Gillard, Charles

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-03-12

Birth Date: 1916-January-10

Born:

Charles and Alice Ann Gillard, of Vancouver; husband of Patricia H. Gillard, of Vancouver.

Home: Vancouver, British Columbia

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

8 SFTS- Service Flying Training School

Base

Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Pilot Officer

Service Numbers

J/3109

8 Service Flying Training School, Moncton, New Brunswick. Two Anson aircraft crashed.

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6357
  2. Anson Mk. I / IV Serial: N9724

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

8 SFTS (8 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.

NO8 SFTS Moncton moved to Weyburn SK January 1944

For More Information on RCAF Station Moncton see here

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - RCAF Station Moncton NB

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Scoudouc NB

General 8 SFTS Moncton NB History

Museum New Brunswick Aviation Museum

Project 44 BCATP

General Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy


Anson 6357

Anson Mk. I 6357

Ex RAF W1909. To No. 3 Training Command on 26 February 1941, for use by No. 8 Service Flying Training School at Moncton, NB. Category A crash at Lakeburn Airport, at 12:20 on 12 March 1941, following a mid-air collision with Anson 6273 during formation landing. Came down near Painsec, NB (2 miles east of Moncton aerodrome). Had 43:55 logged time when struck off. 2 fatalities in this collision. Scrapped by No. 8 SFTS.

1941-01-30 Taken on Strength Canada Car & Foundry 2019-08-20
1941-March-12 Accident: 8 Service Flying Training School Loc: Lakeburn Airport Names: Code | Gillard
1941-04-28 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Anson N9724

Anson Mk. I / IV N9724

To No. 1 Training Command on 12 September 1941, for use by No. 31 Air Navigation School, Port Albert, Ontario. To Central Aircraft at Crumlin, Ontario for overhaul from 23 July to 13 September 1943. To Canada Car & Foundry at Cartierville, Quebec when completed, for conversion to Mk. IV. To No. 1 Training Command on 1 December 1943, for use by No. 1 Air Observer School at Malton, Ontario. To No. 1 Air Command on 15 January 1945. Pending disposal from 9 February 1945. Stored at No. 4 Reserve Equipment Maintenance Unit, where it was noted with 1648:50 total time, 810:10 since overhaul. Sold to Aircraft Industries of Canada, Montreal.

1941-01-16 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1941-March-12 Accident: 8 Service Flying Training School Loc: Lakeburn Airport Names: Patton | Williams
1942-October-24 Accident: 31 Air Navigation School Loc: Port Albert Names: Butters | Emerson | Gearing | Knight | Rogers
1946-03-18 Struck off Strength Struck off, to War Assets Corporation for sale 2019-08-20