Son of Harry and Mabel Bonner. Gateway School 1932-37.
In order to meet the need for pilots for both the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) was set up, and Leading Airman Frederick Bonner was sent to Canada. After an initial 10-week course, he was selected for pilot training and went to an Elementary Flying Training School (E.F.T.S.). Instruction normally began using the Fleet Finch trainer. During the 8-week programme, the student pilot had to complete 50
hours of flying, and was expected to be able to go solo after 8 hours dual flying with an instructor. When the student pilot had finished this course, he was sent to a Service Flying Training School (S.F.T.S.). Leading Airman Bonner was assigned to No 13 S.F.T.S. at St Eugene, Ontario. Here he
continued to fly the Fleet Finch, before progressing to an aircraft such as the North American Harvard. He was killed on a training flight crash at St. Eugene, Ontario, and is buried in Vankleek Hill (Greenwood) Cemetery, Ontario, Canada, Plot 222.
From the records it looks as if another young Fleet Air Arm trainee pilot was involved in the same crash, both men being buried in the same plot.
