Just before Christmas, these photos of my father-in-law, now deceased, were found tucked away in a box by my sister-in-law. I really had little knowledge of his wartime activities other than knowing that his training had finished in 1945 and hostilities ended before he could be posted overseas. It would appear that he was last stationed at the Dunnville, Ontario base which was one of 28 Service Flying Training Schools in Canada, constructed under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Dunnville was a single-engine school for advance flying training of future fighter pilots. Opened in 1940, it graduated some 2,500 pilots and 47 were killed in various accidents during the period of operation. Fortunately, it is also only a few hours drive and one of the last surviving bases. I'm going to try and get down to see the museum soon. http://www.dunnvilleairport.com/museum.php Interestingly, the Harvard Mk 2 shown with Serial Number 2904 was issued a certificate of airworthiness as late as 13 July 1985. My father-in-law, Doug Gardiner, is in the last photo. In the middle of the three sitting on the wing.
Some real gems here. The last photo looks like it must have been just after Wings Ceremony, as the stripes on the guys in the front row are barely attached to their sleeves. In the third photo, the guys are wearing the white tab in their wedge for Air Crew in Training [there is a proper term, but my brain isn't awake yet.] When you go over to Dunnville, you might want to go over to the cemetery and shoot the headstones of the folks there to post on the VA Virtual Memorial if they aren't there already. There may be some for Spidge as well of his Aussie lads. cheers, phil
I most certainly will bring my camera Phil and see if I can locate the headstones for Spidge. There are British, New Zealand and Australian names on the memorial plaque.
Hi Canuck, There were three Australians of (6 SFTS) who are buried at Dunville. Two are buried at Dunville (Riverside) Cemetery and one at Dunnville (St Michael's) Roman Catholic Cemetery. I already have these Headstone photos and thanks to Phil "for pushing my barrow". Of the 146 Australians lads who did not return, there are 63 buried or Memorialised in Ontario. I already have the panels from the Ottawa Memorial (32) and most of the other cemeteries. The remaining (11) are at the following three cemeteries. AYLMER CEMETERY (5) JARVIS (KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH) CEMETERY (4) TRENTON (ST. GEORGE'S) CEMETERY (2) Cheers Geoff
Canuck Thanks for posting the photo's one reads alot about the training in Canada but one rarely see's any photos taken at the time. Oldman
Canuck, Great photographs. Than you for sharing. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachments/war-air/23516d1262146829t-dunnville-no-6-sfts-dunnville-jpg I just noticed the Sgt Stripes on the man standing front left. They appear to flying awayand not yet fully stitched on. Regards Tom
Tom, As I said above, these are likely after a Wings or Promotion Parade with rank confirmed yet not "given the housewife treatment". Just for the record: According to Bill Hampson's book Canadian Flying Service, No 6 used Harvards and Yales for training. The SFTS course was 12 weeks in length. When the BCAPT program was terminated in March 31, 1945, an obvious recognition that the war in Europe was nearly over, 131,553 trained aircrew from 35 countries graduated from the 360 schools established at the 231 sites across Canada. They were staffed by over 104,000. Would be intereting to hear from a Vet who went through it. I will phone my favourite vet and see if he can give me any scoop on what that was like and what happened. cheers, phil
Phil, Apologies for missing your bit ( as the stripes on the guys in the front row are barely attached to their sleeves ). I assume from your comments that the rank of Sergeant was only bestowed upon successful completion of flight training. I have never really thought about it before and was under the impression that they had received the rank before flight training. How dumb can I get Regards Tom
Tom, As I said above, these are likely after a Wings or Promotion Parade with rank confirmed yet not "given the housewife treatment". Just for the record: According to Bill Hampson's book Canadian Flying Service, No 6 used Harvards and Yales for training. The SFTS course was 12 weeks in length. When the BCAPT program was terminated in March 31, 1945, an obvious recognition that the war in Europe was nearly over, 131,553 trained aircrew from 35 countries graduated from the 360 schools established at the 231 sites across Canada. They were staffed by over 104,000. Would be intereting to hear from a Vet who went through it. I will phone my favourite vet and see if he can give me any scoop on what that was like and what happened. cheers, phil Phil, Dunnville was closed on December 1st, 1944 so obviously the need for aircrew had already diminished and they were winding down the effort. Beyond my father-in-law and an uncle, I personally know 3 other vets who were bitterly disappointed over having finished their training too late to be shipped out and get in some ops.
