Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial

A New Year Message

The following is a message to all of our supporters and volunteers as we enter 2024, from Museum President, John McNarry.

A New Calendar year is ahead of us. The past year was interesting and challenging.

We have a lot more challenges to meet as we move forward with the Museum.

It will be a busy and interesting year.

I want to personally thank you all for your support and dedication to the CATPM.

I hope you find the year to be rewarding as we continue in our efforts to preserve the story of the BCATP as well as the memory of those who sacrificed so much that we can enjoy living as we do. Happy New Year to all.

Thank you for supporting the CATPM.

John McNarry.

The Brandon Sun Archives

Back in the first week of October 2023, I had been talking with the Brandon General Museum and Archives, and Matt Goerzen of the Brandon Sun about saving the Brandon Sun’s Archives. The Brandon Sun’s new location does not have space for the original newspapers, and while the Legislative Library has expressed interest the archives was soon to go to the landfill. Our Archivist, Judith, and myself had taken a look and felt we could at least save 1900 to 1950, this would cover WWI and WWII. The Brandon Sun also provided the shelving to store the newspapers. At the time, depending on the number of volunteers we felt we may be able to save more, perhaps volumes which include our museum’s history. Opportunities like this do not happen often and it would be been a shame to see Brandon’s history go to the landfill. In the end we had a great crew of volunteers. It was decided that temporarily we would use a space in the east lean-to of the hangar. Certainly not a permanent home but at least the opportunity to keep it safe, and the resulting time will hopefully mean a permanent home. In the end we saved it all, something we can all be happy about!

This is an article from the Brandon Sun about this acquisition

submitted by Stephen Hayter, Museum Executive Director

Some of the Sun archives safely stored in the CATPM

The archives in the old Brandon Sun building

A New Donation: Bolingbroke

Recently the museum came in possession of sections of a BCATP Bolingbroke airplane. Here is the story from museum volunteer and incoming Flying Committee chair, Jeff Bell:

The Bolingbroke came to us via way of an email from an RCAF helicopter pilot/instructor operating out of Portage/Southport, MB. While on a training mission, the pilot spotted the aircraft in a bluff of trees. Upon landing, he provided the GPS coordinates to the CATPM.

With these coordinates, we were able to track down the land owner, and a meeting was arranged with the museum and the land owner. The aircraft was accessed and assessed during this meeting.

The aircraft had been moved to the site by a distant relative, who purchased the aircraft from Crown Assets after the war in 1946. The relative was apparently most interested in getting the tires off of it. During the war, tires were rationed, so many farmers bought airplanes to simply get the tires. The aircraft was purchased from RCAF Station McDonald, and was pulled to the site with the wings still attached.

The aircraft was largely picked over when it was located. The center section was damaged due to how it was sitting. Unfortunately, some previous souvenir hunters had removed much of the rear/upper fuselage at some point in the past.

We were able to remove the remaining items, which will add considerably to our Bolingbroke project in the future.

The museum is grateful to the landowner, and the RCAF for assisting in the location of this artifact!

Museum President, John McNarry noted that there the fuselage is mostly cut away so there are no side serial numbers. The centre section, other than landing gear, is badly hacked up as well. He also noted that under the yellow, the paint on the cockpit sides was camouflage.

November: A month for Remembrance

November will feature a series of special social media posts related to Remembrance. In addition, general admission to the museum, including Remembrance Day itself, is FREE. Donations are gratefully accepted. Of course, a visit to the beautiful 300 foot Memorial Wall is always free. Remembrance Day will be our usual open house and there will be a free lecture in our vintage Canteen at 2 pm. The topic is Are museums important – who will remember? and will be given by long time museum volunteer (and our archivist) Judith Grierson. Learn about the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, called Canada’s most important contribution to the allied war effort by Winston Churchill. The BCATP was an important step in our nationhood as well. Please take some time to come out and spend some time reflecting on the brave men and women who served during WWII against fascism and for our freedom.