Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum logo

Stanley, Elmer James (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-August-07

Birth Date: 1920-October-17 (age 20)

Son of John Henry and Emily Louise Stanley, of Toronto.

Home: Toronto, Ontario

Service
RCAF
Unit
8 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Moncton, New Brunswick, 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/85784
8 Service Flying Training School, Moncton, New Brunswick. Leading Aircraftman Stanley was killed in Anson aircraft 6375 when it collided with Anson 6379 while coming in for a landing. The aircraft crashed 300 yards north-east of the runway at Moncton. Leading Aircraftman F.D. Geldard, in aircraft 6379, was also killed.

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6375
  2. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6379

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 MapToronto, Ontario
Burial
Google MapPine Hills Cemetery
Sec C Lot 107

Anson 6375

Anson 6379

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 6375

Ex RAF W1899. To No. 3 Training Command on 4 March 1941, for use by No. 8 Service Flying Training School at Moncton, NB. Category A crash near Moncton at 18:45 on 7 August 1941, following a mid-air with anson 6379. Noted as "almost completely destroyed". Local paper reports both aircraft were on final approach at time of collision, 2 fatalities. Had 97:45 logged time when written off. Scrapped at No. 8 SFTS.

1941-01-30 Taken on Strength Canada Car & Foundry 2019-08-20
1941-August-07 Accident: 8 Service Flying Training School Loc: 300 Yards North-East Of Nova Scotia Runway Names: Geldart | Stanley
1941-10-15 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Anson 6379

Anson Mk. I 6379

Ex RAF W1889. To No. 3 Training Command on 27 February 1941, for use by No. 8 Service Flying Training School at Moncton, NB. Category A crash at 18:45 on 7 August 1941, 300 yards north-east of north-south runway at Moncton. Collision with 6375. Reported as "almost completely demolished". Local paper reports both aircraft were on final approach at time of collision, 2 fatalities. Scrapped at No. 8 EFTS.

1941-01-30 Taken on Strength Canada Car & Foundry 2019-08-20
1941-August-07 Accident: 8 Service Flying Training School Loc: 300 Yards North-East Of Nova Scotia Runway Names: Geldart | Stanley
1941-10-15 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

8 SFTS (8 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.

Harvard Formation

NO8 SFTS Moncton moved to Weyburn SK January 1944

For More Information on RCAF Station Moncton see here

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Moncton NB

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Scoudouc NB

General 8 SFTS Moncton NB History

Museum New Brunswick Aviation Museum

© Canadian Warplane Heritage 2024

To search on any page:
PC — Ctrl-F
Mac — ⌘-F
Mobile — or …