Banff Canada

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by dshearer82, Oct 8, 2008.

  1. dshearer82

    dshearer82 Junior Member

    My Grandad served in the RAF during WWII and I think that at some point he was based somewhere in Banff, Canada.

    He used to tell me many stories when I was a little girl, now I am older and would love to know more, but he is old and his memory is sketchy.

    Firstly - Could he of been based in Banff or have I totally made that up? It is definately Canada and not Scotland.

    Secondly - Does anybody know of books or places to buy photographs?

    Thirdly - Would there be any records of anything to do with UK service Men serving in Canada?

    And last but not least - Does anybody know of anybody else who served there?

    I would absolutely love to put something together for my Grandad, books, photo's, stories.. even names of people and if anybody out there can help me I will be so very grateful to you :smile:

    Thank you for taking the time to read my post
     
  2. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    DSHearer

    It's not likely that your Grandfather would have served in Banff Alberta as this Town is in the very midst of the Rockie Mountains and also a National Park and training on airplanes would have been rather dangerous - even more so than usual.
    However a great deal of training was done on the prairies all the way back to Manitoba and there is still a very large training ground mainly for the Army near the border with Saskatchewan to which Prince Harry left recently to comfort his girl friend who was having some dental work done in the U.K.
    It's entirely possible therefore that your Grandfather spent time in Banff as it was a favourite place for leave and a few days rest, as it is still a great place to visit and enjoy walking around with the Caribou in attendance - these animals appear to be smarter than the average tourist as they know that wolves cannot enter Banff so they can wander at will throughout the whole town feeding on the neighbours geraniums !
    When we lived in Calgary we would spend most Sundays in Banff and especially in the hot pools - winter and summer -it's great with snow falling all around - have a meal at a local hotel - then dress the children in their pyjamas - they were asleep inside five minutes on a specially made mattress for the station wagon - and on arriving back home we would carry them straight into bed !

    There should be a great deal of information on the Commonwealth Air Training Scheme which was held all over Western Canada. I am pretty sure that someone on this forum would have trained in Canada at that time !
    Good luck
     
  3. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  4. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    DSHearer-
    as a PS to my last posting here is a list of the areas in Canada involved in the Air Training scheme - as you see - many of them were in Alberta - Edmonton - Calgary - Lethbridge - Bowden - and afew more.
    Calgary was only a 90 minute drive to Banff as was Edmonton and so the odd week-end might have been spent in both Banff and Jasper
    Cheers
    try this link
    List of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facilities in Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Good info Tom,

    I think there are many who do not realise or comprehend the contribution or the magnitude of the Air Training Scheme to the successful outcome of the Air war in Europe during WW2.

    I know we lost 146 Aussie lads in Canada which amazed me when I first did the count. They were killed and buried/memorialised in all 10 provinces of Canada.

    I just did a quick look at the "Posting at Death" from my spreadsheet and came up with these bases.

    Cheers

    Geoff

    <table x:str="" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 476px; height: 1062px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><col style="width: 173pt;" width="231"> <tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="height: 12.75pt; width: 173pt;" width="231" height="17">1 AOS MALTON</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">1 BAGS JARVIS </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">1 FIS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">1 OTU Saquenay </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">1 SFTS CAMP BORDEN</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">1 WS Montreal</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">1 Y DEPOT HALIFAX</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">10 B&GS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">10 SFTS Dauphin</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">105 OTU (T)</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">11 SFTS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">111 OTU NASSAU</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">12 SFTS BRANDON MANITOBA</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">13 SFTS NTH BATTLEFORD </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">13 SFTS SASK </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">13 SFTS ST HUBERT</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">14 SFTS AYLMER</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">15 SFTS CLARESHOLM</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">2 ANS PENNFIELD RIDGE </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">2 AOS EDMONTON</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">2 B&GS MOSSBANK</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">2 FIS VULCAN ALTO</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">2 SFTS Uplands</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">2 WS CALGARY</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">3 "M" DEPOT EDMONTON</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">3 B&GS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">3 SFTS CALGARY ALBERTA </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">3 WS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">31 GRS CHARLOTTETOWN </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">31 OTU (RAF) DEBERT NS</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">32 OTU PATRICIA BAY </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">34 OTU PENNFIELD RIDGE</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">36 O T U</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">36 SFT RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">4 AOS LONDON ONTARIO</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">4 B&GS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">4 SFTS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">45 Group RAF Dorral</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">5 AOS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">5 BAGS - DAFOE - SASK</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">53sq</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">6 SFTS DUNNVILLE</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">7 AOS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">7 O T U RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">7 SFTS MACLEOD</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">8 BAGS LETHBRIDGE</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">8 O T U Greenwood</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">8 O T U Paulsen Manitoba</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">9 AOS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">9 BAGS Mont Joli Quebec</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">9 SFTS CENTRALIA </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">CFS RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">FERRY COMMAND RCAF</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">RAF FERRY COMMAND DORVAL</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">RCAF STN TRENTON </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" height="17">TRP PRENTWICK </td> </tr> </tbody></table>
     
  5. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Spidge - they were certainly spread over a very wide area of the prairies and Eastern Canada where there were no mountains in the way - I note that there were none died in B.C. which sort of proves my point.

