Todd, John Ewald (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-August-07

Leading Aircraftman John Ewald Todd RCAF

Birth Date: 1922-August-21

Born:

Parents: Son of Alexander and Mary Ann Todd, of Semans.

Spouse:

Home: Semans, Saskatchewan

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

7 SFTS- Service Flying Training School

Base

MacLeod, Alberta, Canada

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

R/107399

Home
Google MapSemans, Saskatchewan
Final Burial
Google MapSemans Cemetery
Plot 5 Block 3 Grave 4

Anson aircraft 9688 was in the landing approach when it was in a mid-air collision south-east of the airfield at MacLeod, Pilot Officer W.G. Rannie and Leading Aircraftman J.E. Todd were killed in Anson 6958.

Confirmed by Court of Inquiry document in the Library and Archives Canada Service Files: Aircraft 9688 flown by Leading Aircraftman Kotelmach turned into wind in clear weather and let down into aircraft 6958 flown by Pilot Officer Ramie. Both aircraft then crashed to the ground locked together.

unvetted Source Findings of Court of Inquiry

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I / III Serial: 6958
  2. Anson Mk. I Serial: N9688

All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.

Anson serial: 6958

Avro Anson Mk. V
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

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube Avro Anson History

YouTube Avro Anson Construction

Aircraft Images

Anson 6958

Anson Mk. I / III 6958

Ex RAF AW746. Converted to Mk. III before delivery to RCAF. Assigned to No. 4 Training Command on 30 March 1942. Category A crash at Fort MacLeod, Alberta on 7 August 1942. Collided with Anson R9688 on approach to landing. Two students in this aircraft killed, instructor in other aircraft killed. Scrapped by No. 10 Repair Depot.

1941-09-16 Taken on Strength MacDonald Brothers Aircraft 2019-08-20
1942-August-07 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Kotelmach | Rannie | Todd
1942-11-27 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Anson N9688

Anson Mk. I N9688

Winter conversion kit installed during assembly at MacDonald Brothers. To No. 2 Training Command on 6 August 1941, for use by No. 33 Service Flying Training School at Carberry, Manitoba. To MacDonald Brothers from 6 July to 21 September 1942, probably for overhaul. To Eastern Air Command when completed, delivered there on 1 October 1942. Category A crash at Summerside on 29 October 1942. Assigned to No. 4 Repair Depot at Scoudouc, NB on 2 November 1942 for write off.

1941-04-07 Taken on Strength MacDonald Brothers Aircraft 2019-08-20
1942-January-26 Accident: 7 Air Observer School Loc: Fort Embina North Dakota Names: Fisher | Mallett | McCaw | Walker
1942-July-24 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Nil
1942-August-07 Accident: 7 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Kotelmach | Rannie | Todd
1942-October-29 Accident: 1 General Reconnaissance School Loc: Conway Pei Names: Bennett | Harris | Reeves | Rudge
1943-01-12 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

Unit Desciption

7 SFTS (7 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.

Avro Anson Training Flight

For More information on RCAF Station Fort McLeod see here

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - RCAF Station MacLeod AB

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Granum AB

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Standoff AB

Museum Bomber Command Museum Of Canada

Museum Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Southern Alberta

Project 44 BCATP

unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy