Cockroft, Robert Vernon

Died 1942-03-11

Male Head

Birth Date: 1921

Born:

F/Sgt R Cockcroft & Florence E Cockcroft, of Clifton, Bedfordshire, England.

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RAF

Unit

32 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (RAF)

Base

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Leading Aircraftman

Service Numbers

1216583

First Burial
Google MapRoyal Oak Burial Park, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Died in the stores area at RCAF Moose Jaw Saskatchewan when he shot himself in the head with a service rifle.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6656

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

32 SFTS (32 Service Flying Training School)

Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.

There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.

For more Information on RCAF Station Moose Jaw see here

Canada Primary Source RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Moose Jaw SK

Canada Primary Source RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Buttress SK

Canada Primary Source RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Burdick SK

Canada Primary Source RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Caron SK

YouTube YouTube - Abandoned Saskatchewan

Project 44 BCATP

General Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy

Anson 6656

Anson Mk. I 6656

Ex RAF W2433. To No. 3 Training Command on 16 July 1941, for use by No. 10 Air Observer School at Chatham, NB. To MacDonald Brothers Aircraft for overhaul, 12 November 1943 to 17 February 1944. To No. 4 Training Command when completed, for use by No. 8 Bombing & Gunnery School at Lethbridge, Alberta. Still with this School when it suffered a Category A crash. Allocated to No. 10 Repair Depot on 19 July 1944, following this crash.

1941-06-19 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1942-March-11 Accident: 10 Air Observer School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Avey | Bowden | Dellers | Giekie | Houser | Mackinnon | Mclennan | Schamehorne | Talbot
1944-July-09 Accident: 8 Bomb & Gunnery School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Christie | Frolic | Jacobs | Meyer | Staple
1944-09-28 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20