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Freeman, Alfred John (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-November-20

Male Head

Birth Date: 1922 (age 19)

Son of Alfred Bertie and Effie May Freeman, of Torquay, Devon, England.

Service
RAFVR
Unit
31 GRS- General Reconnaissance School (RAF)
Base
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
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
Service Numbers
123923

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Anson N4894

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 N4894

To No. 3 Training Command on 11 July 1941, for use by No. 31 General Reconnaissance School at Charlottetown, PEI. Winter conversion kit installed by 22 August 1941. To Eastern Air Command with this School on 5 November 1941. Still with this School when it crashed at 21:17 on 20 November 1941. 3 fatalities.

1941-05-09 Taken on Strength Canada Car & Foundry 2019-08-20
1941-November-20 Accident: 31 General Reconnaissance School Loc: Names: Clench | Ficken | Freeman | Thomas
1942-03-10 Struck off Strength Struck off after crash, see comments 2019-08-20

31 GRS (31 General Reconnaisance School)

The General Reconnaissance School trained pilots and air observers in the techniques required for ocean patrol. It was the equivalent to an Operational Training Unit (OTU), and last stop before aircrew were assigned to operations. The topics included DR Navigation, Astro Navigation, Compasses and Instruments, Meteorology, Signals, Reconnaissance, Coding, Ship Recognition, Aerial Photography, and Visual Signals.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Charlottetown PEI

General Charlottetown Stories

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