Ldr. My email address is: [email protected]. First To Arrive. Please send a link. The said airplane was powered by four RR-Merlin engines - having been stored since the end of WW II. It had exploded 7,970 feet up on Mount Slesse. I am able showing up with a copy of my 8mm film - converted into a DVD. Slesse Memorial Trail leads to a memorial to those who perished in 1956 in the crash of the Trans-Canada flight 810 between Vancouver and Calgary, when the aircraft smashed into Slesse Mountain. Talk:Slesse Mountain. The film about it I converted into a CD which I have send to: Hi Michelle. Greetings: Contact me. Thank you for your time! (CP) -- The victims of Canada's worst air disaster, for five months lost without a trace, seem destined for a mass burial service as unidentified human fragments. Canadian Immigration & Naturalization Records Skipper of the missing plane is Captain ALLAN CLARKE, 35, of Montreal. Weather conditions were expected to be "fairly good" this morning. Vancouver (CP) -- An east-bound Trans-Canada Air Lines plane vanished Sunday night with 62 persons aboard ini turbulent weather over the mountains of southwest British Columbia. DEATH MOUNT TO BE THEIR BURIAL GROUND. . [1] Canadian Immigration & Naturalization Records STURTRIDGE was accompanied by his wife, the former MILDRED ALFORD of Winnipeg. 2 (the inner port engine), which was then shut down as a precaution (false fire warning… "You'll be looking for signs of life, of course. Five months later climbers found the crash site near the summit of … The weather in the Hope district at the time the airliner disappeared was extremely bad. RCMP at Hope said they had no definite information about any crash. "Not one of the 62 persons aboard the airliner suffered even a split second of agony when the plane crashed." Slesse was a two day trip. 6. 30-Mile Focal Point. My trip to Mt. White this is purely conjecture, that is all we have to go on." 2 motor -- the inner one on the port side had stopped. An RCMP officer at Hope said he heard a big plane pass over the district between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Other people there also heard it, said the officer. The plane disappeared from the screen a few minutes later at a "blind spot" where planes normally leave the screen, the station said. It might be sure the altimeter was set wrong short before reaching Voncouver Airport. "The extreme turbulence over the mountains is buffeting even the biggest planes," said RCAF Sqdn. A TCA official says "we may never know." Two RCAF Cansos taking part in the search returned to the Sea Island base here two hours after the 7:30 a.m. PST takeoff due to turbulent weather. The plane crashed into Mount Slesse near Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, on 9 December 1956 after encountering severe icing and turbulence over the mountains. Thank You. Reports from that community of 1,200 Sunday night said that the wind was blowing in gusts up to 50 miles an hour and the sky was overcast. At the time, icing conditions prevailed from 4,500 feet upward. Just noticed your message. and if so, are you able to share a copy of it with me? The passengers included four football players of the Saskatchewan Roughriders returning from Saturday's East-West All Star game in Vancouver, and the wife of one of them. If you email me at: [email protected] I'll reply. Although the book deals with a Trans Canada Airlines (TCA) crash into Mount Slesse in Dec 1956 and is a somber book to read - the book is extremely well written and held my attention throughout the book. The plane's altitude was 10,000 feet. Database and records searchable by surname. On this day a Trans Canada Airlines plane, destined for Calgary from Vancouver, crashed into the East face of the mountain killing all 62 people on board. As far as could be determined, the North Star did not make contact with Abbotsford airport. A load check has to be done anyway before take off. When Trans Canada Air Lines, flight 810, using a Canadair North Star crashed into Slesse Mountain, (nice panorama of the mountain) killing all on board, Trans Canada Air … At the third peak of Mt. Five members of the Canadian Football League, returning from an all star game, were killed. We set off early to hike a local mountain where in 1956 a Trans-Canada plane crashed, killing all 62 souls on board. Gillian, Hanns, I would very much like to learn more about what you have learned by studying this crash for nine years. They were the only ones to actually set foot on the treacherous rock slide-threatening pocket in the sheer vertical slope where the main portion of the plane and crash victims were scattered. There were relatives of the victims, officials of the RCAF, the transport department, the RCMP and TCA. They were from the Town of St. Boniface so the story i'm sure affected everyone and the Article in the Vancouver Sun I'm sure will stir up some memories..thank you for this site. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/mt-slesse-memorial-site Regards, Privacy Policy. I found this site by researching my uncle's death. The wreckage of the aircraft was left on the mountainside as a memorial to the 62 people who died that day. Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about my uncle's death and I look forward to hearing from you. . Families of the victims understood the crash area had been given cemetery status and were shocked to discover this was not done. I'm Denise's niece. This mountain made the news in December 1956 when the Trans Canada Airlines flight 810 lost an engine and became iced in winter storm conditions, got off-route trying to return to the Vancouver airport, and crashed on Slesse's Eastern flank near the summit killing all 62 people on board. The search will be concentrated in an area within 30 miles of Hope. As well although they are rotting away there were a few prayer flags on the cairn. Add your article. Chilliwack, BC - Slesse Mountain NOTE: CLICK IMAGES FOR A LARGER FORMAT . On the cairn you will find one blade from a propeller and multiple other pieces of debris. The author treats the crew and passengers and their families with empathy. The climbing history of Slesse and the crash of flight 810 are to a degree, inseparable. At least it shows the crash site with all the big piles of cloth, bodies, wreckage parts, propellers o.s.o.. Rds. Slesse - as he was a very good Bavarian alpinist. It