Archibald, Vivian Gordon Harris
Killed in Flying Accident 1945-02-07
Birth Date: 1915-February-27
Born:
Son of Judson and Ilah Marie Archibald, of North Battleford. Plan
Home: North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
15 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
RCAF Stn. Claresholm, Alberta
Rank
Warrant Officer 1
Position
Warrant Officer 1
Service Numbers
R/62035
North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.comThis incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Anson Mk. II Serial: FP845
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Anson FP845
Avro Anson
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
Harold A Skaarup Web Page 
Avro Anson History15 SFTS (15 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.
For More Information on RCAF Station Claresholm see here
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Claresholm AB
RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Woodhouse AB
RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Champion AB
Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Southern Alberta
BCMC Claresholm History
Bomber Command Museum of Canada - 14 SFTS Claresholm AB
Wings Over Claresholm Alberta Video
Project 44 BCATPAnson FP845
Anson Mk. II FP845
With No. 15 Service Flying Training School at Claresholm, Alberta when it caught fire and burned on 7 February 1945, 2.5 miles south-east of Claresholm. Caught fire shortly after a 09:00 take off, lost control, and crashed. Pilot Officer A.J. Goldie, RAF and Warrant Officer V.G.H. Archibald killed.1942-11-30 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-February-03 Accident: 15 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Martel | North | Ohalloran
1944-March-06 Accident: 15 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Dejongh | Gill
1945-February-07 Accident: 15 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Archibald | Goldie
1945-03-28 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07