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Woodhams, George Thomas John Pennfield Ridge (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-August-25

Birth Date: 1913-June-01 (age 28)

Born: Huronville, Saskatchewan

Son of George L. Woodhams and Lillian M. Woodhams, of Huronville, Saskatchewan.

Home: Huronville, Saskatchewan

Enlistment: Regina, Saskatchewan

Enlistment Date: 1940-08-27

Decorations: Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick, Canada

Service
RCAF
Unit
2 ANS- Air Navigation School
Base
Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick, Canada
Rank
Sergeant
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
Observer
Service Numbers
R/58453
Sergeant G.T.J. Woodhams, AC1 G.J. Eliott, Flight Lieutenant W.S.L. Smallman (RAF), and Sergeant S. Street (RAF) were searching for missing Anson aircraft 2397 and were all killed when their Anson 6644 (formerly W2388) crashed and burned at Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

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 MapHuronville, Saskatchewan
Burial
Google MapFillmore Cemetery
Plot 10 Lot 24

Anson 6644

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 6644

Ex RAF W2388. To No. 3 training Command on 15 July 1941, for use by No. 2 Air Navigation School at Pennfield Ridge, NB. Crashed at 07:00 on 25 August 1941, while searching for missing Anson 6649 , both aircraft from No. 2 Air Navigation School. Port wing struck a tree in low turn near Liverpool, NS. Aircraft dove into the ground on its back, caught fire and then bounced 300 feet. It was determined that is was pilot error possibly aggravated by the rising sun. No survivors. Ownership to Eastern Air Command on 2 September 1941 for write off. Note that some crash records refer to the RAF serial number.

1941-06-23 Taken on Strength Canada Car & Foundry 2019-08-20
1941-August-25 Accident: 2 Air Navigation School Loc: Liverpool Nova Scotia Names: Elliott | Smallman | Street | Wooham
1941-10-01 Struck off Strength Written off at No. 4 Repair Depot 2019-08-20

2 ANS (2 Air Navigation School)

Nos. 1 & 2 Air Navigation Schools offered four-week courses in astronavigation and were the last step for Air Observers.

The RAF schools, Nos. 31, 32, and 33, provided the same training as Air Observer Schools.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge NB

General History of 2 ANS Pennfield Ridge NB

2 Air Navigation School was disbanded at Pennfield Ridge April 1942.

Unit was reformed in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island February 1944.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Charlottetown PEI

The unit was again disbanded on 7 July 1945. The Unit was reformed in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 1 August 1951.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Winnipeg Manitoba

The unit was redesignated No 2 Air Observer School 15 November 1955.

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