Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum logo

Christie, James Oliver DFC (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1944-April-03

Birth Date: 1922-November-29 (age 21)

Florence Christie, of Regina.

Home: Regina, Saskatchewan (mother)

Decorations: DFC


Distinguished Service Cross
Service
RCAF
Unit
5 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School
Base
RCAF Stn. High River, Alberta
Rank
Pilot Officer
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
Pilot
Service Numbers
J/17256
Born 1922 at Griffin, Saskatchewan; home in Regina; enlisted in Calgary, 17 March 1941. Trained at No.2 WS (graduated 7 December 1941) and No.5 BGS (graduated 5 January 1942). 5 Elementary Flying Training School, High River, Alberta. Pilot Officer Christie was awarded the D.F.C. on September 1, 1943 whilst serving with 50 Squadron, he had trained at 42 WS. and 45 B.G.S. Pilot Officer Christie was killed when his Cornell aircraft 10880 crashed one half mile south of Azure, Alberta.

Addendum: - Distinguished Flying Cross No.50 Squadron - Award effective 1 September 1943 as per London Gazette dated 14 September 1943 and AFRO 2322143 dated 12 November 1943. Award presented 27 June 1945. The citation reads - "Pilot Officer Christie has taken part in many operational sorties against most of the enemy's heavily defended German targets. His aircraft has been severely damaged on several occasions but this has not diminished his enthusiasm for operational flying. At all times this officer's technical ability and devotion to duty have been outstanding." Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry "“ 1944-04-03

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

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

Home
Google MapRegina, Saskatchewan (mother)
Burial
Google MapRegina Cemetery
Block D Plot 1 Grave 21

Cornell 10880

Pilot Officer Christie, James Oliver (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-03
Regina Cemetery, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Fairchild Cornell

Fairchild Cornell Mk. II
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

In early 1942, an agreement was signed between the Canadian Government and Fairchild Aircraft, which licenced Fleet Aircraft of Fort Erie, Ontario to construct the PT-26 Cornell in Canada. The first 800 Cornells used by the RCAF were supplied from Fairchild, until production commenced at Fort Erie in November 1942. By the end of the war in 1945, 2,853 Cornells had been built by Fleet - 1,565 for the RCAF and 1,288 for the RAF.

PT-26 Cornells were flown at many of the Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS) of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, where they replaced the Fleet Finch and the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane trainers. After the Second World War, many Cornells were sold to the civilian market, but some were retained by the RCAF, where they were finally retired in 1948. CWPHM



YouTube Cornell Trainer

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Cornell Trainer

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF Owned (1590) Canadian Crewed (54) Canadian Museum (4)
last update: 2021-08-30 13:45:56

Cornell Mk. II 10880

Lend Lease funded aircraft, also issued RAF serial FZ327 and USAAF serial 43-36377 (PT-26B-FE), RAF serial number marked as company number. Delivered to stored reserve, issued from storage on 18 February 1944. Crashed while with No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School at High River, Alberta. To No. 10 Repair Depot on 18 April 1944, for crash repairs, scrapped there.

1943-11-26 Taken on Strength No. 4 Training Command 2019-08-20
1944-April-03 Accident: 5 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Azure Names: Christie
1944-05-18 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

5 EFTS (5 Elementary Flying Training School)

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.
RCAF Lethbridge AB

Established in 1940 at the present site of Lethbridge Airport CYQL.

More information on the RCAF Station at Lethbridge AB can be found at

RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Lethbridge AB

NO5 EFTS moved to High River AB 28 June 1941

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station High River AB

RCAF Roundel RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Frank Lake AB

Museum Bomber Command Museum Of Canada

Museum Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Alberta

© Canadian Warplane Heritage 2024

To search on any page:
PC — Ctrl-F
Mac — ⌘-F
Mobile — or …