Remembering the Fallen: LAC Robert F. J. Crowhurst, RAFVR, Student Pilot

During World War Two many young men died in accidents. Most died while training for aircrew in Canada and in the UK.

At the Moose Jaw Rosedale Cemetery there are 61 graves, mostly Royal Air Force airmen, and most were killed in pilot training. The little municipal cemetery near Caronport has ten graves of RAF airmen. Across Saskatchewan where there were air-training facilities, there are more graves of airmen from around the world.

Canadian and American airmen killed in training accidents were returned to their home town for burial. All others were buried in the community adjacent to where they were killed.

We often forget these brave young men who came to Canada from far off nations to train as Aircrew – From England, India, the Caribbean and Commonwealth countries and other nations – who died in Canada, because they didn’t die in action.

One can only imagine the happiness, fear and trepidation parents’ felt, sending her precious son off to Canada. And the sadness they endured hearing of the death of their loved one.

One such young man is LAC Service # 1383688, RAFVR, Robert Frederick James Crowhust who is buried in Lot 8, Block 10, Grave 289 at Rosedale Cemetery. The inscription on his grave stone is: “Our Bobby”, Only Son of Fred and Jessie Crowhurst, “Safe in the Arms of Jesus”.

Bobby was killed in a flying accident at No. 32 Service Flying Training School, Moose Jaw, on January 6, 1942. He was at the controls of North American Harvard Aircraft s/n 2724 practicing formation flying.

Bobby was flying in a ‘line astern’ formation at the time of the accident. His Harvard collided with the back

By Richard Dowson

of Harvard AJ727.

The trainee pilot of Harvard AJ727, whose name is not known, was able to land his aircraft and survived. Harvard s/n AJ727 suffered C4 damage which meant it was repairable. In fact, it remained in service with the RCAF until 1956 when it was sent to Free French Forces.

It is not known exactly what happened after the collision but Bobby Crowhurst crashed and was killed. It is assumed they were close to the ground and not far from the airport at the time of the collision. Considering the Harvard he ran into was not seriously damage Bobby may have over-reacted and lost control of his aircraft, leading to the crash.

On Tuesday, January 6, 1942, the Moose Jaw Times Herald reported the crash. The headline read: “Planes in Formation and Two Collided, One Crashed Near A. Lowe Farm”.

The reporter wrote, “The plane crashed on the eastern boundary of the A. Lowe and the Robert Lindley farm, six miles north and one mile east, about 11 o’clock on Tuesday morning.”

The report also added, Coroner Dr. J. M. Hourigan and constables from the Moose Jaw Detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were summoned to the scene of the accident shortly after it had been reported.

The funeral was held with full military honours. Part II

On January 2, 1943, a year after the death of Robert Frederick James Crowhust, RAFVR, his grieving father sent a letter to the Moose Jaw Times Herald thanking the people of Moose Jaw for their kindness. The following are excerpts from his letter.

“Some months ago you were kind enough to publish in your columns a letter from me expressing the thanks of my wife and myself to the citizens of Moose Jaw for their great kindness shown to us on the occasion of our son, being killed in a flying accident there. As a result we received several letters from your city, which we very much appreciated.”

He thanked “… the members of the St. John Alter Guild, and the officials and members of the Canadian Legion, who placed beautiful flowers on our boy’s grace.”

“I am writing again to H. R. Nickelson, who kindly sent us photographs of the grave with the flowers placed thereon, on our boy’s birthday…”

He continued, “We should very much like to hear again from Miss Doreen McLean and Warrant Officer Bone of the R.A.F.

“We send to the citizens of Moose Jaw our warm- est good wishes and repeat that any of your boys or girls serving with the forces in this country would be made welcome at our home.”

“Yours sincerely, F. C. Crowhurst, 159 Streatham Vale, London, S.W. 16 England”

Part III

The Moose Jaw Times Herald, Thursday, January 7, 1943

“Airman Killed in Flying Accident

“One airman was killed and another injured in a flying accident one and one half miles south of Caron Wednesday night, according to an announcement made Thursday by officials of No. 33 E.F.T.S., Caron.”

The man killed was LAC William Vincent Edmondson, RAFVR, Service Number: 1548854, Died 06 January 1943, Age 19, son of John Hayes Martindale Edmondson and Mary Edmondson, of Kells, Whitehaven, Cumberland, England.

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Credit: CBC

Credit: CWGC RAF Section, Caron Municipal Cemetery, Caron, Saskatchewan