Bill Mackay, Harvard Historical Aviation Society, Canada has provided the following:

Gerald Robert Flisher LAC, RAF no. 1606838. Stationed at No. 36 S.F.T.S. Penhold. Died April 24, 1944 as a result of a crash of the Oxford II aircraft no. AT 464 he was navigating for student pilot LAC J. Mann. He was 19 years old.

From official death record: “Circumstances of casualty flying accident involving the death of pupil pilot (1606838 LAC Flisher, G.R.) on 24th April 1944. The airman was engaged as pupil navigator with 1625196 LAC Man, J. pupil pilot in a cross country mutual exercise in Oxford II aircraft No. AT 464, when the aircraft dived into the ground some three miles west of Red Deer, Alberta and was totally wrecked and destroyed by fire. The cause of the accident is obscure.”

Religion – Church of England
Father – Mr. Walter Reginal Flisher, Mother- Mrs. Geraldine Elizabeth Flisher. 21 St. George’s Crescent, Monkseaton, Northumberland, England.
Date of Birth – 30th June, 1924
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
He is buried in the Red Deer Cemetery
He was in Course no. 99 which ran from 31/1/1944 and 11/8/1944 at No. 36 SFTS
The accident occurred at 13:45 hours on the 24th of April, 1944 involving Airspeed Oxford Mk. II s/n AT464 from No. 36 Service Flying Training School at Penhold, Alberta.
Onboard were two pupil pilots: 1625196 LAC L. Mann & 1606838 LAC G. R. Flisher

The pair were carrying out Exercise 12 and 13, a cross country mutual exercise flight.

Witnesses said they saw smoke and fire coming out of the starboard engine. It was estimated to be at 1,000 feet at the time and flying straight and level. At about four miles west of Red Deer, the aircraft was then seen to flick over on its starboard side. The nose dropped and it went into a spin. It appeared to straighten out just before hitting the ground 3 miles west of Red Deer.

Official record for Airspeed Oxford Mk. I AT464

AT464Airspeedde HavillandOxford Mk. I A.S.10

first date: 25 September 1941 - Taken on strength

With No. 35 Service Flying Training School at Penhold, Alberta. Received minor damage at 03:30 on 25 August 1942, when it collided with Oxford AS384 over the Penhold aerodrome. Crashed at 13:45 on 24 April 1944, during a cross country mutual exercise. Aircraft was observed to spin in 3 miles west of Red Deer, Alberta. LAC J. Mann and LAC G.R. Flisher, both RAF, killed.

last date: 26 May 1944 - Struck off

Gerald Robert Flisher is not named on any local memorial.

Men of 36 Service Flying Training School. Penhold, Alberta
RAF Commands: Unaccounted airmen 24-4-1944
The CGC entry for LAC Flisher