Biggs, Percival Frederick

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-12-16

Male Head

Birth Date: 1920-March-19

Born:

Son of Percy R. Biggs and Edith Biggs, of Wingham.

Home: Wingham, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

32 OTU- Operational Training Unit

Base

RCAF Stn. Patricia Bay, BC

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Pilot Officer

Service Numbers

J/21175

32 Operational Training Unit, Patricia Bay, British Columbia. Anson aircraft crashed.

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I Serial: N9560

All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.

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.
Avro_Anson_675_m.jpg image not found

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


Anson N9560

Anson Mk. I N9560

To Western Air Command on 12 September 1941, for use by No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC. Crashed after striking trees in low flying area west of Nanoose Bay, BC on 16 December 1942. Originally reported as missing on this date, still not located when struck off. Wreckage finally located on 30 March 1943. 5 fatalities.

1941-08-09 Taken on Strength MacDonald Brothers Aircraft 2019-08-20
1942-December-16 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Nanaimo British Columbia Names: Biggs | Doherty | Harris | Robertson | Vosburgh
1943-03-25 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20