Spence, Alexander Balfour (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-March-01

Male Head

Birth Date: 1911

Born:

Parents: Son of George and Mary Spence

Spouse: husband of Margaret Josephine Spence, of Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand.

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RNZAF

Unit

7 AOS- Air Observer School

Base

Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Service Numbers

425001

Final Burial
Google MapHillside Cemetery
Lot 367 Block 2 Grave 4

Crew or Other Personnel

Anson 6503

Civilian Nicholaus W Androsen RCAF

Civilian Androsen, Nicholaus W (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-01
cemetery unknown

Leading Aircraftman Arthur Dennison Marshall RNZAF

Leading Aircraftman Marshall, Arthur Dennison (RNZAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-01
Hillside Cemetery, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada

Flight Sergeant Dudley John Opie RNZAF

Flight Sergeant Opie, Dudley John (RNZAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-01
Hillside Cemetery, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada

Leading Aircraftman Alexander Balfour Spence RNZAF

Leading Aircraftman Spence, Alexander Balfour (RNZAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-March-01
Hillside Cemetery, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada

Accident Card - Avro Anson Mk. I serial:6503

This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1943-March-01. Anson I s/n 6503.

This accident involved 4 people. Spence AB, Opie DJ, Androsen NW, Marshall AD

This accident had 4 fatalities. Flight Sergeant Dudley John Opie RNZAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:414911 Anson 6503, Leading Aircraftman Arthur Dennison Marshall RNZAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:422303 Anson 6503, Civilian Nicholaus W Androsen RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no: Anson 6503, Leading Aircraftman Alexander Balfour Spence RNZAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:425001 Anson 6503

Unit Desciption

7 AOS (7 Air Observer School)

Air Observers were later called "navigators". For recruits in this stream, the training path after ITS was 8 weeks at an Air Observer School (AOS), 1 month at a Bombing & Gunnery School, and finally 1 month at a Navigation School. The Air Observer schools were operated by civilians under contract to the RCAF. For example, Nos. 7, 8, and 9 were run by CP Airlines. However, the instructors were RCAF. The basic navigation techniques throughout the war years were dead reckoning and visual pilotage, and the tools were the aeronautical chart, magnetic compass, watch, trip log, pencil, Douglas protractor, and Dalton Navigational Computer. They trained in the Avro Anson.
NO7 AOS Course

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - RCAF Station Portage la Prairie Manitoba

Unvetted Source Manitoba Historical Society - Portage Airport

Museum Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum - 7 AOS History

Unvetted Source University of Alberta -Souvenir History Of 7 AOS

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy