Duane Hicks
With Canada marking its 150th birthday in 2017, the Fort Frances Museum and a local group of volunteers are planning a “Canada 150” transportation exhibit focusing on modes of travel from local history—including aviation.
As such, volunteer John Myers is putting a call out to the public for photos taken here of airplanes or stories about local aviation.
“As far as Rusty Myers Flying Service is concerned—because that’s my association—we have a lot of photos,” he noted.
“We’re going to include Handbergs and Boise because they had an aviation base here,” he added. “We’re going to include a little bit of Ministry of Natural Resources if we can.
“I can do those by phone calls.
“What I’m looking for is the fella, maybe like Leon Wells, that’s always had an interest in aviation,” said Myers, referring to local airplane enthusiasts who have flown Fort Frances area skies over the years.
Myers was hoping that by issuing a call for photos and stories before Christmas, some folks might reminisce about flying during family get-togethers and then dig out any old airplane photos they have and set them aside to bring to the museum.
Some details of the “transportation” exhibit—which also will feature vintage automobiles, trains, steamboats, boat building, commercial fishing boats, canoes, and kayaks—have started to come together.
For instance, the museum will borrow a bush plane exhibit from the one in Kenora, which includes a virtual plane set-up and flying simulator, but also will incorporate locally-relevant information on bush planes.
And that’s where your photos and stories come in.
To submit a photo or tell a story, drop by the Fort Frances Museum on Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The museum will be closed for the holidays from Dec. 22-Jan. 3, but feel free to drop by after that.
As well, you can e-mail photos to museumc@fortfrances.ca
Tragedy on
Rainy Lake
A perfect example of a riveting aviation story, “Big Monoplane Crash of Rainy Lake Killing Four of Forestry Service,” was published Thursday, Aug. 20, 1931 in the Fort Frances Times.
It reads as follows:
“The news that four men of the Forestry Service met their end in a tragic crash of the large monoplane Tuesday evening burst like a bomb on the residents of town and district, causing a gloom that overshadows everything else.
“Victor Stewart, Head Forester of Fort Frances, Claude V. Greer of Fort Frances, Phillip Hutton and Alfred Runcimon, both of Kenora, met their death in the performance of their duty.
“The story has its first setting in the terrific storm on Monday evening about 6 p.m. that burst with the fury of a cyclone across the district and lake area.
“Two planes, one a big H.S. carrying Claude V. Greer and Mr. Mahon, and the other a Moth with George Delahye at the controls, were returning from the eastern portion of the lake where they had been on scouting duty. The suddenness of the storm caught them near Pine Narrows about 10 miles east of town.
“Both planes endeavoured to take shelter in the lee of islands, but the force of the wind made the task impossible. Both planes were crashed and were tossed like a chip on the water. The boys in the H.S. managed to swim to shore. Pilot Delahye was flung from his machine and but for his life belt would no doubt have drowned.
“Both occupants of the machines were unaware of the other’s plight. Greer and his companion managed to reach Fort Frances and the word of the missing Moth and pilot, Delahye, was flashed to Kenora. Chief Forester Cram with Hutton and Runcimon left at once in the Hamilton plane to assist in the search. On their arrival, they took on Victor Greer and the search was commenced.
“About 5 p.m., they returned to the air base for fuel and Victor Stewart took a seat in the plane as he was more familiar with the lake, replacing Forester Cram.
“Pilot Delahye, who after drifting around in the lake following the storm on Monday night and the wreck of his plane, was rescued by an American camper and his wife in a canoe. He was on his way in a fish boat to Fort Frances when the big plane appeared overhead.
“Pilot Hutton circled the boat, apparently looking for a place to alight when, without any warning, the plane dropped like a plummet striking the water and crushing the occupants in the crash. The bodies of Claude Greer and Alfred Runcimon were picked up and brought to the air base.
“Word of the disaster spread with lightning-like rapidity and shortly, anxious friends were clamouring for news of the tragedy. A gas gator was dispatched with a crew of men as soon as possible to the scene and the bodies of the remaining men, Victor Stewart and Phillip Hutton, were taken from the wreck and brought to Fort Frances early Wednesday morning.
“Every member of the Forestry branch feel the accident keenly. Victor Stewart, who had been in charge of the office here for a little over one year and whose wife is in the hospital with a newborn baby, has made a host of friends who are hardly able to realize the fact of his sudden death.
“Claude V. Greer was also a resident of this town and leaves a young widow who is bravely trying to reconcile herself the fact of the tragic death of her husband.
“The bodies were removed to the undertaking parlours of R.V. Green and those of the Kenora men will be sent home back for interment. Mr. Stewart’s brother is expected to arrive today to take charge of the interment of his brother.
“The three machines are down within a few miles of each other and it is doubtful if any of them will be worth salvaging.”