High River, Alberta
4 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron. Canso aircraft 11043 was engaged in moving 6 Bomber Reconnaissance Detachment from Prince Rupert to Coal Harbour when it crashed while landing one mile west of the entrance to Holberg Inlet, British Columbia.
Hamilton, Benjamin George (Flying Officer)
Killed in Action 1945-July-31
Birth Date: 1912-July-03
Born:
Son of Harold and Margaret Winifred Hamilton, husband of Ellen Louise Hamilton, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Home: High River, Alberta
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
6 Sqn- Squadron
Base
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Flying Officer
Service Numbers
J/37489
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.comCrew or Other Personnel
Canso 11043
Canso serial: 11043
RCAF Canso A (Serial No. 9754), No. 162 Squadron, F/L David Ernest Hornell aircraft.
The Consolidated Catalina and Canso were close cousins. The Canso was the true amphibious version of the design and therefore included a conventional undercarriage to allow for either water or land use. The Canso provided more than two decades of valuable service to the RCAF. The Catalina variant came first and was produced beginning in 1935 for the United States Navy. The amphibious version, designated PBY-5A, came in service early in 1941 and the RCAF began using the aircraft on anti-submarine patrols that same year. After the Second World War, the RCAF used Cansos for search and rescue, Arctic survey missions and various transport operations. RCAF
Canso PBY
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Canso 11043
Canso A 11043
To Canadian Pacific Airlines for repairs from 15 June to 7 July 1944. With No. 6 (BR) Squadron at RCAF Station Coal Harbour, BC when it crashed on 31 July 1945. Aircraft was returning from temporary detachment at Prince Rupert, with crew of 8, plus 6 groundcrew and spares. Touched down into setting sun on calm water in Holberg Inlet, near Coal Harbour, at sunset. Nosed in immediately, pilot may have misjudged height over smooth water or nosegear doors may not have been fully closed. Wing tore off as it flipped, fuselage came to rest upside down and floated for some time, as did wing with atttached depth charges. Navigator Flying Officer B. Hamilton killed when port propeller sliced through cabin as wing came off, all others survived.1944-02-17 Taken on Strength Western Air Command 2019-08-20
1945-July-31 Accident: 6 BR Loc: Holberg Inlet Names: Banville | Cavanagh | Cook | Griffith | Guerard | Hamilton | Horton | Jordan | King | McLeod | Pinkerton | Roberts | Vatne | Winton
1945-08-31 Struck off Strength Struck off oafter crash, see comments 2019-08-20