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Holgate, John Arthur (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-June-18

Birth Date: 1923-February-02 (age 20)

Born: Calgary Alberta

Son of Frederick P. Holgate and Betty R. Holgate, of Edmonton.

Home: Edmonton, Alberta

Service
RCAF
Unit
1 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School
Base
Jarvis, Ontario, 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
Bomb Aimer trainee
Service Numbers
R/184765
Died of injuries sustained in the mid air collision of Avro Anson 7339 and ?. The crash occurred on June 15, 1943. Leading Aircraftman HoIgate succumbed to his injuries three days later.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry "“ 1943-06-15

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. II Serial: 7339
  2. Anson Mk. II Serial: 7566

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 MapEdmonton, Alberta
Burial
Google MapBeechmount Cemetery
Block 208 Grave 22

Anson 7339

Anson 7566

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. II 7339

Delivered to storage. Issued from storage on 2 November 1942, for use by No. 1 Flying Instructors School at Trenton, Ontario. To workshop reserve at No. 6 Repair Depot on 21 June 1943.

1942-03-28 Taken on Strength No. 1 Training Command 2019-08-20
1943-June-15 Accident: 1 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Willow Grove Bombing Target Names: Hayes | Herring | Holgate | Innes | Kearney | Norbury | Samuel | Smith
1943-07-08 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Anson 7566

Anson Mk. II 7566

Allocated to No. 5 Service Flying Training School at Brantford, Ontario on 9 April 1942, for experimental purposes. To storage on 18 February 1943, issued from storage on 15 March 1943. Application for write off from No. 1 Bombing & Gunnery School at Jarvis, Ontario dated 16 June 1943. Allocated to No. 6 Repair Depot on 21 June 1943, for scrapping.

1942-04-09 Taken on Strength No. 1 Training Command 2019-08-20
1943-June-15 Accident: 1 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Willow Grove Bombing Target Names: Hayes | Herring | Holgate | Innes | Kearney | Norbury | Samuel | Smith
1943-06-23 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

1 BGS (1 Bomb and Gunnery School)

The Bombing and Gunnery School (B&GS) offered instruction in the techniques of bomb aiming and aerial machine gunnery to Air Observers, Bomb Aimers, and Wireless Air Gunners. These schools required large areas to accommodate their bombing and gunnery ranges, and were often located near water. The Avro Anson, Fairey Battle, Bristol Bolingbroke, and Westland Lysander were the standard aircraft used at B&GS schools.
1944 Navigation chart showing RCAF Jarvis and surrounding area. from: http://www.flightontario.com/BCATP/bcatp-schools.htm

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Jarvis Ontario

General RCAF Jarvis Blog

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