Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial

Construction of BCATP Schools

This post was written by Rory M., one of our summer students. Rory is a Music major at Brandon University.

Upon the declaration of war by the British and subsequently, Canada, the beginning of the Second World War saw one of the most magnificent construction projects in Canadian history, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). An ambitious and timely project, it included four commonwealth countries (Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). More than 130,000 aircrew were trained from across the world. Implementing the plan required the rapid construction of airfields, hangars, and living facilities in almost every Canadian province (note: Newfoundland was not yet a part of Canada). Here at the CATPM, our museum is home to one of more than 700 hangars that were built at this time, an engineering, bureaucratic, and planning success that ought to be celebrated. This begs the question: How did they do it? From conception to the opening of the schools, the completion timeline often took at most a mere 16 months, inconceivable in comparison to many of the 21st-century building obstacles, such as material costs, supply disruptions, permits, and economic uncertainties. For this blog post, I took a look at the early construction of the BCATP and the players who made it a miraculous feat of history.

Our hangar at the CATPM, like many others from coast to coast, is constructed from Douglas fir, a large evergreen tree that is native to the West Coast. Known for its durability, resistance to rot (which we are thankful for as the museum ages), and straight grain, it quickly became the preferred material for wartime construction. Some Douglas fir trees can grow to become more than 250 feet tall and live for more than a thousand years. These trees were also very workable for the time because of their strong construction as timber, and therefore were chosen to build many hangars at the beginning of the war.

Hangar #1 (the CATP Museum) — Hangar #1, originally part of #12 SFTS. Now the home of the CATP Museum in Brandon, Manitoba

While many of the early engineers of the BCATP were members of the RCAF, the scale of the project was much larger, and therefore required a new organization for overseeing the project, called the “Directorate of Works and Buildings”. Leadership of this effort was led by a construction engineer from the Carter-Hall-Aldinger Construction Company of Winnipeg, who, from a crowded office in Ottawa, assembled a team of engineers and draftsmen that managed to produce more than 750,000 blueprints and 33,000 drawings, all facing the deadlines of wartime pressure.

Creation of more than 60,000 blueprints, by engineers in the BCATP drafting office.

The next step of site selection was a crucial step in the completion of the plan. At this time, the Department of Transportation (DOT) joined forces with the RCAF to evaluate suitable locations for airfields across the country that were required. To begin this process, field teams made up of a DOT inspector, RCAF representative, and engineer surveyed the land, and eventually proposed possible sites across the country. It is amazing to believe that in 1938, where the CATPM rests, there would have been an empty field where the museum now stands.

Once potential sites were approved, engineers began the practical design of dozens of standardized buildings – common among most schools of the BCATP. Including hangars, barracks, drill halls, offices, mess halls, and medical buildings, these common designs allowed for faster construction, including prefabricated or uniform parts to simplify construction. As one volunteer of the museum puts it, the construction of our hangar (like many others across Canada) was constructed methodically and uniformly, much like Ikea furniture.

Construction of a BCATP base from the perspective of an engineer for the Carter-Hall-Aldinger construction company.

The CATPM’s 1942 Ford 2N tractor, such tractors would have been used to trudge through the thick mud in the construction of the BCATP.

Within the first two years of the plan (when the majority of schools were constructed), there were more than 7,000 buildings built, consisting of more than 1,000 construction contracts from coast to coast. This quick build, however, came at a steep cost, more than 80 million dollars in 1945 (equivalent to 1.5 billion today). While many often consider the hangars, barracks, and other buildings to be the most expensive parts of the plan, other infrastructure that we often take for granted was also very important. Heating systems, sewage, water lines, and roads were also needed, and in particularly dry areas like southern Saskatchewan, access to water could be a major challenge. To meet this need, more than 100 water pumping systems were constructed, and even some indoor swimming pools were built to store large amounts of water if needed. One of the obstacles in the engineering of the BCATP was that every school had its own geographic and resource challenges, so while most of the schools had many things in common, many had unique challenges and quirks.

A partially constructed hangar in Souris, MB

Powering the schools posed another logistical hurdle. While many schools could draw electricity during the war from local utility companies, others (especially in remote areas) had to install their own diesel, steam, or gas-powered generators. To access natural resources at #12 SFTS in Brandon, a railway track had to be installed along the school, which also provided easy access for essential materials like aircraft fuel.

