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McLaren, Alexander John (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-June-15

Birth Date: 1920 (age 22)

Son of Alexander Ross McLaren and Margaret M. McLaren, of Clearwater.

Home: Clearwater, Manitoba

Service
RCAF
Unit
7 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
MacLeod, Alberta, 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
Pilot
Service Numbers
R/119706
LAC McLaren, the pilot of Anson aircraft AX 166, and Leading Aircraftman O.E. Olson, the pilot of Anson aircraft 6528 were both killed in a mid-air collision. The aircraft collided in the air, whilst formation flying, and crashed four miles north of the aerodrome at Granum, Alberta.

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6528
  2. Anson Mk. I Serial: AX166

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 MapClearwater, Manitoba
Burial
Google MapElmwood Cemetery
Lot 91 Sec 8A Grave 3

Anson AX166

Anson 6528

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 AX166

Still at Aircraft Repair on 4 December 1941, noted then as being transferred from RAF to JATP, as a replacement for JATP aircraft loaned to the RAF in North America. To No. 4 Training Command on 2 December 1941, for use by No. 7 Service Flying Training School at Fort MacLeod, Alberta. Category B damage at Fort MacLeod at 23:00 on 18 January 1942. Still with this School when it crash 4 miles north of Granum relief field, Alberta on 15 June 1942. Collided with Anson 6528 during formation flying. Leading Aircraftman Alexander John McLaren, 21, RCAF killed in this aircraft. Scrapped by No. 10 Repair Depot.

1941-11-17 Taken on Strength Aircraft Repair 2019-08-20
1942-January-18 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Bixby | Eilertson
1942-June-15 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Granum Main Aerodrome Names: Mclaren | Olson
1942-11-27 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

Anson 6528

Anson Mk. I 6528

Ex RAF W2218. To No. 4 Training Command on 29 May 1941, for use by No. 7 Service Flying Training School at Fort MacLeod, Alberta. Category C5 damage at MacLeod aerodrome at 10:50 on 13 August 1941. Aircraft landed gear up following a tire burst on takeoff. Still with No. 7 SFTS when it suffered a Category A crash at 09:00 on 15 June 1942, 4 miles north of Granum, Alberta. Collided with Anson AX166 during practice formation flying. Leading Aircraftman O.E. Olsen (or Olson?) killed in this aircraft. Scrapped by No. 10 Repair Depot.

1941-05-01 Taken on Strength Aircraft Repair 2019-08-20
1941-August-13 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Aspregren | Uptigrove
1942-June-15 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Granum Main Aerodrome Names: Mclaren | Olson
1943-03-12 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

7 SFTS (7 Service Flying Training School)

Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.

There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.

Avro Anson Training Flight

For More information on RCAF Station Fort McLeod see here

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station MacLeod AB

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Granum AB

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Standoff AB

Museum Bomber Command Museum Of Canada

Museum Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Southern Alberta

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