Casselman, Donald John (Flight Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-April-24

Flight Sergeant Donald John Casselman RCAF

Birth Date: 1909-February-21

Born: Morrisburg, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties, Ontario, Canada

Parents: Son of Lorne Michael Casselman & Lucy Ellen (nee Hanes) Casselman

Spouse: Husband of Winnifred Elizabeth (nee Ritchie) Casselman, of Montreal, Quebec

Home: Morrisburg, Ontario

Enlistment: Ottawa Ontario

Enlistment Date: 1939-October-26

Service

RCAF

Unit

8 (BR) Sqn- Squadron

Base

RCAF Sea Island, (Vancouver) BC

Rank

Flight Sergeant

Position

Aero Engine Mechanic

Service Numbers

R/53562

Home
Google MapMorrisburg, Ontario
Final Burial
Google MapFairview Cemetery
Lot 35 Plot 23D

Crew or Other Personnel

Bolingbroke 9072

Flight Sergeant Donald John Casselman RCAF

Flight Sergeant Casselman, Donald John (RCAF)
Aero Engine Mechanic
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-April-24
Fairview Cemetery, Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada

Pilot Officer Jesse Gerald Evernden RCAF

Pilot Officer Evernden, Jesse Gerald (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-April-24
Bentley Cemetery, Bentley, Alberta, Canada

Corporal James Edward Irving RCAF

Corporal Irving, James Edward (RCAF)
Air Frame Mechanic
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-April-24
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Corporal Walter Sentell RCAF

Corporal Sentell, Walter (RCAF)
Ground Crew
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-April-24
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Accident Card - Bristol Bolingbroke Mk. IV serial:9072

This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1943-April-24. Bolingbroke IV s/n 9072.

This accident involved 4 people. Casselman DJ, Evernden JG, Irving JE, Sentell W

This accident had 4 fatalities. Corporal Walter Sentell RCAF Killed in Action service no:R/151882 Bolingbroke 9072, Corporal James Edward Irving RCAF Killed in Action service no:R/97750 Bolingbroke 9072, Flight Sergeant Donald John Casselman RCAF Killed in Action service no:R/53562 Bolingbroke 9072, Pilot Officer Jesse Gerald Evernden RCAF Killed in Action service no:J/14022 Bolingbroke 9072

Mission

Bolingbroke Mk. IV 9072

Operational 1943-April-24 to 1943-April-24

8 (BR) Sqn (RCAF) RCAF Sea Island, (Vancouver) BC
The Vancouver Province, May 1943

8 Squadron RCAF, Sea Island, British Columbia. Bolingbroke Mk IV aircraft 9072 crashed into the Fraser River one mile west of Mission, BC after striking a high tension wire during an aircraft familiarization flight. All four aircrew aboard the Bolingbroke were lost

Pilot Officer Jesse Gerald Evenden (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Donald John Casselman (RCAF) were all killed in this flying accident

Corporal Walter Sentell (RCAF) and Corporal James Edward Irving (RCAF) were missing, presumed killed in this flying accident. The missing have no known grave and are commemorated on the Ottawa Memorial

The accident investigation concluded the "unauthorized low flying" was the main cause for the crash

Quietus Last Flight, Accident Proneness in WWII, Wartime Aviation on the Canadian Home Front by Anne Gafiuk, Chapter 8

Unvetted Source Royal air Force serial and Image Database

Bolingbroke serial: 9072

(Umeyou Photo)
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 Wikipedia Bolingbroke Bomber

Unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube Bolingbroke Bomber WWII

Kestrel Publications Bolingbroke - Kestrel Publications

Aircraft Images

Bolingbroke 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