Woodhams, George Thomas John
Killed in Flying Accident 1941-08-25
Birth Date: 1913-June-01
Born: Huronville, Saskatchewan
Son of George L. Woodhams and Lillian M. Woodhams, of Huronville, Saskatchewan.
Home: Huronville, Saskatchewan
Enlistment: Regina, Saskatchewan
Enlistment Date: 1940-08-27
Service
RCAF
Unit
2 ANS- Air Navigation School
Base
Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick, Canada
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
R/58453
First Burial
Fillmore Cemetery, Fillmore, Saskatchewan
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.comThis incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Anson Mk. I Serial: 6644
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Anson 6644
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
Avro Anson History2 ANS (2 Air Navigation School)
Nos. 1 & 2 Air Navigation Schools offered four-week courses in astronavigation and were the last step for Air Observers.
The RAF schools, Nos. 31, 32, and 33, provided the same training as Air Observer Schools.
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge NB
History of 2 ANS Pennfield Ridge NB
2 Air Navigation School was disbanded at Pennfield Ridge April 1942.
Unit was reformed in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island February 1944. RCAF.info - RCAF Station Charlottetown PEI
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Winnipeg Manitoba
The unit was redesignated No 2 Air Observer School 15 November 1955.
Project 44 BCATPAnson 6644
Anson Mk. I 6644
Ex RAF W2388. To No. 3 training Command on 15 July 1941, for use by No. 2 Air Navigation School at Pennfield Ridge, NB. Crashed at 07:00 on 25 August 1941, while searching for missing Anson 6649 , both aircraft from No. 2 Air Navigation School. Port wing struck a tree in low turn near Liverpool, NS. Aircraft dove into the ground on its back, caught fire and then bounced 300 feet. It was determined that is was pilot error possibly aggravated by the rising sun. No survivors. Ownership to Eastern Air Command on 2 September 1941 for write off. Note that some crash records refer to the RAF serial number.1941-06-23 Taken on Strength Canada Car & Foundry 2019-08-20
1941-August-25 Accident: 2 Air Navigation School Loc: Liverpool Nova Scotia Names: Elliott | Smallman | Street | Wooham
1941-10-01 Struck off Strength Written off at No. 4 Repair Depot 2019-08-20