The runways themselves were another massive undertaking in the construction of the BCATP. While some existing airfields could be used for the Plan, the need for new training locations led to much construction. Under the oversight of the DOT, engineers built new runways, taxiways, parking aprons, and access roads. When completed, the paved runway accessed a miraculous 30 million square meters, roughly equaling a road totaling 4300 km of highway! This construction required a miraculous amount of filling of materials such as gravel, soil, and rock, as well as trudging through thick and formed mud, which served as one of the greatest challenges of the Plan. Many heavy-duty vehicles were used to clear the mud, including the 1938 Industrial tractor in the hangar of the CATPM, and only once the mud could be cleared could much of the building of infrastructure for the Plan begin.

Today, the massive size and speed of the construction of schools in the BCATP stands as a testament to the dedication and genius that many Canadians provided to jump-start the war effort. Through engineering genius, political action, force and direction, the BCATP ought to be celebrated as a pinnacle of Canadian excellence in construction and innovation. While many of the buildings had a 5-year temporary design in mind, many (including the CATPM’s) Douglas fir hangar have endured as lasting reminders of the meticulous excellence that helped build the “Aerodrome of Democracy” from the ground up.

Sporting During WWII and Athletics in the RCAF

This post was written by Rory M., one of our summer students. Rory is a Music major at Brandon University.

While WWII changed the experiences of Canadian life in almost all ways, in Canada and other Allied nations sports remained as an escape from the tragedy of war and became an important morale booster. During this period many athletes enlisted in the war effort, professional leagues adapted to the changing times, and Armed Forces organized sports became an important part of everyday life away from the war, and for increased physical fitness and morale alike.

Early in the war, many politicians recognized the value of sports in both morale building, as well as recruitment for some branches of the Armed Forces. Prime Minister Mackenzie King (who was the head of the sports paper at his time at the University of Toronto) as well as President Franklin D. Roosevelt (who often enjoyed horseback riding, golf, and tennis) supported the maintaining of civilian sports, so while many professional leagues considered disbandment during this period, sports were framed as essential to public well-being and patriotism, continuing their operation through the war. In a letter from FDR to the commissioner of MLB known as the “Green Light Letter”, he wrote that “I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going”. He reasoned that a two-hour recreational activity like baseball could offer a much-needed mental break from the demands of wartime work, and even encouraged the expansion of night games to accommodate more workers.

It was also early in the war that the RCAF as well as other branches of service recognized and prioritized athletics for physical training and morale, and established many formal and informal teams across bases in the BCATP, as well as other branches of service. Common sports during this period include soccer, hockey, boxing, softball, baseball, and track and field, and in Brandon at #12 SFTS there are records of organized hockey, soccer, and baseball. In fact, #12 SFTS had many personnel who were avid about playing hockey, and after the war many played for the Brandon Wheat Kings as well as professional hockey teams. This team’s photo can be found on the photo wall of the main gallery of the CATPM, and is of the many sports teams from the RCAF that produced and recruited professional athletes to serve pre and post war. In fact, the RCAF Flyers, an amateur hockey team consisting of RCAF members competed at the 1948 winter Olympics in St. Moritz Switzerland, and won gold. In the Olympics, their goal differential was a staggering 69-5. The team consisted of members who were pilots, gunners, and navigators who had served overseas.

The RCAF Hurricanes, winner of the 1942 Grey Cup

Many professional athletes during the war-era left their teams and careers behind to serve their countries, despite the promise of organized competition and consistent pay. NHL stars like Syl Apps, Maurice “Rocket” Richard, and Turk Broada, MLB players like Ted Williams, Hank Greenberg, Jackie Robinson, and Bob Feller all left the professional leagues for the front lines, and contributed to the war effort by their service while leaving professional sports behind for the time being. In Canadian football, while the CFL suspended operations during the war, military leagues such as the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) still operated, and Armed Forces teams such as the RCAF Hurricanes of Winnipeg were successful, winning the Grey Cup in 1942. Baseball as well had several adaptations to react to the loss of many players to the war effort. Leagues adapted with younger players, older veterans, as well as the inclusion of women into many leagues such as the MLB and Negro National League. At the time, American baseball was segregated until Jackie Robinson broke the “colour barrier” of baseball in 1947. However, the war was one of the major factors for integration, as black service members served along their white counterparts, and racist stereotypes were shattered by the experience of comradery of all people regardless of race.

