Crotty, William Joseph (Corporal)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-April-22

Male Head

Birth Date: 1919-May-29

Born:

Parents: John & Nellie Crotty, of Croydon, New South Wales, Australia.

Spouse:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAAF

Unit

7 SFTS- Service Flying Training School

Base

RCAF Stn. MacLeod, Alberta

Rank

Corporal

Position

Service Numbers

32182

Final Burial
Google MapHoly Cross Cemetery
Air Force Plot Row 1 Grave 1

Anson 7472 was on approach to Fort McLeod when it collided with Anson FP719 at 03:45. The aircraft crashed together, with FP719 on top. Lone occupant in each aircraft was killed, including LAC. W.J. Crotty, RAAF in this aircraft.

Killed in7472: Corporal William Joseph Crotty, RAAF KIFA Holy Cross Cemetery, Fort MacLeod, Alberta, Air Force Plot. Row 1. Grave 1.

Killed in FP-719: LAC George Peter Burcher, RAAF KIFA Union Cemetery, MacLeod, Alberta, Block A21. Plot 17d. Old Lot 17. Block 21A. Grave 1.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. II Serial: FP719
  2. Anson Mk. II Serial: 7472

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

Anson serial: 7472

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

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube Avro Anson History

YouTube Avro Anson Construction

Aircraft Images

Anson FP719

Anson Mk. II FP719

With No. 7 Service Flying Training School at Fort McLeod, Alberta when it colldied on apparoach to Fort McLeod with Anson 7472 on 22 April 1943, at 03:45. The aircraft crashed together, with FP719 on top. Lone occupant in each aircraft killed, including Leading Aircraftman G.P. Burcher, RAAF in this aircraft.

1942-08-17 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-April-22 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Burcher | Crotty
1943-05-27 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

Anson 7472

Anson Mk. II 7472

With No. 7 Service Flying Training School at Fort McLeod, Alberta when it collided on approach to Fort McLeod with Anson FP719 on 22 April 1943, at 03:45. The aircraft crashed together, with FP719 on top. Lone occupant in each aircraft killed, including LAC. W.J. Crotty, RAAF in this aircraft.

1942-07-20 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-August-28 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Macleod Names: O'Neil
1942-September-14 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Brown | Rumney
1943-April-22 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Burcher | Crotty
1943-05-27 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

Unit Desciption

7 SFTS (7 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.

Avro Anson Training Flight

For More information on RCAF Station Fort McLeod see here

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - RCAF Station MacLeod AB

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Granum AB

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Standoff AB

Museum Bomber Command Museum Of Canada

Museum Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Southern Alberta

Project 44 BCATP

unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy