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CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Significant Canadian Historians Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering

CASPIR contains documents, images and history of Canada's military aviation. The personnel and aircraft data has been compiled using data provided by trusted Canadian military aviation historians and original source documents. Where possible source documents are linked.
Research

CASPIR Resources

RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945) JA Griffin Documents 1968 and 2005 Obtaining a World War II Service File

External Resources

RCAF.info: Research Resources RCAF.info: Finding Your Family Records

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

John Griffin was a significant historian, documenting Canada's Military aircraft.
Aircraft

Military Aircraft Associated with Canadians Choose a Specific Aircraft Serial

Lancaster FM213

CWHM flies one of the two airworthy Lancasters in the world. FM213 is usually marked as KB726 honouring Andrew Mynarski, VC.
Personnel

Name or Home Town Search Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Browse by Letter This Day in History

War Status Search Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft) Choose Specific Military Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond)

Andrew Mynarski, VC

We Shall Remember Them.
History

Education & History
Start Here Glossary Canada and World War II Combatants & First Airmen Casualties Air Force Operations Battle of Britain Women in War War Artists

Blogs & Articles
First World War Neighbourhood - Dufferin & Dupont Canada's First Military Aeroplane 1917

"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
Contact

Gillespie, William John (Lieutenant)

Survived 1917-December-11

Male Head

Birth Date: 1897-March-20

Born: Beaverton, Ontario

Parents: Dugald Campbell Gillespie and Janet Skinner

Spouse: Viola Florence Black

Home: Beaverton, Ontario

Enlistment: Montreal, Quebec

Enlistment Date: 1915-December-27

Decorations: CDGF

Croix de Guerre France

Service

RAF

Unit

41 (F) Sqn- Squadron (RFC)

Base

Rank

Lieutenant

Position

pilot

Service Numbers

487452

Home

Google Map

Beaverton, Ontario

William John Gillespie was a student at Daysland, Alberta when he enlisted in the army in in the 74th Reserve Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). After serving , he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in the summer of 1917. After training he was posted to 41 Squadron on 11 December 1917. Before he was hospitalized with influenza on 18 August 1918, Gillespie scored five victories flying the S.E.5a.

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)