Casselman, Donald John
Killed in Action 1943-04-24
Birth Date: 1909
Born:
Lorne & Lucy Casselman
Home: Morrisburg, Ontario (parents)
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
8 (BR) Sqn- Squadron
Base
RCAF Sea Island, (Vancouver) BC
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Position
Flight Sergeant
Service Numbers
R/53562
First Burial
Fairview Cemetery, Morrisburg,Ontario
Bolingbroke Mk IV 9072, from Sea Island, BC crashed in the Fraser River one mile west of Mission, BC.
Killed includes Casselman:Pilot Officer Jesse Gerald Evenden RCAF KITA Bentley Cemetery, Bentley, Alberta.Cpl Walter Sentell RCAF KITA Ottawa Memorial Panel 2, Column 5.Cpl James Edward Irving RCAF KITA Ottawa Memorial Panel 2, Column 5.
Casselman had been slightly injured on 1942-01-29 when a Bolingbroke aircraft suffered engine failure then crashed and burned two miles west of the aerodrome at 8 BR, Lethbridge, Alberta.
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionThis incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Bolingbroke Mk. IV Serial: 9072
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Bolingbroke 9072
Bristol Bolingbroke
Fairchild Bolingbroke Mk. IV, RCAF (Serial No. 9118), coded BK-V, No. 115 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron, Patricia Bay, British Columbia, 1942.
The Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke was a maritime patrol aircraft and trainer used by the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Built by Fairchild-Canada, it was a license-built version of the Bristol Blenheim Mk IV bomber.
In 1935, the British Air Ministry issued Specification G.24/35 to procure a coastal reconnaissance/light bomber to replace the Avro Anson. Bristol proposed the Type 149, based on its Blenheim Mk I, with Bristol Aquila engines to give greater range. While the Air Ministry rejected this proposal, a Blenheim Mk I, retaining its Mercury VIII engines, was converted as a Type 149 (Blenheim Mk III) for the general reconnaissance role.The nose was lengthened to provide more room for the bombardier, with the upper left surface of the nose being scooped out to maintain pilot visibility during takeoff and landing.
The longer range also fulfilled a Canadian requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft. Consequently, Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) of Quebec started production of the Blenheim Mk IV as the Bolingbroke (the originally intended name for the Blenheim IV). This type was nicknamed the "Bolly". After a small run of aircraft constructed to British specifications, as the Bolingbroke Mk I, Fairchild switched production to the Bolingbroke Mk IV with Canadian and American instruments and equipment. These versions also included anti-icing boots and a dinghy. One of the early Mk IV variants was the Bolingbroke Mk IVW which was powered by two 825 hp (615 kW) Pratt & Whitney SB4G Twin Wasp Junior engines. Incapable of maintaining altitude on one engine, the normal bomb load was reduced to 500 pounds on these aircraft to compensate for the low engine power. The most-produced variant was the Bolingbroke Mk IVT trainer, of which 457 were completed. A total of 626 Bolingbrokes were produced.Wikipedia
Wikipedia Bolingbroke Bomber 
Harold A Skaarup Web Page 
Bolingbroke Bomber WWII
Bolingbroke - Kestrel PublicationsBolingbroke 9072
Bolingbroke Mk. IV 9072
Assigned to Western Air Command to replace Bolingbroke 9050 . First assigned to No. 8 (BR) Squadron at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC. On 24 Apr 1943, this a/c struck high-tension cables while low-flying and crashed into the Fraser River: The crew, Flying Officer J. Evernden, Flight Sergeant D. Casselman, Cpl J. Irving, and Cpl W. Sentell, all perished.1942-01-17 Taken on Strength Western Air Command 2019-08-20
1943-April-24 Accident: 8 Squadron Loc: Fraser River British Columbia Names: Casselman | Evernden | Irving | Sentell
1943-05-25 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to produce 2019-08-20