Gray, Leonard Joseph
Killed in Flying Accident 1941-01-06
Birth Date: 1919
Born:
Son of Murray J. Gray and Phyllis Winnifred Gray, of Niagara Falls.
Home: Niagara Falls, Ontario
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
1 ANS- Air Navigation School
Base
Rivers, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Leading Aircraftman
Service Numbers
R/52560
First Burial
Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionThis incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Anson Mk. I Serial: 6016
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Anson 6016
Avro Anson
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
Harold A Skaarup Web Page 
Avro Anson History1 ANS (1 Air Navigation School)
Nos. 1 & 2 Air Navigation Schools offered four-week courses in astronavigation and were the last step for Air Observers.
The RAF schools, Nos. 31, 32, and 33, provided the same training as Air Observer Schools.
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Trenton ON
NO1 ANS moved to Rivers Manitoba 23 November 1940
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Rivers MB
NO 1 ANS was redesignated Central Navigation School after an amalgamation with NO 2 ANS from Pennfield Ridge, NB May 11 1942
Project 44 BCATP
Manitoba Historical Society - 1 ANS History Anson 6016
Anson Mk. I 6016
Ex RAF N9988. To No. 1 Training Command in March 1940, for use at Camp Borden, Ontario. Category C damage at 8:30 on 30 March 1940 at Camp Borden. To No. 2 Training Command in fall of 1940, for use by No. 1 Air Navigation School at Rivers Camp, Manitoba. Category C damage at 16:00 on 14 November 1940 at North Bay, Ontario, reported by No. 1 Air Navigation School. Category A crash at 19:00 on 6 January 1941 at Rivers.1940-03-15 Taken on Strength Fleet Aircraft 2019-08-20
1940-May-30 Accident: ATS RCAF STN CAMP BORDEN Loc: Aerodrome Names: Bruce | De Rosia | Sage
1940-November-14 Accident: 1 Air Navigation School Loc: North Bay Ontario Names: Donnell | Duncan | Fullerton | Marsden
1941-January-06 Accident: 1 Air Navigation School Loc: Rivers Manitoba Names: Gray | Lewis | Mcbrien | Pink | Ross
1941-02-25 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20