    Malton by Toronto is now the main International Airport called Pearson after the noted Prime Minister, and where I first landed in Canada to be confronted by an enormous billboard exhorting me the " Drink Canada Dry" to which I did my share !
    Cheers
     
  6. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Spidge - they were certainly spread over a very wide area of the prairies and Eastern Canada where there were no mountains in the way - I note that there were none died in B.C. which sort of proves my point.

    Malton by Toronto is now the main International Airport called Pearson after the noted Prime Minister, and where I first landed in Canada to be confronted by an enormous billboard exhorting me the " Drink Canada Dry" to which I did my share !
    Cheers

    Hi Tom,

    There were six in Patricia Bay (BC) which lists 32 OTU. They are all buried in plot "D" at Victoria (Royal Oak) Burial Park. I do not know if any of our lads were involved in this crash when 11 were killed. Have not nailed it down yet!

    During the Second World War the Victoria-Esquimault Fortress Area was one of three main defence areas of the Pacific Command. The Burial Park is a municipal cemetery. Most of the Second World War casualties buried here were airmen who served at the Royal Canadian Air Force Station at Patricia Bay. Among the Royal Air Force graves is one which contains the remains of 11 airmen who lost their lives in a training flight from the station at Abbotsford, some 100 kilometres north-east of Victoria. Nearly all of the airmen's graves are in Section D; the other war graves are scattered in various parts of the cemetery. Victoria (Royal Oak) Burial Park contains 89 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.

    <table x:str="" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 593pt;" width="790" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><col style="width: 152pt;" width="202"> <col style="width: 48pt;" span="2" width="64"> <col style="width: 74pt;" width="99"> <col style="width: 53pt;" width="71"> <col style="width: 48pt;" span="2" width="64"> <col style="width: 122pt;" width="162"> <tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="height: 12.75pt; width: 152pt;" x:str="BARROW, RICHARD TRATHEN " width="202" height="17">BARROW, RICHARD TRATHEN </td> <td class="xl23" style="border-left: medium none; width: 48pt;" width="64">Sergeant</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-left: medium none; width: 48pt;" x:num="" width="64">421149</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-left: medium none; width: 74pt;" width="99">32 O T U RCAF</td> <td class="xl24" style="border-left: medium none; width: 53pt;" x:num="15809" width="71">13/04/1943</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-left: medium none; width: 48pt;" x:num="" width="64">29</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-left: medium none; width: 48pt;" width="64">RAAF</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-left: medium none; width: 122pt;" width="162">Sec. D. Plot 20. Grave 18.</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" x:str="DAVIS, CHARLES JOHN " height="17">DAVIS, CHARLES JOHN </td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Pilot Officer</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">420864</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">32 O T U RCAF</td> <td class="xl24" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="15849">23/05/1943</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">28</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">RAAF</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sec. D. Plot 20. Grave 2.</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" x:str="HUGHES, REGINALD JOHN " height="17">HUGHES, REGINALD JOHN </td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sergeant</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">422565</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">32 O T U RCAF</td> <td class="xl24" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="15849">23/05/1943</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">24</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">RAAF</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sec. D. Plot 20. Grave 3.</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" x:str="BISHOP, COLIN LISLE " height="17">BISHOP, COLIN LISLE </td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sergeant</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">418499</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">32 O T U RCAF</td> <td class="xl24" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="15853">27/05/1943</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">19</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">RAAF</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sec. D. Plot 20. Grave 10.</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" x:str="MAIDEN, FRANCIS KEITH " height="17">MAIDEN, FRANCIS KEITH </td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sergeant</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">423799</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">32 O T U RCAF</td> <td class="xl24" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="15988">9/10/1943</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">20</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">RAAF</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sec. D. Plot 21. Grave 12.</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; height: 12.75pt;" x:str="WEEKES, NEVILLE OSWALD " height="17">WEEKES, NEVILLE OSWALD </td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sergeant</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">413700</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">32 O T U RCAF</td> <td class="xl24" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="15988">9/10/1943</td> <td class="xl22" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;" x:num="">31</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">RAAF</td> <td class="xl23" style="border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none;">Sec. D. Plot 21. Grave 11.</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
     
  7. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Spidge -
    I missed Patricia Bay near Esquimalt as this is known usually as a naval station - Abbotford was the secondary airport when Vancouver was fogged in which is hardly relevant today as most are on instruments on landing these days.

    Abbotsford has been recently upgraded to International standard for the gamblers to head off to Vegas and Reno - and handier for Domestic flights without adding to the traffic at Vancouver - we are hoping to get a run to the U.K. from there one of these days..we can dream on I guess !
    Cheers
     

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