Brandonite Turk Broda, who left the 1942 Stanley Cup winning Toronto Maple Leafs for two years of Military Service.

Beyond professional leagues, sports were an important part of everyday life for people stationed abroad. Recreational games among airmen, soldiers, and sailors served not only as physical exercise, but also stress relief, identity building, and camaraderie. In the theatre of war, impromptu games of soccer as well as “mud ball” (modified baseball in muddy conditions) became a unifying experience and provided a reminder of normalcy and home.

On the home front, sports also became an important part of civilian and community life. Despite shifting priorities, local leagues continued to operate with the support of volunteers, and charity matches to support the war effort and civilian morale. Events like the Victory Loan hockey series as well as professional and semi-professional baseball exhibitions sold war bonds in support of those overseas, and blended entertainment simultaneously with patriotism. During this period women’s sports also gained much of the visibility not present before the war, with increased participation in sports like softball and track and field.

As the war began to come to a close, the legacy of sports endured. Many returning servicemen brought their experience in war and athletics into coaching and resumed professional careers, and revived many leagues and local teams that were adapted or put on pause. The Armed Forces investment in personal fitness and recreation during the war era laid groundwork for post-war fitness and recreation, as well as standards of fitness in education. (such as the National Fitness Act of 1943). At the CATPM, we have many artifacts of sporting and fitness during the era, such as photos and uniforms ultimately reminiscent of how sports offered strength, patriotism, and relief in a period of challenge in Canadian history.

Rations and Recipes: Cooking Under Wartime Pressure

This post was written by Rory M., one of our summer students. Rory is a Music major at Brandon University.

When we consider what life was like in the Second World War, we often imagine the battles, uniforms, and equipment. However, behind every mission, training, and day overseas was something very important: a meal. As Napoleon said, “An army marches on their stomach.” Whether feeding airmen at home, civilian families, or armed forces overseas, food was fuel, and feeding many thousands with limited materials was no small task. A task, accomplished by a lot of potatoes and perseverance.

In the early years of the war, Armed Forces cooks were often inexperienced, and sometimes volunteers or drafted from within units. Some had some sort of food-related experience, but others were expected to learn very quickly on the job. Recognizing the importance of proper training was quickly acknowledged, as the RCAF opened the RCAF School of Cookery at RCAF Station Guelph, operating within the larger No. 4 Wireless School. Some topics that were covered in the school of cookery included food storage and sanitation, cooking in different environments, baking without ovens, and the minimization of rations and waste.

WWII poster encouraging the people to not waste food.

Instructional pamphlets, demonstrations, and supervisors in these schools helped improve the quality of the food across units, and according to a 1943 Canadian Government report, better training and standardization of practices increased morale and satisfaction, and reduced food complaints.

Meanwhile, civilians on the home front during the war were also dealing with their own food challenges. Many foods during the war were rationed – including sugar, coffee, meat, fats, butter, and eggs. This led to many innovative recipes and substitutions, including powdered eggs for eggs, potatoes for flour, vinegar for lemon juice, evaporated milk for milk, and margarine for butter. Soups and stews became common because they made the least amount of waste, and every peel, bone, and leftover was put to use. See attached at the bottom of this blog a recipe for a “chocolate wacky cake”, that uses no butter or milk, and tastes delicious!

Many commonwealth families stretched ingredients as far as they could, often turning to “war cakes” (reduced recipe meals) and meatless meals to get by. These creative substitutions didn’t just reflect resourcefulness—they became part of everyday culture during the war. Canadians also planted victory gardens – beds of fresh produce, including herbs, varying vegetables, and fruits.

