in good flying conditions to execute a search along the projected flight path of the missing a/c. The a/c each took off with experienced crews at 09:10 hrs and were later spotted flying at about 700 ft over Lake Muskoka, while in close formation. The a/c then appear to have collided and both a/c crashed into the lake with the loss of both crews. The crewman on #3521 were Flight Lieutenant P. Campbell and Leading Aircraftman T.C. Bates. At the time of the crash, the total number of airframe hours was 918:05 hrs.
Wreckage was not found until 2005. Plans were made to raise wreckage in 2007. Bodies recovered from wreckage in October 2012, by divers from Royal Canadian Navy's Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic). Main wreckage recovered from lake bottom on 29 October 2014. RCAF serial was still clear, also marked "46" below serial on fuselage (part of company number and/or US civil registration it carried when delivered to Canada).

1940-08-13 Taken on Strength at Uplands, Ontario 2022-01-29
1940-December-13 Accident: 1 Service Flying Training School Loc: Lake Muskoka Names: Bates | Campbell
1940-12-13 Accident Category A 2022-01-29
1941-03-04 Struck off Strength written off 2022-01-29

Nomad (Northrop) 3512

Nomad (Northrop) 3512

Delivered marked as NX-N44. First assigned to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Air Traffic Services, Camp Borden, Ontario. Category "A" accident on 13 Dec 1940 at Camp Borden, Ontario. Nomad #3503 had gone missing on a solo formation flight with two other a/c on 12 Dec 1940. Nomad a/c #'s 3512 and 3521 were assigned on 13 Dec 1940 in good flying conditions to execute a search along the projected flight path of the missing a/c. The a/c each took off with experienced crews at 09:10 hrs and were later spotted flying at about 700 ft over Lake Muskoka, while in close formation. The a/c then appear to have collided and both a/c crashed into the lake with the loss of both crews. The crewman on #3512 were Flight Sergeant L. Francis and Leading Aircraftman W.P. Gosling. At the time of the crash, the total number of airframe hours was 207:25 hrs.

1940-08-26 Taken on Strength at Camp Borden, Ontario 2022-01-29
1940-December-13 Accident: 1 Service Flying Training School Loc: Lake Muskoka Names: Francis | Gosling
1940-12-13 Accident Category A 2022-01-29
1941-02-26 Struck off Strength written off 2022-01-29

1 SFTS (1 Service Flying Training School)

Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.

There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.

Currently the site of CFB Borden. Heliport and grass strip remains. CYBN

Camp Borden Class 1917

For more Information on RCAF Station Borden see here

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Borden Ontario

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Edenvale Ontario

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Alliston Ontario

General Camp Borden History

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