Purkiss-Ginn, Allen Alexander (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-July-16

Male Head

Birth Date: 1917

Born:

Son of Mary Henrietta Purkiss-Ginn, of Bengeo, Hertford, England.

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RAFVR

Unit

34 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (RAF)

Base

Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Rank

Flying Officer

Position

Service Numbers

86715

Final Burial

Hillside Cemetery
Lot 12 Block 139D Sec C

Oxford aircraft AS 494 was engaged in instrument flying training when it crashed and burned nine miles north of Vauxhall, Alberta. Flight Lieutenant P.J. Lea (RAF), Leading Aircraftman D.L. Kennedy and Flying Officer A.A. Purkiss-Ginn (RAF) were killed.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry - 1941-07-16

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Oxford AS494

Leading Aircraftman Donald Leslie Kennedy RCAF

Leading Aircraftman Kennedy, Donald Leslie (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1941-July-16
Brookside Cemetery, Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

Flight Lieutenant Phineas John Lea RAF

Flight Lieutenant Lea, Phineas John (RAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1941-July-16
Hillside Cemetery, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Flying Officer Allen Alexander Purkiss-Ginn RAFVR

Flying Officer Purkiss-Ginn, Allen Alexander (RAFVR)

Killed in Flying Accident
1941-July-16
Hillside Cemetery, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Oxford serial: AS494

(Bob Brown Photo)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Airspeed A.S. 10 Oxford Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. AS277), 25, in flight over Saskatchewan, 1942.

The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Second World War.

The Oxford was developed by Airspeed during the 1930s in response to a requirement for a capable trainer aircraft that conformed with Specification T.23/36, which had been issued by the British Air Ministry. Its basic design is derived from the company's earlier AS.6 Envoy, a commercial passenger aircraft. Performing its maiden flight on 19 June 1937, it was quickly put into production as part of a rapid expansion of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in anticipation of a large-scale conflict.

As a consequence of the outbreak of war, many thousands of Oxfords were ordered by Britain and its allies, including Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Poland, and the United States. Following the end of the conflict, the Oxford continued to achieve export sales for some time, equipping the newly formed air forces of Egypt, India, Israel, and Yugoslavia. It was considered to be a capable trainer aircraft throughout the conflict, as well as being used a general-purpose type. A large number of Oxfords have been preserved on static display. Wikipedia

YouTube Oxford Trainer

Wikipedia Oxford Trainer

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Aircraft Images

Oxford AS494

Oxford Mk. I AS494

Crashed 9 miles north of Vauxhall, Alberta at 10:45 on 16 July 1941, while undertaking instructor instrument flying training with No. 34 Service Flying Training School at Medicine Hat, Alberta. Stalled from a turn at low altitude. Flying Officer A.A. Perkiss-Ginn, RAF; Flight Lieutenant P.J. Lee, RAF; and Leading Aircraftman D.L. Kennedy, RCAF killed. Taken on strength by No. 4 Training Command, for No. 34 SFTS, the next day. Originally reported as Category B damage, revised to Category A based on 34 SFTS inspection report dated 21 July 1941. Had 99:10 logged time when struck off.

1941-06-11 Taken on Strength Eastern Air Command at No. 1 Port Detachment 2019-08-20
1941-July-16 Accident: 34 Service Flying Training School Loc: Vauxhall Alberta Names: Kennedy | Lea | Purkiss-ginn
1941-09-01 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Unit Desciption

34 SFTS (34 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.