RCAF Station DeWinton
General Information
Base / Station: DeWinton
Province:
Dates of Operation:
- 1941 –
Units:
- No.31 Elementary Flying Training School
- formed by RAF at Kirkham, United Kingdom on 16 April 1941.
- Embarked from Glasgow 23 April 1941 on S.S. “Royal Ulsterman”.
- Spent several days in Iceland, Embarked 29 April 1941 on H.S. “California”
- Arrived in Halifax, Canada on 6 May 1941.
- Arrived in Calgary, Alberta on 10 May 1941 and unit was housed temporarily at the RCAF Station at the Calgary Municipal Airport.
- Unit relocated to DeWinton, Alberta, 15-16 October 1941
- taken over by Malton Flying Training School, Ltd 13 July 1942
- Disbanded – 25 September 1944, Daily diary entries ceased 1 September 1944.
- Conducted primary flight training
- Aircraft flown:
- Tiger Moth
- Stearman
- Cornell
- Relief Landing Field – Gladys
Location:
Elevation:
Commanding Officers:
Financial Impact:
Date / Reason for Closure: 1944-45, reduced need for aircrew
Site Evolution:
- The Publication On Track…the Pilot’s Air Travel Guide (First Annual Edition – 1978) lists the Aerodrome as “De Winton – South Calgary” – See photos on this page.
Current Status: civilian airfield, all runways/taxiways/ramp still exist
Image from the
RCAF Pilots Manual of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases
circa 1942.
On Track – 1978
De Winton / South Calgary Aerodrome (Part 1)
De Winton / South Calgary Aerodrome (Part 2)
Location – Google Map
Photo Gallery
Station Magazine
“The Planesmen”
Station Magazine
“The Adastrian”
Station Magazine
“The Gremlin”
Daily Diary – Links – No 31 Elementary Flying Training School
1944
Fatalities
This list was compiled from the entries in the Daily diaries of No 31 Elementary Flying Training School and other sources. The list likely does not include all fatalities of personnel who died while stationed at RCAF Station DeWinton, and likely includes some errors. Currently this list contains 22 personnel.
2 September 1941
4 September 1941
1 April 1942
13 July 1942
6 September 1942
5 October 1942
25 October 1942
8 December 1942
13 July 1943
1 September 1943
25 October 1943
12 December 1943
28 December 1943
14 April 1944
13 May 1944
2 June 1944
Notable Alumni
Aircraft List
Courts Martial
The following personnel were recommended for courts martial and a file was created on the Charged Offence, not all Offences were tried. This list is not complete but I will be working my way through the reels in the upcoming months.
- Corporal Thomas Barter (RAF-356484)
- Charged for theft of Public Property
- Trial Date – 27 May 1942
- The file is 91 pages.
- Member was found guilty and sentenced to a reprimand and forfeiture of 14 days pay.
Notes
Related documents:
Course List
No 31 Elementary Flying Training School
For More information – External Links
- Wikipedia
- MilitaryBruce.com – Canadian Military History by Bruce Forsyth
- Aerodrome disposal files :
- https://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/bcatp/bcatp-station-dewinton/