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McLay, Donald Francis (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1944-August-01

Birth Date: 1921-May-18 (age 23)

Son of James and Bella May McLay, of Moose Jaw.

Home: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Service
RCAF
Unit
4 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School
Base
Fingal, Ontario, 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
Bomb Aimer
Service Numbers
R/149817
The crew of Anson aircraft 6711 were on a routine bombing exercise when the aircraft stuck the ground and burned two miles east of Southwold Station, Ontario. Pilot Officer K.M. Joyce, Pilot Officer I.H. Rees, Leading Aircraftman D.F. McLay and Leading Aircraftman S.C. Turner (RAAF) were also killed.

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 MapMoose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Burial
Google MapRosedale Cemetery
Lot 8 Block 10 Grave 187

Anson 6711

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 6711

Ex RAF W2417. To No. 3 Training Command on 26 August 1941, for use by No. 10 Air Observer School at Chatham, NB. Category C damage at Chatham aerodrome at 17:00 on 16 December 1941. Assigned to Canada Car & Foundry for overhaul, 31 March on 31 March 1943, with 1490:30 logged time. Delivered to Amherst, NS on 15 April 1943. To storage with No. 1 Training Command on 16 November 1943. Involved in fatal crash at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario, on 1 August 1944. 4 fatalities, including one RAAF student. Information from plaque on Cenotaph at Fingal.

1941-06-04 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1941-December-19 Accident: 10 Air Observer School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Dugal | Koehn | Laflammme | Usher
1944-August-01 Accident: 4 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Southwold Station Names: Joyce | Mclay | Rees | Turner
1944-09-21 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

4 BGS (4 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.
NO4 BGS Fingal Ontario

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Fingal Ontario

Museum Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum - 4 BGS History

General RCAF Fingal Blog

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