Mountain View Cemetery
Died in the mid air collision of Stearman FD980 and FD990. Leading Aircraftman F.J. Brand, Leading Aircraftman D.M. Gross, and Pilot Officer A.G. Clark were all killed in this crash.
Gross, Derek Malcolm (Leading Aircraftman)
Killed in Flying Accident 1942-July-29
Birth Date: 1922-January-06
Born:
Parents: Son of Gilbert Gall Gross, and Constance Mary Gross, of Upminster, Essex, England.
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
36 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School (RAF)
Base
Pearce, Alberta, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Service Numbers
1387747
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.comAccident Card - Stearman Stearman (Kaydet) serial:FD990
This accident involved 2 aircraft on 1942-July-29. They are: Stearman s/n FD990, Stearman s/n FD980.
This accident involved 3 people. Brand FJ, Clark AG, Gross DM
This accident had 3 fatalities. Leading Aircraftman Derek Malcolm Gross RAFVR Killed in Flying Accident service no:1387747 Stearman (Kaydet) FD990,Leading Aircraftman Frederick James Brand RAFVR Killed in Flying Accident service no:1337274 Stearman (Kaydet) FD980, Pilot Officer Albert George Clark RAFVR Killed in Flying Accident service no:116582 Stearman (Kaydet) FD980
Unit Desciption
36 EFTS (36 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.
PearceEFTS
For more information on RCAF Station Pearce see here
RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Pearce AB
Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Southern Alberta
Project 44 BCATP
YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy