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Loewen, Henry (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1944-October-30

Birth Date: 1924 (age 20)

Son of Jacob Gerhard and Angeneta Loewen, of Rokeby, Saskatchewan.

Home: Rokeby, Saskatchewan

Service
RCAF
Unit
5 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School
Base
Dafoe, Saskatchewan, Canada
Rank
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
Wireless Air Gunner
Service Numbers
R/284667
The crew of Anson aircraft 6524 were returning from a night bombing training exercise when the pilot attempted to land in fog. Sgt.s Loewen, R.E. Fox, LAC.s G. Horst, and L.C. Jansonn were all killed when the aircraft crashed on the west end of the aerodrome at Dafoe.

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6524
  2. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6389

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 MapRokeby, Saskatchewan
Burial
Google MapYorkton Cemetery
Block 5 Lot 75 Grave B

Anson 6524

Anson 6389

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. I 6524

Ex RAF W1989. To No. 4 Training Command on 27 May 1942, for use by No. 7 Service Flying Training School at Fort MacLeod, Alberta. Category C3 damage at 16:30 on 27 April 1942, at the MacLeod aerodrome. This aircraft was parked, struck by Anson 6455. To MacDonald Brothers for overhaul, 11 January to 12 March 1944. To No. 2 Training Command when completed. With No. 5 Bombing & Gunnery School at Dafoe, Saskatchewan when it crashed during night flying on 30 October 1944. Sgt. R.E. Fox, Leading Aircraftman G. Horst, Leading Aircraftman L.C. Jansonn, and Leading Aircraftman H. Loewen killed. To No. 8 repair Depot for scrapping on 6 November 1944.

1941-04-17 Taken on Strength Aircraft Repair 2019-08-20
1942-April-27 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Godrey | Kordash | Nowell | White
1944-October-30 Accident: 5 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Conklin | Coutts | Fox | Horst | Jansonn | Lawson | Ling | Loewen
1944-12-21 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Anson 6389

Anson Mk. I 6389

Ex RAF W1775. To No. 4 Training Command on 2 February 1941. To No. 2 Training Command on 10 February 1942. To No. 3 Training Command on 24 September 1942. To storage with No. 1 Training Command on 25 September 1943. To workshop reserve at No. 6 Repair Depot on 16 October 1943. To MacDonald Brothers Aircraft in Winnipeg for overhaul, 25 October 1943 to 1 April 1944. To No. 2 Training Command when completed. With No. 5 Bombing & Gunnery School at Dafoe, Saskatchewan when it crashed during night flying on 30 October 1944. Leading Aircraftman S.H. Ling killed. To No. 8 Repair Depot on 6 November 1944, for scrapping. Wreckage apparently stored at No. 202 Equipment Holding Unit.

1941-01-03 Taken on Strength Aircraft Repair 2019-08-20
1944-October-30 Accident: 5 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Conklin | Coutts | Fox | Horst | Jansonn | Lawson | Ling | Loewen
1944-12-21 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

5 BGS (5 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.
NO5 BGS Dafoe SK Patch

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Dafoe SK

Museum Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial - 5 BGS History

Museum Vintage Wings Ghosts Of Saskatchewan

General RCAF Dafoe Blog

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