Piercy, Howard Shurvin (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-March-14

Sergeant Howard Shurvin Piercy RCAF

Birth Date: 1920-May-27

Born:

Home: London, Ontario

Enlistment: London, Ontario, Canada

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

32 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

Patricia Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Wireless Air Gunner

Service Numbers

R/129632

Home

London, Ontario

Memorial Location

Ottawa War Memorial
Panel 2 Column 5

Was Stationed at 32 Operational Training Unit, Patricia Bay, British Columbia. Was onboard Hampden aircraft P5433 when it crashed near, Patricia Bay, British Columbia.

Was also involved in a crash while a student at 4 Wireless School, Guelph, Ontario on 28 October 1942. In that crash Norseman - 2459 turned over on its back after careless braking by the pilot.

Training History

1 Manning Depot

Toronto, Ontario
1941-12-01 - 1941-12-21

4 Wireless School

Guelph, Ontario
1942-05-11 - 1942-11-23
Course (Entry) 43

4 Bombing & Gunnery School

Fingal, Ontario
1942-11-23 - 1942-12-21
Course (Entry) 43B

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives of Canada - Service File of War Dead 1939-47 (pdf download)

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Hampden P5433

Pilot Officer Grant Leroy Hall RCAF

Pilot Officer Hall, Grant Leroy (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-14
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Pilot Officer Allan William John Hunt RAAF

Pilot Officer Hunt, Allan William John (RAAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-14
Woodlawn Cemetery Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Pilot Officer Reginald Keith Manttan RAAF

Pilot Officer Manttan, Reginald Keith (RAAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-14
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Howard Shurvin Piercy RCAF

Sergeant Piercy, Howard Shurvin (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-14
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Hampden serial: P5433

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Handley Page Hampden (Serial No. P5428), of No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Patricia Bay, British Columbia, in the torpedo-bomber training role between May 1942 and February 1944.

Handley Page developed a modern stressed-skin mid-wing monoplane, powered by Bristol Pegasus radial air cooled engines, with its first flight in 1936. It had the most advanced wings available at the time, giving it a remarkably low landing speed of 73 mph for an aircraft of its size, with a top speed of 265 mph. The Hampden had a short, narrow but tall main fuselage with a very slender tail unit. This configuration led to the nicknames "Flying Panhandle" and "Flying Suitcase". At the end of the war, no complete or partial Hampden aircraft were retained for museum display.

The Hampden served in the early stages of the war, bearing the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and in the first 1000-bomber raid on Cologne. In Canada, Hampdens were built by six companies that formed Associated Aircraft. There were three in Ontario and three in Quebec, hence they were identified as the Ontario Group and Quebec Group. They supplied all the the components to the two assembly plants. The Ontario Group's assembly plant was at the Malton Airport, while the Quebec group's assembly plant was at the St. Hubert Airport. Canadian Museum of Flight and Harold A Skaarup web page

YouTube Handley Page Hampden in Flight

Wikipedia Hampden Bomber

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Hampden - Kestrel Publications

Aircraft Images

Hampden P5433

Hampden Mk. I P5433

With No. 32 OTU at RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC. The a/c had a Cat "B" accident when it ground looped and collapsed starboard main gear on landing at Patricia Bay on 17 October 1942. Crashed vertically into Saanich Inlet on 14 March 1943, and exploded. The four-man crew, consisting of Pilot Officer (RAAF) A.T. Hunt, Pilot Officer (RAAF) R.K. Manitan, Pilot Officer G.L. Hall and Flight Sergeant H.S. Piercy, all perished.

1942-06-08 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-October-17 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Patricia Bay Aerodrome Names: Roscorla
1943-March-14 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Saanich Inlet Vancouver Island Names: Hall | Hunt | Manttan | Piercy
1943-03-30 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

Unit Desciption

32 OTU (32 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.