Keenan, William John

Died 1941-08-23

Male Head

Birth Date: 1918

Born:

Son of Ethel May Keenan, of Hopetown Darlington. Co. Durham, England.

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RAFVR

Unit

12 SFTS- Service Flying Training School

Base

Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

Rank

Aircraftman 2nd Class

Position

Aircraftman 2nd Class

Service Numbers

1106577

First Burial
Google MapNorth Battleford City Cemetery, North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died of a heart attack while playing football. Was on temporary duty from North Battleford at the time of the incident. No mention of the death in the Daily Diary of 12 Service Flying Training School, Brandon, Manitoba. Mension of the death and funeral in the ORB of 35 Service Flying Training School, North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Battle Mk. I / IT Serial: R7384

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

Findagrave.com

12 SFTS (12 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 Brandon see here

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Station Brandon MB

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Chater MB

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Douglas MB

General 12 SFTS Brandon MB History

Project 44 BCATP

General Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy

Battle R7384

Battle Mk. I / IT R7384

Built as a trainer, delivered new to Canada. TOS 18 Jan 1941 by No. 1 Training Command at No. 31 Service Flying Training School, Kingston, Ontario. To workshop reserve at No. 6 Repair Depot, Trenton on 9 September 1941. Transferred from RAF account to JATP account on 3 December 1941. Assigned to No. 9 Repair Depot at St. Jean, Quebec on 28 June 1942. Fuselage shipped to Canada Car & Foundry on 28 June 1942 for turret fitment by CC&F. To No. 2 Training Command on 20 December 1942, as a Mk. IT. Used by No. 3 Bombing & Gunnery School at Macdonald, Manitoba. Damaged in heavy landing, Kenora, ON, 3 Feb 1943 with 124 Ferry Sqn. To No. 8 Repair Depot, Winnipeg 13 March to 22 April 1943. To storage with No. 2 Training Command when completed. Issued from storage on 20 August 1943 for No. 3 Bombing & Gunnery School, Macdonald, Man. To storage on 21 March 1944. Pending disposal from 23 June 1944. Then stored at No. 3 Bombing & Gunnery School, reported with 724:55 total time, 443:43 since overhaul. To No. 2 Air Command on 1 December 1944, still pending disposal. Allocated for public display on 10 July 1946, and issued from storage. By July 1950 stored by No. 10 Repair Depot at RCAF Station Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. To workshop reserve at Calgary on 10 April 1963, for restoration. To Rockcliffe Museum on 3 March 1964. Transferred 25 Feb 1969 to and now preserved at the Canada Aviation & Space Museum, Rockcliffe, ON.

1941-01-18 Taken on Strength No. 1 Training Command 2019-08-20
1941-August-23 Accident: 31 Service Flying Training School Loc: Names: Collans
1969-02-25 Museum / Display Transferred to Secretary of State, Ottawa, for museum use 2019-08-20
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