truly is a mass grave in a very, very beautiful setting. "Weather conditions were pretty bad about 7:30. More moderate weather prevailed later, with temperatures in the high 40s. Hope … There were mountaineers who Tuesday ascended Mount Slesse's perilous southern ridge to the 6,600 foot level. I was 13 years old and babysitting for a Saskatchewan Roughrider and his wife the night they learned of the crash. At the summit, the propeller rests in a rock cairn. ALLAN CLARKE, 35, of Montreal radioed that he had passed Hope and was turning back to Vancouver. Also reported to be aboard was CAL JONES, All-Star guard of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who had played a prominent part in the Shrine game. Canadian Military Records Are you able to drive up to, or close to the crash site? in 1959 I went to Canada as a tourist, visiting my two brothers who immigrate in 1951. I haven't been to this site for some time and just spotted your comment. Also, you mentioned "film." Free Trial - Ancestry.ca. I suspect it … MR. SEAGRIM said he has "serious doubts of endeavouring even at a later date" to remove the remains because of the dangers involved. A four prop Twin Star similar to a DC-3 collided just below the summit killing all 62 people aboard. On 9 Dec 1956 Trans Canada Airlines flight 810 disappeared while on a flight rom Vancouver to Calgary. Home Geography of North America Geography of the Pacific Northwest Geography of British Columbia At the time this was the worst airline crash in Canadian history, and adding to the profile, there were 5 CFL football players on board who were heading back East after an All-Star game. Slesse Middle School Mount Slesse Middle School is a grade 6 through grade 8 school in School District #33, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. My grandfather was aboard this plane (Russell S. Stratton), and I would love to come and see the memorial. As we were not able carrying much along we took just one bale down. FamilyOldPhotos   Old-Yearbooks  TexasHistoryArchives. All 62 people on board died, making it one of the worst airline crashes ever as of that date; [2] it still ranks as the sixth worst air disaster in Canadian history. If you are interested in the history of this tragic event, I can be reached at: I was 3 years old when I met him at the airport for the first and only time, and when he departed, my mother was crying, and my father asked her why and she said that she knew we would never see him again :( Wish I could have known him better. Free Trial - Ancestry.ca. Their shock and loss has stayed with me through the years. The trail passes a memorial plaque and crash site, remembering one of Canada’s worst aviation disasters that happened on December 9, 1956. The crash site was so remote that search teams were not able to reach it until the following spring. Wreckage not found until May 10, 1957. Copyright ©2003-2019, All rights reserved. Canadian Birth, Marriage, & Death Records, Canadian Immigration & Naturalization Records, Port Maitland, ON Plane Crashes, Dec 1956, Danville, VA Private Plane Crash, Sep 1956, Edwards Air Force Base, CA Bell X-2 Experimental Plane Crash, Sep 1956, Newville, PA Air Force Plane Crashes, Oct 1956, Cressy, CA Air Force B-52 Jet Crash, Dec 1956. GenDisasters is a genealogy site, compiling information on the historic disasters, events, and tragic accidents our ancestors endured, as well as, information about their life and death. In June 1960 he invited me to come along The football players were MEL BECKET and GORDON STURTRIDGE, who played in the game, MARIO DeMARCO and RAY SYRNYK, who were spectators. "Try the peaks first and get down within 100 to 200 feet of the ground you are searching." Copyright ©2003-2019, All rights reserved. After just over an hour of hiking, you reach a sign noting that you are entering the Mount Slesse Commemorative Site where Trans Canada Airlines Flight 810 crashed on December 9, 1956, and that removal of any debris is not allowed. [email protected]. My father John, her brother was wondering who was engaged to her? Legend has it Fred Beckey never worked after visiting the mountain and climbing the NE Buttress because he found the missing money belt. Also standing by at Vancouver were an air force medical team of two doctors and two nurses. Three senior TCA officials -- HERB SEAGREIM, vice president of operations; L. ROOD, director of flight operations, and Jack DYMENT, director of engineering operations -- were to arrive in Vancouver at 12:30 p.m. today from Montreal. One did live in Calgary the other in Vancouver. It’s a spiritual hike. There was the helicopter pilot who Monday discovered the airliner and its human cargo imbedded in the crumbling ledge near the top of one of Mount Slesse' peaks. During all my trips I made 8mm movie pictures - by holding today six big roles. Flight 810 was dead and so was its complement of fiftynine passengers, a pretty stewardess and two fine pilots. "I am sure from what I saw at the top of Mount Sleese that the aircraft exploded the second it struck. By the age of 19 I went to Vancouver as a tourist visiting my German friend Juergen Esau who worked with the Mercedes-Benz Garage in Vancouver. H. W. SEAGRIM of Montreal, TCA operations vice-president, told the inquiry and attempt to remove "bodies or human remains" from the crash site "would be premature at this time.". FamilyOldPhotos   Old-Yearbooks  TexasHistoryArchives, Parents lived down the street from Sturtridges, Canadian Birth, Marriage, & Death Records, Canadian Immigration & Naturalization Records, Port Maitland, ON Plane Crashes, Dec 1956, Danville, VA Private Plane Crash, Sep 1956, Edwards Air Force Base, CA Bell X-2 Experimental Plane Crash, Sep 1956, Newville, PA Air Force Plane Crashes, Oct 1956, Cressy, CA Air Force B-52 Jet Crash, Dec 1956. 7. Privacy Policy. It was flight 810 and was due in Calgary at 9:15 p.m. From there it was scheduled to fly on to Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal. The plane crashed into Mount Slesse after an engine caught fire and the plane experienced severe icing and turbulence. The cause of the disaster is as much in doubt as ever. Hadn ’ t given it much thought even the biggest planes, '' he added understood the crash the. District weather office said the cloud base would be the worst aviation disaster Canadian... 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