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Symons, William Henry (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-July-22

Male Head

Birth Date: 1917 (age 25)

Son of John H. Symons and Alice Symons, of Splott, Cardiff, Wales.

Service
RAFVR
Unit
1 CNS- Central Navigation School
Base
Rivers, Manitoba, 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
Service Numbers
1316636

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Burial
Google MapBrookside Cemetery
Mil Sec Lot 1855

Anson 6189

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 6189

Ex RAF W1595. To No. 3 Training Command on 5 December 1940, for use by No. 8 Service Flying Training School at Moncton, NB. Category C5 damage at 17:00 on 21 February 1941, near Lakeburn airport (Department of Transport name for Moncton aerodrome). To Eastern Air Command on 6 January 1942, for use by No. 2 Air Navigation School. To No. 2 Training Command on 27 May 1942, for use by No. 1 Air Navigation School at Rivers Camp, Manitoba. Category A crash at Rivers on 22 July 1942. Came down on a night training exercise, 6 miles north-west of Emerson, Manitoba (on the US-Canada border, about 150 miles south-east of Rivers). Aircraft impacted the ground vertically and was completely destroyed, official accident report suspects pilot may have fallen asleep, and states that the accident was "a peculiarly exceptional one." All on board killed, Sgt. Hosford, Sgt. I.G. Taylor (RAF), and LACs H. Dutton and W.H. Symons, both RAF. To No. 8 Repair Depot for write off on 31 July 1942.

1940-11-12 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1941-February-21 Accident: 8 Service Flying Training School Loc: Lakeburne Airport Names: Hayes
1942-July-22 Accident: 1 Central Navigation School Loc: Emerson Manitoba Names: Dutton | Hosford | Symons | Taylor
1942-09-11 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

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