While cooks worked to provide hot meals at home bases, food overseas was more limited and relied heavily on “field rations” and tinned goods. Allied and Canadian troops often received rations of canned corned beef, biscuits, canned veggies, processed cheese, jam, tea, and coffee. In combat zones, “composite rations” were issued, including boxed meals to feed a small group for 24 hours. Though not always entirely appetizing, they provided durability and nutrition. Occasionally, field kitchens were set up to cook hot meals, especially when Armed Forces members were stationed in the same place for a long period of time.

Reflecting on wartime meals reminds us not only of the adaptability of those who lived through this era but also of the sacrifices they made. These meals—simple, inventive, and often shared—tell a story of resilience. Today, many of the substitutions and recipes born out of necessity still appear in our kitchens. From community gardens to reduced-waste cooking, the lessons of wartime eating continue to shape how we approach food. Remembering these histories helps us better appreciate the abundance we often take for granted.

Recipe!

“Chocolate Wacky Cake” (allrecipes.com)
• 1 & 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tbsp cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 5 Tbsp veg oil
• 1 cup lukewarm Water

Preheat oven to 325°F.

6. Mix dry Ingredients together in one bowl, and wet ingredients together in another.
7. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat well with electric beaters, or stir well with a wooden spoon.
8. Bake at 325ºF for 45-50 minutes in an 8×8 ungreased pan.
9. Check with a toothpick before removing from the oven.
10. Allow to cool before frosting

From the Archives: Sonny Boy Cereal and Aircraft Recognition

By CATPM archivist, Judith G.

What was once called ‘porridge’ is now called ‘hot cereal’. Developed in 1929 in Alberta, Sunny Boy cereal was a combination of wheat, rye and flax. There is also a suggestion that it was developed in Winnipeg by the Red River Cereal company in 1924 and yet another website suggests Calgary 1943 (though that location and year may have to do with the promotion of the game)

Radio was becoming very popular entertainment and advertisers recognizing its potential started promoting their products. It was not unusual for promotional items to be included in the product packaging. Many advertisers included stamps, coupons or trinkets.

Sunny Boy, as it names suggests was aimed at children and they promoted collecting stamps for the Radio Game.

Players would ‘send away’ for the game map and stamp album. Each week, a number corresponding to one of the silhouettes would be broadcast. You would then identify the aircraft from your stamps.

During the Second World War aircraft recognition was learned by service personnel and civilians alike. The mystery of this particular artifact is that the map has Antarctica in the center and no North America. Was Chart No. 2 for the south hemisphere? Was there one for the North? Every picture tells a story or at least prompts more questions!

John De Le Paulle, A 1941 American Graduate of No. 12 SFTS Brandon Who Won the DFC in 1944 for Anti U-boat Operations

Editor’s Note: This is a special guest post by Don Stanton. Don is a retired U.S. Navy pilot who flew long-range P-3C (Aurora) patrol planes and serves on the Maryland Aviation Commission. He published Looking Back at the Cold War; 30 Veterans and a Patrol Plane Commander Remember. In this piece, Don writes about a young American who joined the RCAF and did his training in Virden and in Brandon to earn his wings. We have a small section in the museum dedicated to those US citizens who came to Canada to join and fight in the RCAF. You can find Don and more of his writing on Linked In.

Even after the Nazi invasions of Czechoslovakia and Poland and their vicious persecution of Jews, a September 1939 Gallup Poll found that 84% of Americans still opposed U.S. military aid to Europe. The America First Committee was formed in September 1940 at Yale University and rapidly grew to over 850,000 members in 450 chapters across the country. Many powerful senators, representatives, and business leaders pushed to keep the US neutral and opposed military assistance to Britain which might lead the US into the war.

In March 1939, Air Marshall Bishop visited President Roosevelt and gained his approval for low-key Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) recruiting. An American WWI pilot led the “Clayton Knight Committee” and established a headquarters in New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel and recruiting hubs in 17 other U.S. cities. Low-profile RCAF recruiters visited airfields and bars across the US and compiled lists of over 700 potential instructors and 1,400 air crew candidates.

During the darkest years of WWII in 1940-41, thousands of determined young Americans ranging from workers to Ivy League students bucked the prevailing U.S. neutrality and took buses, trains, and even hitchhiked to Canada to enlist in the RCAF. They brought their high school diploma, two letters of recommendation, took tests, and were carefully interviewed during the aircrew selection process. RCAF interviewers were looking for highly motivated men who showed the potential to earn their brevet wings in about 6-12 months (depending on aircrew position; about 200 hours of flight time for pilots). Americans joined the RCAF by swearing an ‘Oath of obedience to superior officers’ rather than to the king.

