Something I posted 8 years ago…
The pilot whose name was Smith crashed at Rigaud Mountain near St. Eugene. This picture was sent by this man’s granddaughter. Paul Piché was an instructor in St. Eugene in 1942, and was transfered to 127 Squadron, then later to 443 Squadron. This is another picture taken at No. 13 E.F.T.S. St. Eugene. […]
St. Eugene 1942
Tara has been reading what I have been sharing lately on another blog and wanted to contribute more about No.13 St. Eugene.
New Flying School Is Opened At St. Eugene
Another mile-post in the rapidly-shortening road to overwhelming British air supremacy was passed Monday morning when the new Elementary Flying Training School opened at St. Eugene, on the Quebec* side of the Ottawa River across from Hawkesbury.
* St. Eugene is on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River South East of Hawkesbury. (Jim Christie)
The school known to the service as No. 13 was the last of 14 now in operation, to take in its quota of student airmen. Complete program calls for 26 such schools spotted in all parts of the country
Students Report
Pilot students reported to No 13 School early this morning, training starts Tuesday, and a formal opening program may be scheduled for Nov. 14. The St. Eugene air camp is the only elementary flying training depot in the immediate Ottawa area.
No. 13 school is an exact duplicate of the other 13 training centres which preceded it, and like the others is the lowest rung on the flight training ladder erected to create a constant supply of crack pilots for the Empire air force.
In the seven weeks at St. Eugene, the student pilots will learn the rudiments of flying, the majority of them have never flown before and will go into the air for the first time tomorrow morning when they climb into cockpits of the canary yellow Fleet Finch and buckle on their safety belts.
From Dawn to Dusk.
Hours of work at the St. Eugene school, kindergarten of the RCAF will be from dawn to dusk as the student airmen are taken through a stiff and thorough training routine by practiced flying instructors.
Two Escape Injury In Forced Landing
MAXVILLE, Ont., Dec. 16.- (Special)-A training plane from the elementary flying school at St. Eugene Ont., made a forced landing on the farm of Arthur Charlton 1½ miles from Maxville, Monday afternoon, when it developed engine trouble. Neither the instructor, Richard Fawcett, nor the student pilot, Walter Knovs, was injured. A repair crew from St. Eugene arrived here last night by plane. The slightly damaged trainer was repaired and was able to return to St. Eugene by air this morning.
The elementary flying training school at St. Eugene is also making claims to a “first” by oversubscribing a quota of $15,000 by 205 percent. before the books were opened. Squadron Leader J. V. A. Michaud, A.F.C., remarked that if any military establishment in the country could do better the boys at St. Eugene would like to hear about it.
Trapped in Sunken ‘Plane Two Airmen Are Rescued
Trapped in their airplane which crashed into Big Lake, 14 miles northeast of Buckingham, two airmen from St. Eugene air station were literarily “saved by the hair of their heads” Saturday morning.
Hurrying to the scene of the crash in a row-boat and motor-boat, rescuers reached the men just as the ‘plane disappeared beneath the surface. Sighting the airmen two feet under water, striving to free themselves from entangling straps the rescuers reached down from boats and grabbed them by the hair, then hauled them to safety.
The airmen, unidentified, were taken to shore and attended by Dr. P. N. MacLachlan who found they suffered only from shock and a shaking-up. Rescue of the men was accomplished by split-second timing and the fact that a fish and game club keeper happened to see the ‘plane and have his attention focussed on it by sound of its engine spluttering. Joe Roos, keeper of The Blanche Fish and Game Club, was working in his yard when he saw the ‘plane pass. He watched for a few moments, then, sensing impending danger when the engine apparently began to fail, he made preparations to follow it.
Suddenly the ‘plane rapidly lost altitude, swooping toward the lake. Roos was just in time to witness the aircraft nose-dive into the water carrying its occupants to what appeared certain death.
With his son he ran to the beach and jumped into his motor- boat. By that time the airplane had disappeared in the lake. Pushing the motorboat to the limit, he steered for the spot where it went down. He was joined by other persons from across the lake who had also seen the crash and were rowing to the scene.
By the time the two boats reached the vicinity where the plane disappeared, part of the aircraft reared above the water. The rescuers saw one airman about two feet under water in the plane. Mr. Roos, holding on to his son in the boat with one hand, groped beneath the surface with the other, and grabbed the airman’s arm.
Someone in the second boat then clutched the man by the hair. Together, they pulled him to safety then turn their efforts on the second airman and saved him in similar fashion, just in the nick of time.
Scatter Ashes of Instructor Over St. Eugene Airport
A wisp of human ashes scattered and was lost in the swirling swell of an airplane over St Eugene airport Wednesday afternoon.
Such was the earthly finale of Richard Blythe, a figure in some of America’s finest air exploits, who perished while participating in aviation’s greatest endeavor.
Confidant and friend of the world’s leading airmen and veteran of air battles in the 1914-1918 war, Mr. Blythe left behind an attractive position in New York to take part in the Commonwealth Air Training Scheme. While serving as an instructor, he was killed in a flying accident 4½ miles from Ottawa, last Friday.
On Wednesday, a sleek Finch trainer was wheeled out of a St. Eugene airdrome. Into it stepped Flight Lieut. Ferguson, the pilot, and Squadron Leader, the Rev. J. Oliver, of Montreal, the chaplain. The latter carried a small urn in which were the ashes of Richard Blythe.
All ranks at St. Eugene airport stood at attention but with eyes glancing upward as the ‘plane mounted into the skies.
Young air students felt a special sadness as the ‘plane straightened out and zoomed across the field while Blythe’s ashes were being strewn. To them, this instructor had been a shining figure. They liked the easy and unostentatious manner in which he spoke of close associations with men whose deeds had made them demi-gods of all young flyers. He had known and had flown with such aviation immortals as Howard Hughes, Admiral Richard Byrd, Kingsford-Smith, Hugo Eckner, and many others.
Stories of the flying habits, the feats and many other incidents in the lives of these great airmen were heard greedily by these young men who hope to emulate their historic accomplishments.
Blythe was one of the founders of what is probably the most exclusive aviation organization in the world – the Quiet Birdmen of America. More than 4,500 aviators, among them every outstanding I figure in the industry, are members of the group which Blythe and associates conceived in 1921.
The plane landed.
Led by Commanding Officer Flight Lieut. E. B. Hale, the men filed back to their various posts.
Today, St. Eugene air school is busy at its task of training airmen to take places in the expanding industry where Richard Blythe was a pioneer. ‘Planes are taking off and landing in the dust where his ashes rest.
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan 