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Switzer, Alexander Frederick (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-August-27

Birth Date: 1914 (age 27)

Son of Philip A. Switzer and Isabel Switzer of Pembroke.

Home: Pembroke, Ontario

Service
RCAF
Unit
5 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Brantford, 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
Pilot
Service Numbers
R/95519
Died in the mid air collision of Anson - 6154 and Anson - ____.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Find-A-Grave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I 6154
  2. Anson Mk. I 6190

All the aircraft in the above list are in this report.

Crew on Anson Mk. I 6190

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

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (4404), RCAF 400 Squadron (6), Canadian Aircraft Losses (257)
last update: 2022-02-22 21:45:24

Anson Mk. I 6154

Ex RAF W1577. To No. 1 Training Command on 11 November 1940, for use by No. 5 Service Flying Training School at Brantford, Ontario. Category A crash near Brantford aerodrome, at 10:50 on 27 August 1941. Mid-air with Anson 6190 on approach to landing. Had 869:15 logged time.
1940-10-21 Taken on Strength No. 6 Repair Depot 2020-10-05
1941-April-09 Accident: 5 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Langlois | Tullett | Woodhead
1941-August-27 Accident: 5 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Davis | Switzer
1941-11-05 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce by No. 6 Repair Depot 2019-08-20

Anson Mk. I 6190

Ex RAF W1596. To No. 1 Training Command on 22 November 1940, for use by No. 5 Service Flying Training School at Brantford, Ontario. Category A crash near Brantford at 10:50 on 27 August 1941. Mid-air collision with Anson 6154 while both were on landing approach. Had 940:10 logged time.
1940-11-12 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1941-August-27 Accident: 5 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Davis | Switzer
1941-11-05 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce by No. 6 Repair Depot 2019-08-20

5 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (5 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.

Brantford CYFD

For More Infomaion on RCAF Station Brantford see here

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Brantford Ontario

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Hagersville Ontario

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Burtch Ontario

  • General 5 SFTS Brantford History Blog

    • Wings above the Skyline. The Story of No. 5 SFTS Brantford

  • General 5 SFTS Brantford History - Wings above the skyline

    • 1940-11-11 Primary Location Brantford ON Currently site of Bratnford Airport CYFD
    1940-11-11 Relief Field Hagersville ON Canada Became based for No 16 SFTS. Currently abandoned
    1941-08-08 Relief Field Burtch ON Canada Abandoned returned to agriculture.

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