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CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Significant Canadian Historians Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering

CASPIR contains documents, images and history of Canada's military aviation. The personnel and aircraft data has been compiled using data provided by trusted Canadian military aviation historians and original source documents. Where possible source documents are linked.
Research

CASPIR Resources

RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945) JA Griffin Documents 1968 and 2005 Obtaining a World War II Service File

External Resources

RCAF.info: Research Resources RCAF.info: Finding Your Family Records

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

John Griffin was a significant historian, documenting Canada's Military aircraft.
Aircraft

Military Aircraft Associated with Canadians Choose a Specific Aircraft Serial

Lancaster FM213

CWHM flies one of the two airworthy Lancasters in the world. FM213 is usually marked as KB726 honouring Andrew Mynarski, VC.
Personnel

Name or Home Town Search Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Browse by Letter This Day in History

War Status Search Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft) Choose Specific Military Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond)

Andrew Mynarski, VC

We Shall Remember Them.
History

Education & History
Start Here Glossary Canada and World War II Combatants & First Airmen Casualties Air Force Operations Battle of Britain Women in War War Artists Canada in Korean Air War 1950-1953

Blogs & Articles
CASPIR Overview First World War Neighbourhood - Dufferin & Dupont Canada's First Military Aeroplane 1917

"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
Contact

Banks, Harry Geoffrey (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-March-18

Male Head

Birth Date: 1923

Born:

Parents: Son of Harry and Doris Harriet Banks, of Longsight, Manchester.

Spouse:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAFVR

Unit

36 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

RCAF Stn. Greenwood, Nova Scotia

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Service Numbers

133634

Final Burial

Google Map

Manchester Southern Cemetery
Sec N Nonconformist Grave 1139

Cremated, Ashes Buried.

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Crew or Other Personnel

Hudson V9171

Pilot Officer Harry Geoffrey Banks RAFVR

Pilot Officer Banks, Harry Geoffrey (RAFVR)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-18
Manchester Southern Cemetery, Manchester, Lancashire, UK

Pilot Officer Francis Clive Gaha RAAF

Pilot Officer Gaha, Francis Clive (RAAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-18
cemetery unknown

Accident Card - Lockheed Hudson Mk. III serial:V9171

This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1943-March-18. Hudson III s/n V9171.

This accident involved 4 people. Ryan NN, Moran J, Banks HG, Gaha FC

This accident had 2 fatalities. Pilot Officer Harry Geoffrey Banks RAFVR Killed in Flying Accident service no:133634 Hudson V9171, Pilot Officer Francis Clive Gaha RAAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:420181 Hudson V9171

Unit Desciption

36 OTU (36 Operational Training Unit)

The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.

DH Mosquito

More information on the Air Force Station at Greenwood, Nova Scotia can be found at:

Royal Air Force RCAF.info - Greenwood, Nova Scotia

Unvetted Source NO36 OTU Roll Of Honor

Museum Greenwod Military Aviation Museum Video History Of Greenwood

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy