Beyer, Frederick Avery (Flying Officer)
Killed in Flying Accident 1943-November-08
Birth Date: 1923-January-24
Born: Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Parents: Son of Frederick Carl Garrett Beyer and Ethel Beyer, of Bendigo, Victoria
Spouse:
Home: Bendigo, Victoria
Enlistment: Melbourne, Australia
Enlistment Date: 1941-October-10
Service
RAAF
Unit
45 (Ferry) Group (RAF)
Base
RCAF Stn. Dorval, Quebec
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Navigator
Service Numbers
409656
Bendigo, Victoria
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Mitchell FR203
Mission
Mitchell Mitchell II FR203
Ferry Flight 1943-November-08 to 1943-November-08
45 () Group (RAF) Dorval, Quebec
45 Group RAF Transport Command Dorval, Quebec. Mitchell II aircraft FR 203, engaged in a trans-Atlantic ferry flight from Canada to the UK. On the flight between Bluie West-1, Greenland and Reykjavik, Iceland, a distress signal was sent stating that the aircraft was on fire approximately 50 miles west of Reykjavik. A second contact was made a few moments later but then now further contact could be established. Air-Sea Rescue operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft or crew was ever found
Canadian Civilian Pilot, Gay Thomas Record, Navigator Flying Officer Frederick Avery Beyer (RAAF) and British Civilian Radio Officer Owen Geraint Davies were all missing, presumed killed in this flying accident
The missing have no known grave and all are commemorated on the Ottawa Memorial
Ocean Bridge, The History of RAF Ferry Command by Carl A Christie page 321
[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...
World War II Crash Sites in Iceland - B25 Mitchell, Crashed into Sea...
Mitchell serial: FR203
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in every theater of World War II, and after the war ended, many remained in service, operating across four decades. Produced in numerous variants, nearly 10,000 B-25s were built.
The North American B-25 Mitchell was flown by the RCAF during and after the Second World War. The RCAF flew the B-25 Mitchell for training during the war and continued flying operations after the war, in Canada with most of 162 Mitchells received. The first B-25s had originally been diverted to Canada from RAF orders. These included one Mitchell Mk. I, 42 Mitchell Mk. IIs, and 19 Mitchell Mk. IIIs. No 13 (P) Squadron was formed unofficially at RCAF Station Rockcliffe in May 1944 and flew Mitchell Mk. IIs on high-altitude aerial photography sorties. No. 5 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at Boundary Bay, British Columbia and Abbotsford, British Columbia, operated the B-25D Mitchell in a training role together with B-24 Liberators for Heavy Conversion as part of the BCATP. The RCAF retained the Mitchell until October 1963.
No. 418 (Auxiliary) Squadron received its first Mitchell Mk. IIs in January 1947. It was followed by No. 406 (Auxiliary), which flew Mitchell Mk. IIs and Mk. IIIs from April 1947 to June 1958. No. 418 Operated a mix of Mk. IIs and Mk. IIIs until March 1958. No. 12 Squadron of Air Transport Command also flew Mitchell Mk. IIIs along with other types from September 1956 to November 1960. In 1951, the RCAF received an additional 75 B-25Js from USAF stocks to make up for attrition and to equip various second-line units.. Wikipedia and Harold Skaarup web page
Mitchell Bomber
Wikipedia Mitchell Bomber