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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0639.PDF
MARCH y, 1940 207 R.C.A.R ARRIVES Canadian Army Co-operation Squadron in England Listening to speeches of welcome. ^MID scenes of tremendous /-% enthusiasm the first •*• •» Royal Canadian Air force Squadron ever to arrive in England landed at a north- west port. They were received by Capt. H. H. Balfour, M.C., M.P., Under-Secretary of State for Air, on behalf of Sir Kings- ley Wood ; Mr. L. B. Pearson on behalf of Mr. Vincent Mas- sey, the Canadian High Com- missioner ; Air Vice-Marshal N. D. K. MacEwen, Air Officer Commanding the Army Co- operation Group R.A.F., and Lord Derby. Admiral Bromley represented the Royal Navy. When the men had paraded on the quayside, Capt. Bal- four's first task was to hand Squadron Leader W. D. Van Vliet, the Commanding Officer, a message from Sir Kingsley Wood which said: "I signed this message of cordial greeting to you, the first Royal Canadian Air Force Squadron to arrive in Great Britain. You, and those of your fellows who are to come after, are the heirs of that great tradition which your predecessors created in 1914 and 1918, and this high trust will, we know, be safe in your hands." In the course of a short speech of welcome, Capt. Balfour said: "The coming of your unit is bringing success that much nearer, and as more units come from our partners over the seas, so the hour of victory will draw near. We are quite sure that the mastery of the air in this war is going to be ours just as much as in the last war, and that Canada is going to play a great part in achieving that. Good luck to you all." The Earl of Derby—who, despite the handicap of years, can be guaranteed to appear on a patriotic occasion—said just this: " It is not for me to wish you a good time. What I will do, if I may be pardoned the language, is to wish you as good a time as you can have, and I will wish the Boche what I know he will get and that is—a hell of a time." •' Flight " photograph. Canadian airmen lined up on the quayside. " Flight " photograph. On the landing stage. Left to right, Air Vice MarshalN. D. K. MacEwen, Captain H. H. Balfour, M.C., M.P., and Lt. Col. K. A. Hunter. Rousing cheers for everything and everybody marked the whole ceremony and with one final cheer for the ship which brought them to these shores, which was answered by stentorian reply on the steam syren, the squadron entrained for a southern aerodrome. The unit is a fully trained army co-operation squadron and is quite ready for any duties it may be given, although, no doubt, a considerable period of '' playing themselves in'' will be given before they are dispatched to their war front. Like the army co-operation squadrons at home, they have been trained on Westland Lysanders, which in this case have been built in Canada by the National Steel Car Company, Limited. The squadron is actually a com- posite one made up of personnel from the auxiliary squadrons of Toronto and Winnipeg and some from the permanent force at Ottawa. They were brought together for final intensive training as a unit shortly after the out- break of war. All were wearing new outfits and looked exceedingly smart in their blue webbing equipment; the blue is a fraction darker than that of the R.A.F. As soldiers their bearing and discipline on parade leaves nothing to be desired and that usually means an efficient unit despite the widespread belief that "soldiering" is unnecessary in these democratic da^-s. Well'known Sportsman Squadron Leader Van Vliet is 36 years of age and is well known in Canadian rugby and ice hockey circles and certainly looks one of those people who one prefers to have on their own side, but his qualifications are, not all from the playing field. He brings to his command not only a thorough Air Force training, including the R.A.F. Staff College Course as well as various other courses in this country and Canada, but also a very long flying experience The flight and specialist officers of the squadron are equally experienced and if they represent a good average of the type to be expected from Canada, England may count herself extremely fortunate. They, and the airmen, come from many and various walks of life, but, like out Auxiliary Air Force, are drawn very largely from young business and professional men who have for years given their leisure time to making themselves efficient members of the Air Force.
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