Kell, Wilfrid Raymond

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-11-07

Birth Date: 1918

Born:

Son of Wilfred Roland and Mertie Kell, of Winnipeg, Manitoba

Home: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

9 SFTS- Service Flying Training School

Base

Centralia, Ontario, Canada

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Leading Aircraftman

Service Numbers

R/137818

Home
Google MapWinnipeg, Manitoba
First Burial
Google MapElmwood Cemetery at Winnipeg, Manitoba
9 Service Flying Training School, Centralia, Ontario. Anson aircraft 7235 was flying in formation and collided with another aircraft while changing positions. Anson 7235 crashed and burned one mile north-west of Zurich, Ontario, Leading Aircraftman Kell was the only casualty.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. II Serial: 7235
  2. Anson Mk. II Serial: 7452

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

Anson 7235

Leading Aircraftman Kell, Wilfrid Raymond (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1942-November-07
Elmwood Cemetery, Hespeler Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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

9 SFTS (9 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.

Canada Primary Source RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Summerside PEI

General 403 Squadron Blog - 9 STFS Summerside

General 9 SFTS Summerside Blog

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Mount Pleasant PEI

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Wellington PEI

6 July 1942 School moved to Centralia, Ontario

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - RCAF Station Centralia Ontario

General 9 SFTS Centralia History

General Post War Centralia History

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Grand Bend Ontario

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field St Joseph Ontario

June 1945 - School was disbanded

Project 44 BCATP

General Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy

Anson 7235

Anson Mk. II 7235

Delivered to storage at Aylmer, Ontario. Issued from storage on 16 October 1942, delivered on 23 October 1942. With No. 9 Service flying Training School at Centralia, Ontario when lost. Collided with another aircraft during formation flying on 7 November 1942, 1 mile north-west of Zurich, Ontario (10 miles north-north-east of Centralia). Leading Aircraftman W.R. Keith killed. Noted as "earmarked for write off action" on 7 December 1942, when it was assigned to workshop reserve at No. 6 Repair Depot at Trenton.

1942-02-16 Taken on Strength No. 1 Training Command 2019-08-20
1942-November-07 Accident: 9 Service Flying Training School Loc: Zurich Names: Cameron | Kell
1942-12-28 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Anson 7452

Anson Mk. II 7452

Used by No. 1 Training Command. Reported with 1959:05 logged time while in storage pending disposal.

1942-06-15 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-November-07 Accident: 9 Service Flying Training School Loc: Zurich Names: Cameron | Kell
1942-December-03 Accident: 9 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Mcdougall | Tripp
1943-July-24 Accident: 9 Service Flying Training School Loc: Island Airport Toronto Names: Herder | Weggs
1945-01-27 Struck off Strength Struck off, to War Assets Corporation for disposal 2019-08-20