Cotnam, Harold Clinton (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-October-31

Sergeant Harold Clinton Cotnam RCAF

Birth Date: 1919-September-13

Born: Pembroke, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada

William James Cotnam & Minnie Ethel (nee Jackson) Cotnam

Home: Pembroke, Ontario (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

52 (OT) OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

RAF Debden

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Sergeant

Service Numbers

R/77479

Home
Google MapPembroke, Ontario (parents)
Final Burial
Google MapCanford Cemetery
Section QQ Grave 305A

Took off from Debden on a training flight. Aircraft crashed in a flying accident near Almondesbury, Gloucestershire, England.

Previous to joining the RCAF, Sergeant Cotnam had been employed by the Royal Bank of Canada. He joined the bank in 1937 in his hometown of Pembroke, Ontario and also served at the Brockville, Ontario branch before moving to the Mount Royal, Quebec branch until his enlistment in December 1940

Sergeant Cotnam was cousin to Flying Officer Royden Leslie Cotnam (RCAF), killed 1945-04-08 over Italy in Spitfire MK 951.

unvetted Source Enlisted Staff - RBC

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Mission

Hurricane Mk. I P3021

Operational 1941-October-31 to 1941-October-31

52 OTU (OT) OTU (RAF) RAF Debden

52 Operational Training Unit RAF Debden. Sergeant HC Cotnam (RCAF) lost his life during a training flight, while piloting Hurricane I aircraft P 3021, which crashed near Washingpool Hill, Almondsbury, Gloucester, England

This aircraft had previously fought in the Battle of Britain with 504 squadron

unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database...

unvetted Source Gloucestershire Aircraft Accidents.pdf

Hurricane serial: P3021

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc.
Source BBMF

The Hawker Hurricane is a single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s"“1940s that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Hurricane developed through several versions, as bomber-interceptors, fighter-bombers, and ground support aircraft in addition to fighters. Versions designed for the Navy were popularly known as the Sea Hurricane, with modifications enabling their operation from ships. Some were converted to be used as catapult-launched convoy escorts. By the end of production in July 1944, 14,487 Hurricanes had been completed in Britain and Canada.

A major manufacturer of the Hurricane was Canadian Car and Foundry at their factory in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario. The facility's chief engineer, Elsie MacGill, became known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes". The initiative was commercially led rather than governmentally, but was endorsed by the British government; Hawker, having recognized that a major conflict was all but inevitable after the Munich Crisis of 1938, drew up preliminary plans to expand Hurricane production via a new factory in Canada. Under this plan, samples, pattern aircraft, and a complete set of design documents stored on microfilm, were shipped to Canada; the RCAF ordered 20 Hurricanes to equip one fighter squadron and two more were supplied to Canadian Car and Foundry as pattern aircraft but one probably did not arrive. The first Hurricane built at Canadian Car and Foundry was officially produced in February 1940. As a result, Canadian-built Hurricanes were shipped to Britain to participate in events such as the Battle of Britain. Canadian Car and Foundry (CCF) was responsible for the production of 1,451 Hurricanes. Wikipedia and Harold A Skaarup Web Page


YouTube Hurricane

Wikipedia Wikipedia Hurricane

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrel Publications Hurricane - Kestrel Publications