One of those motivated Americans who joined the RCAF in Montreal on April 17 1941 was 19-year-old Jacques (John) Andre Hubert De Le Paulle who was born in New York City, educated in France, but listed his home as Washington D.C. John had already been in action in 1940 as a US Ambulance Corps volunteer in France and was awarded the Croix de Guerre. John started at No.2 Initial Training School at Regina SK where he was selected for the pilot track and trained at No.19 Elementary Flying Training School at Virden MB.

De Le Paulle checked-in on August 31, 1941 to No.12 Service Flying Training School at Brandon MB with Class #37. His class was part of the intense push to get trained pilots shipped over to Britain and only about seven months after enlisting, John was awarded his pilot brevet on November 22, 1941. As noted in this CP article: “Brandon Manitoba November 22, 1941 “Wings Added To Croix De Guerre. Nineteen-year-old John De La Paulle of New York who won the Croix De Guerre as a volunteer United States ambulance driver in Belgium and France in 1940 today received Royal Canadian Air Force Wings at No. 12 Service Flying Training School here. When Wing Cmdr. R.C. Gordon, commanding officer of the air station, pinned the wings on his chest the young American pilot who holds vivid memories of Nazi Stuka pilots machine gunning Red Cross and American ambulances overseas expressed pleasure that “I will soon be able to take a crack at ‘Jerry’ with something more than an ambulance.” No. 12 Service Flying Training School Brandon

Pilot Officer John De Le Paulle must have had good mathematics test results because he was selected for the long-range patrol flying boat pilot track which required him to go to advanced navigation training at No. 32 Air Navigation School Charlottetown PEI and then on to No. 31 Operational Training Unit Debert NS before shipping overseas in mid-1942. De Le Paulle was initially assigned to No. 423 Squadron at RAF Castle Archdale Northern Ireland and later to the new RCAF No. 422 Squadron flying Sunderland flying boats. These huge aircraft were manned by a crew of about 11 (including 3 to 5 gunners), cruised at only about 155 knots, and had an endurance of 13 hours.

On September 3 1943 at 0100 F/Lt De Le Paulle took off with a crew of 12 from RAF Castle Archdale Northern Ireland in Sunderland III “P” DD861 for a long-range anti U-boat patrol in the Bay of Biscay. 8 hours later at 0915 the starboard outer engine caught fire and dropped from the wing followed by the starboard inner engine failing. John managed to ditch the Sunderland in Bay of Biscay, the crew sent out three “SOS” messages, and released their homing pigeon to hopefully fly back to their base. The Sunderland sank in two minutes, but the crew gathered in two dinghies and managed to survive until they were rescued 4 days later. RCAF 422 Sunderland, DD861, Crew? – WARTIMES.ca

F/Lt De Le Paulle later flew in the RAF Coastal Operational Training Unit and in December 1944 he returned to Canada where he served in No. 45 Group before leaving the RCAF in September 1945. A September 10 1944 article noted “Flt/Lt J.A. De Le Paulle of 4884 MacArthur Boulevard, Washington, D.C., 23-year-old American pilot in the R.C.A.F. who has recently won the D.F.C for anti-U-boat operations, spent part of 10 days leave in Normandy in capturing four armed German soldiers. He also entered Paris with the American Army of Liberation.” R.A.F. COASTAL COMMAND PILOT SPENDS 10 DAYS LEAVE IN NORMANDY | Imperial War Museums

It is amazing that withing five years, 23-year-old F/Lt De Le Paulle had gone from volunteering for ambulances during the 1940 Fall of France, to gaining his wings at Brandon’s No. 12 SFTS in 1941, to winning a DFC in 1944 hunting U-boats. Between 1940-45, over 9000 Americans stepped-up to serve in the RCAF and 829 were killed in action. In the years after the US entered WWII, about half of these Americans would transfer into the Army Air Forces, but about half decided to stayed with their RCAF and RAF squadrons. Americans in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War 2 – Military Aviation Chronicles