Pratt, Allan Gower

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The RCAF acquired 20 Douglas Digby Mk. I in 1940. These were American twin engine B-18A Bolo bombers which served during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Digby, named after the RAF school of bombing at RAF Digby, was based on the Douglas DC-2 airframe. The RCAF Digbys were immediately issued to No. 10 Squadron to replace the squadron's Westland Wapitis, to carry out anit-submarine patrol duties. RCAF Eastern Air Command (EAC) Digbys carried out 11 attacks on U-boats. U-520 was confirmed sunk by Flying Officer F. Raymes' crew of No. 10 (BR) Squadron, on 30 October 1942, east of Newfoundland. The Digby antisubmarine role was relatively short-lived, and they were superseded in this role in 1943 by Consolidated B-24 Liberators, which had a much heavier payload and a substantially longer range which finally closed the mid-Atlantic gap.Harold Skaarup web page

Digby bomber

Wikipedia,Digby bomber

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

10 (BR) Sqn ()

Battle honours

The Second World War

NORTH-WEST ATLANTIC, 1940-1945.

Lineage

Authorized as ‘No.10 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron’ 1 April 1938.Footnote1

Redesignated 'No.10 (Bomber) Squadron' 28 August 1939.Footnote2

Redesignated 'No.10 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron' 1 September 1939.Footnote3

Disbanded 13 August 1945.Footnote4

Notes:

No lineal connection with '10 Experimental Squadron', of 1967-70. See 10 Experimental Squadron.

Operational history

The Second World War

The squadron flew on anti-submarine operations on the Atlantic Coast under 'Eastern Air Command'.Footnote5

Footnotes

Footnote 1

GO 48/38. Authorized but not formed (AFGO 19/39)

Footnote 2

AFGO 41/39

Footnote 3

AFGO 57/39\

Footnote 4

Secret Organization Order 279, 4 August 1945, file S.17-10-1 (DOE), Kardex 181.009 (D5432)

Footnote 5

AFGO 25/40; Statement and Organization Charts for the Home and Overseas War and BCATP Organization, 15 April 1942, file S.8202, Kardex 181.002 (D421); Memorandum, Notes for CAS, Appendix A, 12 September 1939, Document Collection 77/543

Government of Canada

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Digby 742

Digby Mk. I 742

To RCAF Station Trenton on 17 May 1940. With No. 10 (BR) Squadron, Eastern Air Command, from 17 June 1940. Operated from Gander, Newfoundland by A Flight. Category A crash at 00:40 on 26 July 1941. Had left Gander on escort of convoy WH140. Recalled when weather closed in, arrived at Gander after dark, ceiling was 300 feet and dropping. Wing struck the ground while maneuvering for fourth attempt at landing, shortly after midnight. Crew of 6 all killed, and were the first RCAF casualties to be buried in Newfoundland.

1939-12-30 Taken on Strength No. 1 (E) Depot 2019-08-20
1941-July-26 Accident: 10 Squadron Loc: Rcaf Stnorth Newfoundland Names: Crawford | Hunt | Mather | Mcdavid | Tomsett
1941-10-01 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20