Phil, Dunnville was closed on December 1st, 1944 so obviously the need for aircrew had already diminished and they were winding down the effort. Beyond my father-in-law and an uncle, I personally know 3 other vets who were bitterly disappointed over having finished their training too late to be shipped out and get in some ops. Sadly the record for the Australians was that they have burials in each of the 10 Provinces. The first Australian death in Canada was in Quebec: HOLT, ARTHUR LESLIE Leading Aircraftman 404210 1 WS Montreal 18/12/1940 24 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. M. Lot 3410. Grave 5372. MONTREAL (NOTRE DAME DES NEIGES) CEMETERY Canada Quebec The last two deaths were in Nova Scotia: REEDIE, JACK NORMAN Flying Officer 429844 8 Operation Alt RG Canada RCAF 24/04/1945 24 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. 2. Grave 6. MIDDLETON HOLY TRINITY OLD CEMETERY Canada Nova Scotia UREN, HAROLD BEAUMONT Warrant Officer 437175 8 O T U Greenwood 24/04/1945 22 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. 2. Grave 5. MIDDLETON HOLY TRINITY OLD CEMETERY Canada Nova Scotia Cheers Geoff
By March 1945 when the Plan had come to an end, a total of 856 air crew 'trainees' had been killed in training accidents. Of this number 291 were RAF, 65 were RAAF and 31 were RNZAF. In the first year, the quoted rate for fatalities was one for every 11,156 hours of flying time. That rate was cut in half by 1945 but still obviously a dangerous pursuit. Of a total of 131,553 air crew graduated from the BCATP. 72,825 were RCAF, 42,110 RAF, 9,606 RAAF and 7,002 RNZAF. That number does not include the 5,296 RAF and Fleet Air Arm personnel trained earlier in Canada. Nor does it include over 50,000 Canadian ground crew who received their training in the Plan. The numbers are quite eye opening. Almost half the total aircrew employed on British and Commonwealth flying operations were products of the BCATP. The 72,825 Canadian graduates provided crews for 40 RCAF home defence and 45 overseas RCAF squadrons, as well as constituting about 25% of the overall strength of RAF squadrons, particularly Bomber Command. These stats were drawn from a number of sources but there is also an interesting, in-depth study of the casualty numbers at this site: http://www.journal.dnd.ca/vo3/no1/doc/65-69-eng.pdf
I just noticed the Sgt Stripes on the man standing front left. They appear to flying awayand not yet fully stitched on. Regards Tom Tom I am with my favourite Vet right now, and he tells me that the fellows were all sergeants at the completion of their training. He says that among the Air Gunners, 5% were up for a King's Commission, and that is why there were four out of his class of 84 who ended up becoming a Pilot Officer. Not that much later the percentage increased to 20% of the class. The stripes and even the wings look like they are on with safety pins. Dad doesn't remember doing that but he was sure that his wings and stripes were sewn on by someone on or near the base at Mont Joli when he left to come home on leave. The interesting twist to this tale is that Dad went to Church the first Sunday home as a Sgt and then his Commission was confirmed and he went to Church the next Sunday as a PO. So, one of the Old Sweats from the Great War thought that promotions came pretty easy in the modern army. cheers, phil
Canuck, Great photographs. Than you for sharing. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachments/war-air/23516d1262146829t-dunnville-no-6-sfts-dunnville-jpg I just noticed the Sgt Stripes on the man standing front left. They appear to flying awayand not yet fully stitched on. Regards Tom If you look closly Tom none of the badges and ribbons are sticthed on properly. I wonder if they are 'sizing/pool uniforms' borrowed for the photograph and then handed back for the next lot of photographs?
When was your father-in-law posted at No. 6 SFTS? April 1942 Graduation Banquet Class 42 No. 6 S.F.T.S. « Lest We Forget
