Gilbert Frederick Clay Rank: Flight Lieutenant Status: Killed in Action 1940-11-17

Douglas Digby aircraft 749 was on an anti-submarine patrol on the East Coast when it encountered extremely poor weather conditions and attempted to reach Quebec City.

It was discovered that the crew of six only had 5 parachutes, so the two smallest members volunteered to use one parachute. The bomber ran out of fuel and was abandoned near East Lake (Lac de l'Est), Quebec. pilot Flight Lieutenant GF Clay (RCAF) and Flight Lieutenant JG Richardson (RCAF), making the double jump, fell into the lake and were drowned when they went through the ice.

However Flying Officer LeBlanc had landed on the edge of a logging camp and was soon able to send a telegram detailing the area where the survivors should be. Within days searchers found Leading Aircraftman Benoit and AC1 Johnson, but the remains of aero engine mechanic Leading Aircraftman HE Howard (RCAF) were not discovered until 1944.

Killed: F/Lt Gilbert Frederick Clay RCAF C/1126 KIFA Forest Lawn Memorial Park Burnaby BC Timberland Sec. Lot 206. Grave 1. LAC Hollis Eugene Howard (1065) KIFA Aylesford United Church Cemetery Lot 19. F/Lt John Gordon Richardson RCAF C/899 KIFA Woodlawn Cemetery Saskatoon Block 88. Lot 86. Grave 10500.

Digby 749

Douglas Digby

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581607) (Source Harold A Skaarup web page)
Douglas Digby Mk. I, RCAF (Serial No. 740), coded R, No. 10 (Bomber) Squadron, RCAF.

The RCAF acquired 20 Douglas Digby Mk. I in 1940. These were American twin engine B-18A Bolo bombers which served during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Digby, named after the RAF school of bombing at RAF Digby, was based on the Douglas DC-2 airframe. The RCAF Digbys were immediately issued to No. 10 Squadron to replace the squadron's Westland Wapitis, to carry out anit-submarine patrol duties. RCAF Eastern Air Command (EAC) Digbys carried out 11 attacks on U-boats. U-520 was confirmed sunk by Flying Officer F. Raymes' crew of No. 10 (BR) Squadron, on 30 October 1942, east of Newfoundland. The Digby antisubmarine role was relatively short-lived, and they were superseded in this role in 1943 by Consolidated B-24 Liberators, which had a much heavier payload and a substantially longer range which finally closed the mid-Atlantic gap. Harold Skaarup web page

YouTube Digby bomber

Wkikpedia Wikipedia, Digby bomber

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

RCAF Owned (20) Canadian Crewed (5)

last update: 2021-09-06 14:28:30

Digby Mk. I 749

Category A crash near Riviere du Loup, Quebec on 18 November 1940. Aircraft was en route from Newfoundland to St. Hubert, Quebec when it was forced to divert due to bad weather. Crew abandoned aircraft, probably as fuel ran low. Aircraft not located for some time. Reported to have come down in Maine, just across the border, as did some of the crew. 2 crew members drowned after landing in lake on Quebec side of border, one crew member found dead in Maine several weeks later, had apparently survived the bail out but succumbed to exposure and starvation. Ownership assigned to No. 4 Repair Depot in Scoudouc, NB on 3 March 1941, for write off.

1940-03-22 Taken on Strength Eastern Air Command 2020-09-23
1940-November-17 Accident: 10 Squadron Loc: Lac De L'est Quebec Names: Benoit | Clay | Howard | Johnson | Leblanc | Richardson
1941-08-03 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

10 (BR) Sqn ()

Battle honours

The Second World War

NORTH-WEST ATLANTIC, 1940-1945.

Lineage

Authorized as ‘No.10 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron’ 1 April 1938.Footnote1

Redesignated 'No.10 (Bomber) Squadron' 28 August 1939.Footnote2

Redesignated 'No.10 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron' 1 September 1939.Footnote3

Disbanded 13 August 1945.Footnote4

Notes:

No lineal connection with '10 Experimental Squadron', of 1967-70. See 10 Experimental Squadron.

Operational history

The Second World War

The squadron flew on anti-submarine operations on the Atlantic Coast under 'Eastern Air Command'.Footnote5

Footnotes

Footnote 1

GO 48/38. Authorized but not formed (AFGO 19/39)

Footnote 2

AFGO 41/39

Footnote 3

AFGO 57/39\

Footnote 4

Secret Organization Order 279, 4 August 1945, file S.17-10-1 (DOE), Kardex 181.009 (D5432)

Footnote 5

AFGO 25/40; Statement and Organization Charts for the Home and Overseas War and BCATP Organization, 15 April 1942, file S.8202, Kardex 181.002 (D421); Memorandum, Notes for CAS, Appendix A, 12 September 1939, Document Collection 77/543

Government of Canada

Marshal
Air Chief Marshal	A/C/M
Air Marshal	A/M
Air Vice Marshal	A/V/M
Air Commodore	A/C
Group Captain	G/C
Wing Commander	W/C
Squadron Leader	S/L
Flight Lieutenant	F/L
Flying Officer	F/O
Pilot Officer	P/O
Warrant Officer 1st Class	WO1
Warrant Officer 2nd Class	WO2
Flight Sergeant	FS
Sergeant	SGT
Corporal	CPL
Senior Aircraftman	SAC
Leading Aircraftman	LAC
Aircraftman 1st Class	AC1
Aircraftman 2nd Class	AC2

Clay, Gilbert Frederick (Flight Lieutenant)

Killed in Action 1940-November-17

Digby 749

Douglas Digby

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

Digby Mk. I 749

10 (BR) Sqn ()

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

Lancaster FM213

Andrew Mynarski, VC

Clay, Gilbert Frederick (Flight Lieutenant)

Killed in Action 1940-November-17

Digby 749

Douglas Digby

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

Digby Mk. I 749

10 (BR) Sqn ()

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