Sutton, Kenneth Leslie
Killed in Flying Accident 1945-01-21
Birth Date: 1923-November-17
Born:
Leslie Harry and Elsie Sutton, of Kingskerswell, Devon, England.
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RAFVR
Unit
15 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Claresholm, Alberta, Canada
Rank
Pilot Officer
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
195512
First Burial
Claresholm Cemetery, Claresholm, Alberta, Canada
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)This incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Anson Mk. II Serial: 8627
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Anson 8627
Avro Anson
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Museum's Anson Mk. V was built by MacDonald Brothers in Winnipeg in 1944. It flew with No. 7 Photographic Wing and No. 414 Squadron in Ottawa on photo survey work until the late 1940s. In 1956, it was purchased by INCO and used for mineral surveying until 1980, when it was donated to the Museum. The exterior is painted in the yellow colour common to all BCATP trainers and is in its same wartime RCAF markings.
The Avro Anson was known by a number of nicknames including "Faithful Annie" or "Flying Greenhouse". It was the first aircraft to be flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936. In 1940, a Canadian government owned company, Federal Aircraft Limited, was created in Montreal to manufacture the Anson for Canadian use. Nearly 3,000 Anson aircraft were produced and, in the early days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the Anson was the standard trainer for many pilots, observers (navigators), wireless operators and bomb aimers. More than 20,000 aircrew received training on the Anson. In Canadian service, the aircraft was substantially re-designed with the substitution of North American engines and many other airframe and equipment changes.Harold Skaarup web pages
Harold A Skaarup Web Page 
Avro Anson History15 SFTS (15 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.
For More Information on RCAF Station Claresholm see here
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Claresholm AB
RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Woodhouse AB
RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Champion AB
Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Southern Alberta
BCMC Claresholm History
Bomber Command Museum of Canada - 14 SFTS Claresholm AB
Wings Over Claresholm Alberta Video
Project 44 BCATPAnson 8627
Anson Mk. II 8627
Noted as not equipped with dual brakes when accepted. Delivered to stored reserve, issued from storage on 13 July 1942. To storage with No. 4 Training Command on 2 March 1944, issued from storage in August 1944. To No. 2 Air Command on 1 December 1944. With No. 15 Service Flying Training School at Claresholm, Alberta when it crashed on 21 January 1945. Struck a ferry cable across the Bow River near Bassano, Alberta (70 miles north-east of Claresholm) at 14:30 during low level navigation exercise, sank through ice on the river. Leading Aircraftman I.R. Vidler, RAAF, Flight Sergeant L.J. Tame, and Pilot Officer K.L. Suton, RAF killed. To No. 10 Repair Depot on 10 February 1945 for scrapping.1942-07-07 Taken on Strength No. 2 Training Command 2019-08-20
1943-April-12 Accident: 38 Service Flying Training School Loc: Relief Landing Ground Names: Lewis
1943-June-15 Accident: 38 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Gallagher | Nicholson
1943-November-13 Accident: 38 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Harrison
1945-January-21 Accident: 15 Service Flying Training School Loc: Bassano Alberta Names: Sutton | Tame | Vidler
1945-03-28 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20