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CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Significant Canadian Historians Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering

CASPIR contains documents, images and history of Canada's military aviation. The personnel and aircraft data has been compiled using data provided by trusted Canadian military aviation historians and original source documents. Where possible source documents are linked.
Research

CASPIR Resources

RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945) JA Griffin Documents 1968 and 2005 Obtaining a World War II Service File

External Resources

RCAF.info: Research Resources RCAF.info: Finding Your Family Records

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

John Griffin was a significant historian, documenting Canada's Military aircraft.
Aircraft

Military Aircraft Associated with Canadians Choose a Specific Aircraft Serial

Lancaster FM213

CWHM flies one of the two airworthy Lancasters in the world. FM213 is usually marked as KB726 honouring Andrew Mynarski, VC.
Personnel

Name or Home Town Search Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Browse by Letter This Day in History

War Status Search Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft) Choose Specific Military Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond)

Andrew Mynarski, VC

We Shall Remember Them.
History

Education & History
Start Here Glossary Canada and World War II Combatants & First Airmen Casualties Air Force Operations Battle of Britain Women in War War Artists Canada in Korean Air War 1950-1953

Blogs & Articles
CASPIR Overview First World War Neighbourhood - Dufferin & Dupont Canada's First Military Aeroplane 1917

"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
Contact

Gray, Leonard Joseph (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-January-06

Leading Aircraftman Leonard Joseph Gray RCAF

Birth Date: 1919

Born:

Parents: Son of Murray J. Gray and Phyllis Winnifred Gray, of Niagara Falls.

Spouse:

Home: Niagara Falls, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

1 ANS- Air Navigation School

Base

Rivers, Manitoba, Canada

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Observer

Service Numbers

R/52560

Home

Google Map

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Final Burial

Google Map

Fairview Cemetery
Lot 185 Sec R Grave 3

1 Air Navigation School, Rivers, Manitoba. Anson aircraft crashed.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Anson 6016

Leading Aircraftman Leonard Joseph Gray RCAF

Leading Aircraftman Gray, Leonard Joseph (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-January-06
Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Gordon James Lewis RCAF

Sergeant Lewis, Gordon James (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-January-06
Prospect Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Flying Officer Michael Desmond MacBrien RCAF

Flying Officer MacBrien, Michael Desmond (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-January-06
Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Edward John Pink RCAF

Sergeant Pink, Edward John (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-January-06
Elmwood Cemetery, Hespeler Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Sergeant James Douglas Ross RCAF

Sergeant Ross, James Douglas (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-January-06
Mount Hope Cemetery, Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Canada

Accident Card - Avro Anson Mk. I serial:6016

This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1941-January-06. Anson s/n 6016.

This accident involved 5 people. Gray LJ, Lewis GJ, Mcbrien MD, Pink EJ, Ross JD

This accident had 5 fatalities. Sergeant James Douglas Ross RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/61458 Anson 6016, Sergeant Edward John Pink RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/4172A Anson 6016, Leading Aircraftman Leonard Joseph Gray RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/52560 Anson 6016, Flying Officer Michael Desmond MacBrien RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:C/1043 Anson 6016, Sergeant Gordon James Lewis RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/65885 Anson 6016

Unit Desciption

1 ANS (1 Air Navigation School)

Nos. 1 & 2 Air Navigation Schools offered four-week courses in astronavigation and were the last step for Air Observers.

The RAF schools, Nos. 31, 32, and 33, provided the same training as Air Observer Schools.

NO1 ANS Ansons Rivers MB

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - RCAF Station Trenton ON

NO1 ANS moved to Rivers Manitoba 23 November 1940

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - RCAF Station Rivers MB

NO 1 ANS was redesignated Central Navigation School after an amalgamation with NO 2 ANS from Pennfield Ridge, NB May 11 1942

Museum Manitoba Historical Society - 1 ANS History

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy