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Knutson, Vincent Harold (Flight Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1943-February-23

Birth Date: 1922 (age 21)

Son of Caleb Hiram Knutson and Margaret Knutson, of Naicam, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Home: Lac Vert, Saskatchewan

Service
RCAF
Unit
303 FTU- Ferry Training Unit (RAF)
Rank
Flight Sergeant
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
Navigator Bomb Aimer
Service Numbers
R/98799
303 Ferry Training Unit. Wellington aircraft LA 995 was shot down in the English Channel. Five of the crew, not Canadians, missing believed killed. Addendum: The crew of LA 995 were lost during a navigation and fuel consumption test, the first turning point was the island of St Kilda. The aircraft was last seen flying very low in mist and rain near the island of Boreray and about the same time a signal was received at Stornoway reporting that all was correct. This was the last that was heard from the Wellington. An intensive search was carried out but nothing was found. On March 2nd. the body of the rear gunner, Sgt. Alston, was found washed up on the west coast of Lewis, and it was assumed that the aircraft had come down in the sea. In 1978 the wreckage of a Wellington aircraft was found on the island of Soay. All the evidence points to the wreckage as being that of LA 995. The RAF members of the crew of LA 995 who were also killed are: Sgt(s) R. Spencer, G. Stewart, G. Turley, W. Day, and W. Alston. This group of islands is known as St Kilda and are located in the North Atlantic about fifty miles west of the Outer Hebrides. Detail provided by David E. Thompson, Middlesborough, England.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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

Flight Sergeant Vincent Harold Knutson has no known grave.

Home
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Google MapRunnymede Memorial Surrey
Panel 183

Wellington LA995

Vickers Wellington

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Vickers Wellington B. Mk. III (Serial No. X3763), coded KW-E, No. 425 'Alouette' (B) Squadron, RCAF, late summer of 1942

The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of the aircraft is its geodetic airframe fuselage structure, which was principally designed by Barnes Wallis. Development had been started in response to Air Ministry Specification B.9/32, issued in the middle of 1932, for a bomber for the Royal Air Force. This specification called for a twin-engined day bomber capable of delivering higher performance than any previous design.

The Wellington was used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber Command. During 1943, it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined "heavies" such as the Avro Lancaster. The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft.

It holds the distinction of having been the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war, and of having been produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber. The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles. The Wellington was one of two bombers named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the other being the Vickers Wellesley.

In August 1936, an initial order for 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft, powered by a pair of 1,050 hp (780 kW) Bristol Pegasus radial engines, was received by Vickers; it had been placed so rapidly that the order occurred prior to the first meeting intended to decide the details of the production aircraft. In October 1937, another order for a further 100 Wellington Mk Is, produced by the Gloster Aircraft Company, was issued; it was followed by an order for 100 Wellington Mk II aircraft with Rolls-Royce Merlin X V12 engines. Yet another order was placed for 64 Wellingtons produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. With this flurry of order and production having been assured by the end of 1937, Vickers set about simplifying the manufacturing process of the aircraft and announced a target of building one Wellington per day.

A total of 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft were built; 150 for the RAF and 30 for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) (which were transferred to the RAF on the outbreak of war and used by 75 Squadron). In October 1938, the Mk I entered service with 9 Squadron. The Wellington was initially outnumbered by the Handley Page Hampden (also ordered by the Ministry to B.9/32) and the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (to B.34/3 for a 'night' bomber) but outlasted both rival aircraft in service. The Wellington went on to be built in 16 separate variants, in addition to two training conversions after the war. The number of Wellingtons built totalled 11,462 of all versions, a greater quantity produced than any other British bomber. On 13 October 1945, the last Wellington to be produced rolled out. Wikipedia

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Vickers Wellington

General RCAF - Vickers Wellington

YouTube YouTube Vickers Wellington documentary

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-08-30 20:19:05

Wellington MK Vlll LA995



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