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Cummer, John Allenby (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-October-05

Birth Date: 1924-May-23 (age 19)

Born: Drumheller, Alberta

Captain J. W. Cummer and Laurine Lila Cummer, of Calgary.

Home: Calgary, Alberta

Service
RCAF
Unit
1 CNS- Central Navigation School
Base
RCAF Stn. Rivers, Manitoba
Rank
Sergeant
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
R/171888

Anson I DG872, piloted by Sergeant L E Plate RCAF, when at 500 feet on final approach with a failed engine collided with another of the School's Anson Is (6642) at 23:40. Both machines crashed a mile north of the airfield, killing the five and four crew in each, respectively.

Killed in DG872: Pilot Officer William Harry Earl RCAF C/24354 KIFA Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Block J. Lot 401. Grave 81. Pilot Officer Thomas Westcott Nixon RCAF C/26582 KIFA Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto, Sec. T. Lot 421. Grave 3. Pilot Officer David Renfrew Petrie RCAF C/26583 KIFA St. James Cemetery, Winnipeg Lot 4. Block 219. Grave A. Sergeant Leroy Edgar Plate RCAF R/168250 pilot KIFA Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Lot 1566. Sergeant Alfred Lawrence Capon RNZAF KIFA Rivers Cemetery, Manitoba, Plot 2. Block 29. Sec. 25. Range 21.

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I Serial: DG872
  2. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6642

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

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 MapCalgary, Alberta
Burial
Google MapUnion Cemetery
Lot 4 Sec W Family Plot

Anson DG872

Avro Anson

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

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube Avro Anson History

YouTube Avro Anson Construction

last update: 2022-02-22 21:45:24

Anson Mk. I DG872



1942-02-26 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-August-18 Accident: 1 Central Navigation School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Capon | Clifford | Cockrane | Medrington | Plate | Reid
1943-October-05 Accident: 1 Central Navigation School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Capon | Cummer | Earl | Guay | MacArthur | Nixon | Petrie | Plate | Smith
1943-11-08 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

Anson 6642

Anson Mk. I 6642

Ex RAF W2309. Winter conversion set installed during assembly. To No. 4 Training Command on 12 July 1941, for use by No. 3 Air Observer School at Regina, Saskatchewan. To Aircraft Repair for overhaul, 31 December 1942 to 22 June 1943. To No. 2 Training Command when completed. Completely destroyed in Category A crash on 5 October 1943. Ownership to No. 8 Repair Depot for write off on 25 October 1943.

1941-05-08 Taken on Strength MacDonald Brothers Aircraft 2019-08-20
1943-October-05 Accident: 1 Central Navigation School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Capon | Cummer | Earl | Guay | MacArthur | Nixon | Petrie | Plate | Smith
1943-11-08 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

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