RCAF.Info » RCAF Stations » Prince Edward Island RCAF Stations » RCAF Station Charlottetown

RCAF Station Charlottetown

General Information

Base / Station: Charlottetown

Province: Prince Edward Island

Dates of Operation or Period of Information:

Units: 

  • No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School
  • No. 31 (Royal Air Force) General Reconnaissance School (GRS)
    • As No 2 School of General Reconnaissance, entrained at Squires Gate, Blackpool, England on 17 December 1940.
    • Arrived Halifax – 28 December 1940
    • Arrived at Charlottetown – 29 December 1940
    • Redesignated – No 31 School of General Reconnaissance on arrival in Canada
  • No. 32 (Royal Air Force) Air Navigation School (ANS)
    • First Echelon arrived in Charlottetown 18 July 1941
    • It appears that possibly the school was disbanded in September 1942.
  • RCAF Station Charlottetown (RAF Station Charlottetown)
    • Formed as a Station Headquarters on the arrival of No 32 (Royal Air Force) Air Navigation School on 23 July 1941.
    • It appears that both schools were run somewhat independent of one another but shared at least a Daily Diary.
  • No. 2 Air Navigation School (ANS)
    • original No 2 Air Navigation School was disbanded at Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick in April 1942.
    • Reformed at Charlottetown, February 1944,
    • disbanded July 1945.
    • reformed in Winnipeg, Manitoba – 1 August 1951.
  • No. 1 Aircraft Holding Unit (AHU)

Unit Duties / Information: 

Aircraft Flown: 

  • No 31 GRS
    • Avro Anson

Commanding Officers:

Financial Impact:

Date / Reason for Closure:

Current Status:  Civilian Aerodrome – Charlottetown Airport

RCAF Aerodrome Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Image from the RCAF Pilots Manual of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases circa 1942.

Location – Google Map

Station Magazine
“Graf”

Daily Diary – Links – No 31 (Royal Air Force) General Reconnaissance School

1940

December

1942

During the period of August 1941 – September 1942 The schools daily diary was issued as “RCAF Station Charlottetown” and “RAF Station Charlottetown” (see Below)

October

November (Operational Record Book)

December (Operational Record Book)

Daily Diary – Index – RCAF Station Charlottetown

With the arrival of No 32 (Royal Air Force) Air Navigation School the station became referred to as RCAF Station Charlottetown this was noted in the Daily Diary of No 31 General Reconnaissance School on 23 July 1941. Effective 1 August 1941, a combined Daily Diary was issued by both schools under “RCAF Station Charlottetown”. It appears that this title was not appreciated by the Royal Air Force Chain of Command as the Daily Diary Unit Name changed to “Royal Air Force Station Charlottetown” in September 1941. There is no “official” announcement of the name change in the daily diary. Effective 1 October 1942 the Daily Diary resumed using the Unit or Formation name of “No 31 General Reconnaissance School”

Fatalities

This list was compiled from the entries in the Daily diaries of No. 31 (Royal Air Force) General Reconnaissance School, No 32 Air Navigation School, No 2 Air Navigation School and other sources.  The list likely does not include all fatalities of personnel who died while stationed at RCAF Station Charlottetown, and likely includes some errors. Currently this list contains 39 personnel.

Aircraft List

Anson

11659

Notes

  • 24 March 1943 – Fire destroyed No 6 Hangar at the Station.
    • Ansons were destroyed
      • AX422
      • N9655
      • AX284
      • N5375
      • N5212
      • N9870
      • N9820
      • K6264
      • N4942
      • AX137
      • N9899

Course List
No 2 Air Navigation School

Course List
No 32 Air Navigation School

Course List
31 (RAF) General Reconnaissance School

Leave a Reply