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CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Significant Canadian Historians Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering

CASPIR contains documents, images and history of Canada's military aviation. The personnel and aircraft data has been compiled using data provided by trusted Canadian military aviation historians and original source documents. Where possible source documents are linked.
Research

CASPIR Resources

RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945) JA Griffin Documents 1968 and 2005 Obtaining a World War II Service File

External Resources

RCAF.info: Research Resources RCAF.info: Finding Your Family Records

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

John Griffin was a significant historian, documenting Canada's Military aircraft.
Aircraft

Military Aircraft Associated with Canadians Choose a Specific Aircraft Serial

Lancaster FM213

CWHM flies one of the two airworthy Lancasters in the world. FM213 is usually marked as KB726 honouring Andrew Mynarski, VC.
Personnel

Name or Home Town Search Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Browse by Letter This Day in History

War Status Search Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft) Choose Specific Military Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond)

Andrew Mynarski, VC

We Shall Remember Them.
History

Education & History
Start Here Glossary Canada and World War II Combatants & First Airmen Casualties Air Force Operations Battle of Britain Women in War War Artists Canada in Korean Air War 1950-1953

Blogs & Articles
CASPIR Overview First World War Neighbourhood - Dufferin & Dupont Canada's First Military Aeroplane 1917

"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
Contact

Ritchie, Elton Roy (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-June-14

Male Head

Birth Date: 1924

Born:

Parents: Son of Sydney and Kate Ritchie, of Homebush, New South Wales, Australia.

Spouse:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAAF

Unit

32 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

Patricia Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Service Numbers

421626

Memorial Location

Google Map

Ottawa War Memorial
Panel 3 Column 1

32 OTU, Patricia Bay, B.C.

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

Crew or Other Personnel

Hampden AJ992

Flying Officer George Cospatrick Douglas-Home RAFVR

Flying Officer Douglas-Home, George Cospatrick (RAFVR)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-June-14
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Allan Spencer Lynch RAF

Sergeant Lynch, Allan Spencer (RAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-June-14
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Elton Roy Ritchie RAAF

Sergeant Ritchie, Elton Roy (RAAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-June-14
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Pilot Officer Charles Sugden RAFVR

Pilot Officer Sugden, Charles (RAFVR)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-June-14
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Accident Card - Handley Page Hampden Mk. I serial:AJ992

This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1943-June-14. Hampden s/n AJ992.

This accident involved 4 people. Sugden C, Lynch AS, Ritchie ER, Douglas-home GG

This accident had 4 fatalities. Sergeant Elton Roy Ritchie RAAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:421626 Hampden AJ992, Sergeant Allan Spencer Lynch RAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:420751 Hampden AJ992, Flying Officer George Cospatrick Douglas-Home RAFVR Killed in Flying Accident service no:126996 Hampden AJ992, Pilot Officer Charles Sugden RAFVR Killed in Flying Accident service no:151391 Hampden AJ992

Unit Desciption

32 OTU (32 Operational Training Unit)

The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.

Avro Anson

More information on the RCAF Station at Patricia Bay, British Columbia can be found at:

Royal Air Force RCAF.info - Patricia Bay, British Columbia

Museum BC Aviation Museum Video On History Of Pat Bay

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy