Page 4 - November 2017

The First World War (1914–1918) Canadians took to combat flying so well that, by the
spring of 1918, the government of Prime Minister
Canada entered the First World War on August 4,
Robert Borden pressed for the development of a
1914. It did so because it was part of the British wing, consisting of eight squadrons, for service with
Empire, which was at war with Germany and the
the Canadian Corps in France. But Britain wanted to
Central Powers.
keep talented Canadian pilots and groundcrew within
Canada’s Minister of
the RFC and they succeeded in limiting the number of
Militia and Defence, Canadian squadrons.
Colonel Sam Hughes,
assembled the DID YOU KNOW…
Canadian Expeditionary
Force to fight overseas Famed aviator Douglas McCurdy, who flew the
on the Western Front, Silver Dart in 1909, spoke to Colonel Sam Hughes
Capt Arthur T. Whealy of
cobbled together from about forming a Canadian Air Force in August 1914
militia units from Toronto watches when the First World War broke out. Hughes, not
mechanics bomb up a
across Canada. yet a believer in air power, declared, “My boy, the
Sopwith Camel from 203
Hughes was initially Squadron in July 1918. aeroplane is the invention of the devil…and will
never play any part in such a serious business as
unenthusiastic about air power until he met con man the defence of the nation!”
Ernest Lloyd Janney, who convinced Hughes to create
an air force and put Janney in charge. Hughes created
The CAC was a corps in name only. In addition to
the Canadian Aviation Corps (CAC) on September 16,
1914, and made Janney provisional commander with Captain Janney, it included Staff Sergeant Harry Farr,
an aircraft mechanic from Victoria, British Columbia,
the rank of captain. Hughes authorized him to spend
and Lieutenant William Sharpe, a pilot from Prescott,
up to $5,000 on an aircraft.
Ontario. That was the sum total of its personnel!
Janney bought a second-hand Burgess-Dunne biplane
in Massachusetts and a company pilot flew the Janney was removed from the roll of the Canadian
aircraft — with Janney as a passenger — to Valcartier, Expeditionary Force in January 1915 when Hughes
Quebec. After a hair-raising journey, the aircraft was lost patience with him. Farr joined the Royal Naval Air
disassembled and shipped to Great Britain where it Service (RNAS), ending the war with a Distinguished
gradually rotted away on the Salisbury Plain, near Service Cross and a Distinguished Flying Cross.
Stonehenge in England. By January 1915, the CAC had
Sharpe died in a crash in February 1915 while flying
simply faded away.
with the Royal Flying Corps and his body was returned
Despite the shaky beginnings of Canada’s air force, to Prescott for burial. He was the first Canadian
Canadians enthusiastically joined Great Britain’s Royal military aviator to give his life in war.
Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Information from RCAF
Canadian pilots serving in the British forces would
truly astound the world with their flying and shooting
skills, earning more than 800 decorations. Three were
awarded the highly coveted Victoria Cross, arguably
the most revered decoration for bravery in the world:
Captain William (Billy) Bishop, Second Lieutenant Alan
McLeod and Captain William Barker.