Dated: Monday, August 21, 2000
Public Service Announcement

If you served in the R.C.A.F. during WWII, if you worked in the factories and businesses that supported the war effort, if you were involved in the building and running of the training schools in Canada, or if you came to Canada as a war bride, we would like to hear from you.  If your parents, spouses or siblings served our country, if you were a Red Cross volunteer, if you participated in programs such as, Bacon for Britain, if as a child you helped with the war effort, or if you were involved in the war in any other way, we need your help!

The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon, Manitoba is asking for your help in preserving the history of WWII, through your involvement in our oral history project.

Your personal stories, as the men, women and children who lived through the war years, are vital to the preservation of this era of Canadian and World history.  If you are interested in sharing your stories with us, please contact Katie McKay or Stephen Hayter at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, (204) 727 -2444.

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1. VET'S DAY ~ BRANDON HOMECOMING 2000

Get out your red pencil. Draw a circle around Thursday, August 10. This is "Vet's Day," just one of the items on the program of the Brandon Millennium Homecoming. What are known officially as the 'anciens combatants' from all parts of Manitoba are invited to a two-part ceremony that will evoke a million memories of life in khaki, light blue or dark blue. Check-in time on the Big Day is at 1:30 near the Capitol Theatre at the south end of the parking lot at the Brandon Shopper's Mall. For full details see the Fred McGuinness Diary in
AS YOU WERE ~ JULY 2000 edition
Please Note:
The Hangar Dance
and
Capitol Theatre showing of
For The Moment
have been cancelled.

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2. Museum Report from John McNarry
We had an excellent evening at the Museum on July 20th. Many antique cars from an "Across Canada Tour" stopped in for an open house. At times there seemed to be standing room only among the displays. Kattie and Derrick gave so many tours that Kattie lost her voice for a while! They did a great job! The Harvard Mk 2, Staff Car and Tiger Moth were parked on the ramp for viewing with the hanger doors rolled back the Hawker Hurricane could be viewed from both sides and the evening light set off the colours beautifully. I had a chance to wander among the 100 or so cars and met a fellow from Christchurch N.Z. who let me drive his 1948 MG TC. WOW! It has been a few years since I parked my TC in the back of my shop. I haven't worked on my antiques since I started at the CATPM {I told Reg I was resigning to go work on my TC. ;-). } Lyle was about with his camera so we should be able to scan some of his shots of the event for the Website.

Progress is being made on the hanger, although slowly it seems. I don't know if enough has been done to make a photo shoot of the progress for the west but we should do it soon.

Work in many areas of the Museum continues.The Flying Committee had the Cornell out for Canada Day. The Cornell also attended the Official opening of the Nielson Airport at Erickson on July 13th. The Motor Transport section just completed a work week with Jack Lee, Alan my son and myself working on the 1940 Ford Fuel Tender as well as disassembling a 1940 Chevrolet car, donated by Geordie Vincent, for parts to improve the Museum's Staff Car. These vehicles and the rest of the MT collection are stored in the Heavy Duty Shop at Assiniboine Community College for the summer.

Webmaster's Note: Please return to this site regularly to view photos as they become available.

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3. PUNCH GOES TO WAR (Part 3)
From A Cartoon History of the Royal Air Force
Note: Position your mouse cursor on the cartoon to display the caption
Copyright Punch Magazine

Submitted by Dr. T. F. Beveridge

 

THROUGH THE VIEW FINDER
Caught In Our Site:
 Websites of Interest to Our Readers:
Pay them a visit and
check out the photos and stories.

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4. Memorabilia of the BCATP
by Steve Scriver

This page is an attempt to make some sense of the memorabilia of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Steve has been collecting this memorabilia for a number of years and have recently found that there were others out there who share his passion. What you see below is the result of the sharing of scans from the collections of Steve Scriver, Ken Keegan and Ray Provick. The ultimate goal of the page is to put together a book on either cloth badges of the BCATP or all badges of the BCATP. Please E-mail Steve if you have similar interests.

So far, the site features the following categories:
Jacket Crests
     Uniform Insignia (Cloth)
     Uniform Insignia (Metal)
     Graduation Programmes, Menus,etc
     Ephemera of the BCATP
     Pillow Cases and Pennants
Miscellaneous Page
and
WO2 Donald "Rusty" Haug Page
     S/L Eric Bland Page
  (Two pages which outline the flying careers of two Canadians in the RCAF who went through the BCATP
and beyond, although in quite different ways.)

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5. BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH AIR UNIT REGISTRY
http://freespace.virgin.net/frank.haslam/sites/assocs/assocs.htm
"to help you to find the association you are looking for"

If you know someone ex-Air Force, who served in whatever capacity, would you please do your bit to honour the founding principle of the list - to enable former members to find out whether an association exists for their Squadron or unit.

The Register concentrates on units connected with World War II military aviation in the British or Commonwealth armed services.

To keep this list as up to date as possible please send any amendments or additions to Frank Haslam

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6. IN THE WORDS OF WINSTON CHURCHILL
"Never, in the field of human conquest, has so much been owed by so many to so few" ...on the Battle of Britain

"The charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava is eclipsed in brightness by these almost daily deeds of fame"  ~ August 1941

"The Navy can lose us the war, but only the Air Force can win it. The fighters are our salvation, but the bombers alone provide the means of victory"

"Dominating all our power to carry on the war, or even keep ourselves alive, lay our mastery of the ocean routes and the free approach and entry to our ports" ...on the Battle of the Atlantic

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7. MAIL CALL: Information Request Re: Australian Odd Bods

It was suggested by Fred Aldworth from the Canadian Air Force website that I should contact you concerning my research project. I did some time ago send an email to your Manitoba website inquiring about the Odd Bods.  There isn't any knowledge of this group of air men from Australia.  However, I chatted with some people at the Australian War Museum and was introduced to the Empire Air Training Scheme and the fact that these Odd Bods were in fact the RAAF airmen who saw action in Europe and Africa in the 2nd WW.

Now, I am interested in contacting Canadians who know about the Empire Air Training Scheme and possible participants as they could have been part of these mixed crews that flew under the RAF.  As well, I am wanting to find out what Canadian airfields are still in tact today.

My objective is to trace a crew, in particular, the Australian in the four or five member crews from their training through to the end of the war.  I want to produce a documentary that tells the story of one of these crews.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
James Oastler
Producer

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8. New Brandon Air Museum Diorama


A typical bomber command station located in England in WWII

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New CATPM Publication

Addendum #1 to the THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD Memorial Book
$16.75 (taxes included) Counter Price
$20.00 (shipping/handling/taxes)
To ship anywhere in Canada