RCAF Station Swift Current
General Information
Base / Station: Swift Current
Province: Saskatchewan
Dates of Operation or Period of Information:
- 15 December 1941 – 24 March 1944
Units:
- No.39 Service Flying Training School
- No. 4 Central Navigation School
- Relief Landing Field – St Aldwyn (R1)
- Relief Landing Field – Wymark (R2)
Unit Duties / Information:
Aircraft Flown: Oxford
Commanding Officers:
Financial Impact:
Date / Reason for Closure: 21 Mar 44, reduced need for aircrew
Site Evolution:
- The Publication On Track…the Pilot’s Air Travel Guide (First Annual Edition – 1978) lists the Aerodrome as “Swift Current” – See photos on this page.
Current Status: civil airfield, CYYN
Image from the
RCAF Pilots Manual of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases circa 1942.
On Track – 1978
Swift Current Aerodrome (Part 1)
Swift Current Aerodrome (Part 2)
Location – Google Map
Station Magazine
“”
Daily Diary – Links – No. 32 Elementary Flying Training School
The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Manitoba has created a transcription of this Daily Diary.
Their web site is AirMuseum.ca
Daily Diary – Links – No. 39 Service Flying Training School
Fatalities
This list was compiled from the entries in the Daily diaries of No. 39 (Royal Air Force) Service Flying Training School, No. 32 (Royal Air Force) Elementary Flying Training School and other sources. The list likely does not include all fatalities of personnel who died while stationed at RCAF Station Swift Current, and likely includes some errors. Currently this list contains __ personnel.
16 March 1942
8 May 1942
3 August 1942
12 December 1942
2 February 1943
13 February 1943
31 March 1943
6 May 1943
30 July 1943
18 October 1943
24 November 1943
30 November 1943
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.
- Flight Lieutenant George Anthony Wilson Brandreth (RAF-68765)
- Charged with:
- 1 count of Leader of a formation improperly flew less than 2000 feet
- 1 count of Leader of a formation improperly flew less than 500 feet below cloud base
- Trial Date – 7 February 1944
- File is 109 pages.
- Member found guilty of both charges
- Member was sentenced to:
- a reprimand.
- Charged with:
- Flying Officer Donald Ferguson Fraser Forbes (RAF-115162)
- Trial Date – 8 January 1943
- File is 78 pages.
- Pilot Officer William John Howell (RAF-153418)
- Trial Date – 28 February 1944
- File is 90 pages
- Squadron Leader Phillip Henry Knowles (RAF-40306)
- Charged with negligance related offences
- Trial Date – 20 March 1944
- File is 78 pages in length
- Member was found not guilty
- Flight Lieutenant Bernard Rye Mercer (RAF-42625)
- Charged with negligence related offences.
- Trial Date – 20 March 1944
- File is 135 pages.
- Found guilty of at least 1 charge. Sentenced to a reprimand and loss of seniority.
- Flight Lieutenant Alex David Stewart (RAF-79583)
- Trial Date – 24 March 1943
- File is 32 pages
- Flight Lieutenant Fred Wace Snell, DFC (RAF-39349)
- Charged with flying offences
- Trial Date – 4 September 1942
- File is 75 pages
- member was found guilty and sentenced to a fine of $150 (it appeared this was later revoked due to policy) and loss of seniority.
Course List
No 39 Service Flying Training School
For More information – External Links
- Wikipedia
- MilitaryBruce.com – Canadian Military History by Bruce Forsyth
- Aerodrome Disposal File:
Under fatalities – Sergeant Edward Sowery should be moved to the date Nov 24th 1943 with the student Leading Aircraftman Colin Stewart Guttridge – according to the station logs
Kelly, Thank you for pointing out this error. It has been corrected.