Mitchell, Frederick Arthur (Corporal)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-October-17

Male Head

Birth Date: 1919

Born:

Son of Arthur James Mitchell and Lottie Catherine Mitchell, of Layton, Lancashire, England.

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RAF

Unit

35 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (RAF)

Base

North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada

Rank

Corporal

Position

Corporal

Service Numbers

535619

Final Burial

North Battleford City Cemetery
Plan M Block 18 Grave 3

North Battleford, Sask.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Oxford AS490

Corporal Terence Edward Edwin Leahy RAF

Corporal Leahy, Terence Edward Edwin (RAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1941-October-17
North Battleford City Cemetery, North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada

Corporal Frederick Arthur Mitchell RAF

Corporal Mitchell, Frederick Arthur (RAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1941-October-17
North Battleford City Cemetery, North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada

Oxford serial: AS490

(Bob Brown Photo)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Airspeed A.S. 10 Oxford Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. AS277), 25, in flight over Saskatchewan, 1942.

The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Second World War.

The Oxford was developed by Airspeed during the 1930s in response to a requirement for a capable trainer aircraft that conformed with Specification T.23/36, which had been issued by the British Air Ministry. Its basic design is derived from the company's earlier AS.6 Envoy, a commercial passenger aircraft. Performing its maiden flight on 19 June 1937, it was quickly put into production as part of a rapid expansion of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in anticipation of a large-scale conflict.

As a consequence of the outbreak of war, many thousands of Oxfords were ordered by Britain and its allies, including Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Poland, and the United States. Following the end of the conflict, the Oxford continued to achieve export sales for some time, equipping the newly formed air forces of Egypt, India, Israel, and Yugoslavia. It was considered to be a capable trainer aircraft throughout the conflict, as well as being used a general-purpose type. A large number of Oxfords have been preserved on static display. Wikipedia

YouTube Oxford Trainer

Wikipedia Oxford Trainer

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Aircraft Images

Oxford AS490

Oxford Mk. I AS490

To No. 2 Training Command on 4 September 1941, for use by No. 35 Service Flying Training School at North Battleford, Saskatchewan. To No. 4 Training Command with this School on 10 November 1941. Category A crash at 11:15 on 17 October 1941, 12 miles south-west of North Battleford. Struck ground at high speed after stalling during a turn, initial report suggests unauthorized low flying. Both student occupants killed, Cpl. F.A. Mitchell and Cpl. T.E. Leahy. Scrapped by No. 10 Repair Depot.

1941-07-19 Taken on Strength Eastern Air Command at No. 1 Port Detachment 2019-08-20
1941-October-17 Accident: 35 Service Flying Training School Loc: North Battleford Names: Leahy | Mitchell
1943-04-09 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Unit Desciption

35 SFTS (35 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.