Koehler, William Gordon

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-05-26

Birth Date: 1920-November-04

Born: Caron, Saskatchewan

Son of William and Emma Jane (ne Hans) Koehler, of Lake Valley, Saskatchewan. He was the brother of Ernest, Calvin, Edith and June.

Home: Lake Valley, Saskatchewan

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: 1942-02-24

Service

RCAF

Unit

2 FIS- Flying Instructor School

Base

Pearce, Alberta, Canada

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Leading Aircraftman

Service Numbers

R/155628

Home
Google MapLake Valley, Saskatchewan
First Burial
Google MapRosedale Cemetery, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Cornell aircraft FH 659 was being tested after a major inspection, when it struck the ground and broke up seven miles west of Barons, Alberta, Leading Aircraftman W.G. Koehler and Sergeant R.A. Ridgeway were killed in this crash. He was single and worked as a farmer.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Cornell Mk. I Serial: FH659

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

Cornell FH659

Leading Aircraftman Koehler, William Gordon (RCAF)
aero engine mechanic
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-26
Rosedale Cemetery, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada

Male Head

Sergeant Ridgway, Raymond Alexander (RAAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-26
Union Cemetery, Fort MacLeod, Alberta, Canada

Fairchild Cornell

Fairchild Cornell Mk. II
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
Fairchild_Cornell_159.jpg image not found

In early 1942, an agreement was signed between the Canadian Government and Fairchild Aircraft, which licenced Fleet Aircraft of Fort Erie, Ontario to construct the PT-26 Cornell in Canada. The first 800 Cornells used by the RCAF were supplied from Fairchild, until production commenced at Fort Erie in November 1942. By the end of the war in 1945, 2,853 Cornells had been built by Fleet - 1,565 for the RCAF and 1,288 for the RAF.

PT-26 Cornells were flown at many of the Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS) of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, where they replaced the Fleet Finch and the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane trainers. After the Second World War, many Cornells were sold to the civilian market, but some were retained by the RCAF, where they were finally retired in 1948.CWPHM



YouTube Cornell Trainer

Wikipedia Wikipedia Cornell Trainer

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

2 FIS (2 Flying Instructors School)

Formed as a sub-unit of No 15 Service Flying Training School at Claresholm, Alberta on 27 April 1942
Formed as an Independent Unit at Vulcan, Alberta on 3 August 1942.Moved to Pearce, Alberta on 3 May 1943

Became inactive on 29 December 1944disbanded on 20 January 1945

Project 44 BCATP

General Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy

Cornell FH659

Cornell Mk. I FH659

Ex USAAF PT-26, serial number 42-14307. To RCAF in Canada, retained RAF serial number.

1942-07-10 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-May-26 Accident: 2 Flying Instructor School Loc: West Barons Alberta Names: Koehler | Ridgway
1943-07-19 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07