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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

Beirnes, Donald Wood (Flight Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1942-January-04

Flight Sergeant Donald Wood Beirnes RCAF

Birth Date: 1920-April-03

Born:

Parents: Arthur A. and Nellie M. Beirnes, of Victoria, BC

Spouse:

Home: Strasbourg, Alberta

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

82 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Super Omnia Ubique Over all things everywhere

Base

RAF Cholavarum, India

Rank

Flight Sergeant

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

R/61113

Home

Google Map

Strasbourg, Alberta

Target

Google Map

transit flight, Egypt to Malta

Final Burial

Google Map

El Alamein War Cemetery
Column 264

82 Squadron (Super Omnia Ubique) Blenheim IV aircraft Z 7689 lost in transit from Egypt to Malta, believed to have been intercepted and shot down by an enemy fighter flown by Hauptman Rolf Jung, Kdr. Stab I/NJG 2. FS DW Beirnes (RCAF), Sergeant WC McNally (RAFVR) and Sergeant JJH Robbins (RAFVR) were missing believed killed. None of the crew members have a known grave.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

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

Crew or Other Personnel

Blenheim Z7689

Flight Sergeant Donald Wood Beirnes RCAF

Flight Sergeant Beirnes, Donald Wood (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1942-January-04
El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt

Sergeant Paul Chaning-Pearce RAF

Sergeant Chaning-Pearce, Paul (RAF)
Navigator
Killed in Action
1942-January-04
cemetery unknown

Sergeant John James Henry Robbins RAF

Sergeant Robbins, John James Henry (RAF)
W/Op-AG
Killed in Action
1942-January-04
cemetery unknown