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Idiens, Richard Bertram (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1944-April-28

Birth Date: 1910-January-13 (age 34)

Born: Toronto, Ontario

Son of Joseph and Elsie Idiens, of Sandwick, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The Province of British Columbia named Idiens Lake honouring the life of Flying Officer Richard Bertram Idiens. It is l

Home: Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Enlistment: Vancouver, British Columbia

Enlistment Date: 1941-08-29

Service
RCAF
Unit
295 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Rank
Flying 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
Bomb Aimer
Service Numbers
J/28462
295 Squadron. Two Albemarle aircraft collided in mid-air during a night cross-country flight and crashed at Welford, Berkshire, England. F/O. Idiens and four airmen, not Canadians, were all killed in aircraft V 1770.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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

Home
Google MapVancouver Island, British Columbia
Burial
Google MapBrookwood Military Cemetery
48 J 1

Albemarle V1770

Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle

This is photograph CH 012048 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 4700-16) (Source Wikipedia)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svgAuthor Bellamy W (F/O) Royal Air Force official photographer
Armstrong Whitworth AW.41 Albemarle ST Mark I series 2, P1475, of No. 511 Squadron RAF based at Lyneham, Wiltshire, in flight. One of six Mark I aircraft modified to "˜Lyneham Standard' transport configuration and used by 'C' Flight of the Squadron on the UK-Gibraltar-Algiers route.

The Armstrong Whitworth AW 41 Albemarle was a twin-engine transport aircraft developed by the British aircraft manufacturer Armstrong Whitworth and primarily produced by A.W. Hawksley Ltd, a subsidiary of the Gloster Aircraft Company. It was one of many aircraft which entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

The Albemarle had been originally designed as a medium bomber to fulfil Specification B.9/38; however, military planners decided to deemphasis the bomber role in favour of aerial reconnaissance and transport missions, leading to the aircraft being extensively redesigned mid-development. Performing its maiden flight on 20 March 1940, its entry to service was delayed by the redesign effort, thus the first RAF squadron to operate the Albemarle, No. 295 at RAF Harwell, did not receive the type in quantity until January 1943. As a consequence of superior bombers, such as the Vickers Wellington, having arrived in quantity, all plans for using the Albemarle as a bomber were abandoned.

Instead, the Albemarle was used by RAF squadrons primarily for general and special transport duties, paratroop transport and glider towing, in addition to other secondary duties. Albemarle squadrons participated in Normandy and the assault on Arnhem during Operation Market Garden. While the Albemarle remained in service throughout the conflict, the final examples in RAF service were withdrawn less than a year after the war's end. During October 1942, the Soviet Air Force also opted to order 200 aircraft; of these, only a handful of Albemarles were delivered to the Soviets prior to the Soviet government deciding to suspend deliveries in May 1943, and later cancelling the order in favour of procuring the American Douglas C-47 Skytrain instead. Wikipedia

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Albermarle Transport

YouTube Armstrong Whitworth Albermarle

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
Canadian Crewed (9)
last update: 2021-10-05 17:37:15

Albemarle V1770



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