Sept. 15 marked the 79th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, a monumental display of the success of not only the Allied Forces during the Second World War but also the courage and resilience of the Royal Air Force personnel during the conflict.
On a clear sunny morning, the annual commemoration began with a parade of 15 Wing personnel and cadets from the No. 40 Snowbird Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron.
Col. Ron Walker, 15 Wing commanding officer, detailed the impressive history of the battle and the heroes who were lost serving during the conflict. He spoke of those who took to the skies in bravery as well as everyone on the ground who risked their lives to keep the RAF in the air.
The Battle of Britain began in the summer of 1940, when German forces began their plans for an invasion of Britain with a continuous bombardment of the English Channel by the Luftwaffe. The ensuing air conflict would last 114 days before reaching a conclusion.
German air forces outnumbered their Allied counterparts five to one, and some pilots were deployed with as little as 20 hours of in-air training to hold the lines. The average age of a Canadian Spitfire pilot was 22 years old.
Despite the seemingly bleak odds, RAF airmen answered the challenge with vigor, embarking on an aerial conflict that would see 544 pilot casualties amongst the RAF and 2,500 aircrew casualties in the German Forces by its conclusion.
With German aircraft numbers dwindling, the Luftwaffe shifted their focus to bombing London, leaving Allied forces a moment’s breath to regroup and finish their work on resupplying their own force of aircraft.
When the new Spitfire and Hurricane fighter jets took to the sky, the RAF was able to inflict massive losses to the German forces, causing them to retreat and ultimately abandon their invasion plans indefinitely.
The Battle of Britain was the first large military campaign to be fought entirely by air forces. It is considered the first major defeat of German forces and a crucial turning point in WWII.
A total of 103 Canadians flew in the Battle of Britain, and 23 died in the conflict. Another 200 Canadians fought in the RAF bomber and coastal commands.
One Royal Canadian Air Force squadron fought in the battle, the No. 1 RCAF Squadron, and three of its members were given the Distinguished Flying Cross for their service during the Battle: commanding officer Ernie McNab of Rosthern, second-in-command Flight Lieutenant Gordon Roy McGregor of Montreal, and Flying Officer “Dal” Russel of Ontario.
The RAF’s 242 Squadron was also largely, but not entirely, made up of Canadian pilots.
On the third Sunday of September each year, 15 Wing takes time to remember the Battle of Britain and the bravery and commitment of the air force personnel of the past, an important tradition to uphold.
“The heroes of the Battle of Britain represent the very best of what it means to be Canadian,” said Col. Walker in his address. “Our airmen and airwomen draw strength from our past and perform their missions today with pride and professionalism. As we move forward, let us never forget those brave Canadians who risked their lives so many years ago.”
