Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum logo

Click on CASPIR logo to go to the entire CASPIR system.

Use the panel to:

  • select Optional Sections
  • Remove Page Breaks, that is, return to the non-print formatted document.
  • Click on the ⇩ to go directly to that section.

Griffiths, Evan Thomas (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1944-January-11

Male Head

Birth Date: 1921-October-15 (age 22)

Son of George and Mary Griffiths, of Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil Glamorgan, Wales.

Service
RAFVR
Unit
35 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School (RAF)
Base
Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
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
1584967
35 EFTS, Neepawa, Manitoba.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry – 1944-01-11

Note: There appears to be a lot of confusion in Neepawa at the time of the crash. The unit was in the process of redesignating from No 35 Elementary Flying Training School to No 26 Elementary Flying Training School. On the crash card the accident is noted as having taken place at No 26 Elementary Flying Training School. In the Operational Record Book the the title at the top of the page is still No 35 Elementary Flying Training School. According to the 4th amendment to the Re-organizational Order issued on 22 December 1943, the unit was to redesignate effective 3 January 1944, however there was an amendment issued on 7 January 44 changing this date to 30 January 1944. Based on this amendment I am placing the accident under No 35 Elementary Flying Training School vice No 26 Elementary Flying Training School.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Find-A-Grave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Moth, Tiger I 3856
  2. Moth, Tiger I 1268

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

Burial
Google Map Riverside Cemetery, Canada
Lot 4 Block 6 Range 5

Crew on Moth, Tiger I 1268

de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth

Source: Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (serial # RCAF 8922), credit Rick Radell

The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and many other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. In addition to the type's principal use for ab-initio training, the Second World War saw RAF Tiger Moths operating in other capacities, including maritime surveillance and defensive anti-invasion preparations; some aircraft were even outfitted to function as armed light bombers.

The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until it was succeeded and replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk during the early 1950s. Many of the military surplus aircraft subsequently entered into civil operation. Many nations have used the Tiger Moth in both military and civil applications, and it remains in widespread use as a recreational aircraft in several countries. It is still occasionally used as a primary training aircraft, particularly for those pilots wanting to gain experience before moving on to other tailwheel aircraft.

Overseas manufacturing of the type commenced in 1937, the first such overseas builder being de Havilland Canada at its facility in Downsview, Ontario. In addition to an initial batch of 25 Tiger Moths that were built for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), the Canadian firm began building fuselages which were exported to the UK for completion. Canadian-built Tiger Moths featured modifications to better suit the local climate, along with a reinforced tail wheel, hand-operated brakes (built by Bendix Corporation), shorter undercarriage radius rods and the legs of the main landing gear legs being raked forwards as a safeguard against tipping forwards during braking. In addition the cockpit had a large sliding canopy fitted along with exhaust-based heating; various alternative undercarriage arrangements were also offered. By the end of Canadian production, de Havilland Canada had manufactured a total of 1,548 of all versions. Wikipedia

Wkikpedia Wikipedia de Havilland Tiger Moth

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube YouTube de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (1414), RCAF 400 Squadron (3), Canadian Aircraft Losses (107)
last update: 2022-08-24 12:34:41

Moth, Tiger I 3856

With No. 35 Elementary Flying Training School at Neepewa, Manitoba in 1943. Category A crash at 11:30 on 11 January 1944, while assigned to No. 26 Elementary Flying Training School at Neepawa, Manitoba. Collided with Tiger Moth 1268 from same school at low altitude, 4 miles west of main aerodrome, while both aircraft were practicing forced landings. LAC E.T. Griffiths, RAF killed.
1942-03-03 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1943-April-24 Accident: 35 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Hooton
1943-December-16 Accident: 35 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Fenn | Harris
1944-January-11 Accident: 26 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Griffiths | Hair
1944-02-14 Struck off Strength Struck off, scrapped. 2019-08-20

Moth, Tiger I 1268

Ordered by USAAF as PT-24 42-1132; then to Lend-Lease as RAF FH619. Category A crash at 11:30 on 11 January 1944, while assigned to No. 26 Elementary Flying Training School at Neepawa, Manitoba. Collided with Tiger Moth 3856 from same school at low altitude, 4 miles west of main aerodrome, while both aircraft were practicing forced landings. LAC D.M. Hair, RAF killed.
1942-02-18 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1943-February-22 Accident: 35 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Pendlebury
1944-January-11 Accident: 26 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Hair
1944-02-14 Scrapped Scrapped by guillotining. 2019-08-20
1944-02-14 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

35 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School (RAF) (35 Elementary Flying Training School)

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.

For More Information on RCAF Station Neepawa see here

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Neepawa MB

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Eden MB

  • General MilitaryBruce.com - Canadian Military History

    • 1942-03-30 Primary Location Neepawa MB Canada Currently the location of Neepawa Airport CJV5
    1942-03-30 Relief Field Eden, MB Canada Location approximate returned to agriculture land.

    © Canadian Warplane Heritage 2024

    To search on any page:
    PC — Ctrl-F
    Mac — ⌘-F
    Mobile — or …