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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

Kelley, Robert Frederick (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-October-23

Male Head

Birth Date: 1920-October-16

Born:

Parents: Son of Frederick R Kelley and Lillian V. Kelley, of Toronto, Ontario.

Spouse:

Home: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

31 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

Debert, Nova Scotia, Canada

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Wireless Air Gunner

Service Numbers

R/83547

Home

Google Map

Toronto, Ontario

Final Burial

Google Map

St John's Parish Cemetery
Plot 378 Grave 1

31 Operational Training Unit, Debert, Nova Scotia. Hudson aircraft AM 896 was on the final long-distance exercise prior to being ferried across the Atlantic when it flew into the ground and disintegrated at Great Village, Nova Scotia, P/Os C.B. O'Hanley, R.A. Luard, and one RAF airman, Sergeant N.L. Hornby also killed.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

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

Crew or Other Personnel

Hudson AM896

Sergeant Robert Frederick Kelley RCAF

Sergeant Kelley, Robert Frederick (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-October-23
St John's Parish Cemetery, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada

Pilot Officer Richard Aubrey Luard RCAF

Pilot Officer Luard, Richard Aubrey (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-October-23
St John's Parish Cemetery, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada

Pilot Officer Charles Beeching O'Hanley RCAF

Pilot Officer O'Hanley, Charles Beeching (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-October-23
Truro Cemetery Incorporated, Robie Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada

Accident Card - Lockheed Hudson Mk. V serial:AM896

This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1941-October-23. Hudson V s/n AM896.

This accident involved 4 people. Hanley CBO, Hornsey ML, Kelly RF, Luard RA

This accident had 4 fatalities. Pilot Officer Charles Beeching O'Hanley RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/5296 Hudson AM896, Sergeant Robert Frederick Kelley RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/83547 Hudson AM896, Pilot Officer Richard Aubrey Luard RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/7801 Hudson AM896, Sergeant Norman Leonard Hornsey RAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:570784 Hudson AM896

Unit Desciption

31 OTU (31 Operational Training Unit)

The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.

Lockheed Hudson

More information on the RCAF Station at Debert, Nova Scotia can be found at

Royal Air Force RCAF.info - Debert, Nova Scotia

Unvetted Source History 31 OTU by Maj (Ret) G.D. Madigan

Unvetted Source Wall Of Honour NO31 OTU

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy