(reprinted from the 1 September 1999 issue of The Voxair, Winnipeg, Manitoba)
The old saying “From small acorn grow big oak trees” might well be appropriate for the Garden of Memories. What started as three old guys sitting around sipping on a cup of coffee in August of 1996, discussing what we might do to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the RCAF as a Wing of the Air Force Association of Canada, ended up being a place cherished by thousands of people from across the globe.
As one idea after another was raised, discussed, chosen or eliminated, it finally dawned upon the three of us that what was needed was something that would be different; something that would be a recognition of what was perhaps the greatest period in history of the RCAF. I mean, of course, the Second World War and the impact it had not only on the community of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba, but all across Canada. A project that revitalized the nation from the Depression deserves recognition. The project that took representatives from Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia months to negotiate, finally produced a groundswell of enthusiasm wherever it saw light, in small towns and villages as well as the bigger cities, a1l across this country.
Even today, it is still in operation albeit under a different name and with not as many people involved. Today, some 60 years after it was founded, remains of it can still be found. From East to West, old Hangars and runways are still in use in a variety of ways. What we are talking about is the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), formerly called the Empire Air Training Scheme. This plan brought together young men from many parts of the world, but predominately from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and from all parts of this great country. They came to be trained as aircrew and ground crew. Thousands of men and women were also needed to administrate the plan. Civilians joined in to make these young men, who in the majority of cases were thousand of miles away from home, feel welcomed in their communities. They were welcomed at the railway stations as they I made their way from either Halifax or Vancouver, to wherever they were destined to go.
The rest is history, as they say, but we felt that it was a part of not only Canada’s history, but also of Manitoba’s part in the overall scheme of things, and we wanted it to be remembered for future generations. Once a general idea of what we were going to do was established, we had to formulate a plan of campaign to bring it to reality. First we needed the land to put it on, so we approached the 17 Wing Commander, at the time Col G.E. Sharpe, for his permission to use the land we had selected. This, he readily agreed to.
Then it was a succession of meetings to determine what had to be done and by whom, the fund-raising, and how much we would need to complete the task we had given ourselves. Mr. Don Pearson, Air Force Heritage & History, was our sounding board. He directed us to who we would need for assistance and he spoke for us when we, as a committee, went to speak to the Government of Manitoba. The Honorable Linda McIntosh, who at the time was the Minister of Education, was our contact person, because her father had been an instructor at Virden during the years of the Plan, and she very quickly saw the merit of our idea. From that point in time, it became a task of writing to anyone who might have been interested in supporting us: levels of government, foundations, businesses, Veteran Associations, and of course individuals; people who had gone through the Plan during those years.
After a thousand letters, hundreds of phone calls, meetings, discussions, etc., on September 8, 1998, in the presence of the Wing Commander, Col Tom Watt and other dignitaries, the official sod turning took place. For a frantic few weeks, until the snow came, our idea slowly became a reality. When work started again in the Spring of this year, with the 6th June as a date for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, there was still a lot of work to be done, and the weather man was not very kind to us. Rain and then more rain, followed by more rain, left us with only a few days toward the end of May to get a whole mass of work done. If you had seen the site those first days of June, it resembled the battlefields of the First World War. But by a superhuman effort from the main contractor and members of the 500 Wing, by the time of the rehearsal on Saturday, 5th June, the job was nearly completed.
Dedication Day dawned bright and sunny, but that soon changed to a final kick of the cat that just prior to the ceremony brought rain once more, thankfully not for long. We were graced with the presence of His Honor the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, the Honorable Peter Liba, Major-General Campbell, Colonel Watt. Mr John Harvard, Honorable Linda McIntosh, Councillor Peter De Smedt, the three Air Attaches from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, and some 1,300 members of the public. The whole ceremony, including a fly-past by a Tiger Moth and a Harvard went off smoothly. The 1 CAD Band provided an appropriate variety of music along with a very moving service conducted by Padre Ohs and Padre MacLean. Following the dedication, the scene was set by a march pass by the Old Guard, many of whom had served or trained in the air force at the time of the Plan. Many members of the public who attended came to pay tribute to loved ones lost many years ago; husbands, brothers and friends.
I would like to record my appreciation to the following:
Officers and NCMs at 17 Wing, especially WCWO Linda Smith and her staff for their support, and Wing CE for their knowledge and skills.
Officers and NCMs at 1 CAD, especially the Heritage & History section and the graphic arts section. Without whole event could not have
happened. To organizations such as Winnipeg Foundation, The Thomas Still Foundation, Bristol Aerospace, Standard Aero, Chapel Lawn Funeral Home, Astra Credit Union, Wartime Pilots and Observers Association, to all whose names that are listed on the benches and planters, the families of those whose names are on the stones, my sincere THANKS to you all for your support. To those whose support is to be recognized in the registry which will be completed after all the stones are sold, your help has been of an outstanding nature.
I would especially like to recognize the North Shore Brevet Club of’ Auckland New Zealand, and particularly Mr. Bill Phillips and Mr. Robin McGrath who through their supreme efforts raised in ». excess of $30,000.00. Also, I thanks to another New I Zealander, Mr. Charles Clarke of Wabowden, who donated all the flowers that surround the monument.
Finally, how much did it cost? We originally thought about $55,000.00. The final cost was almost $185,000.00. How many stones are there in the Garden of Memories? The total number of stones available is 1,600, of which 880 are sold as of July 14. So there are still a substantial number of stones available for those worthy individuals who deserve a place in history. Each stone can be engraved for a donation of $100.00.
For further information on purchasing a stone or contributing toward the upkeep of the site for future generations to see, please call (204) 889-4242. Tax receipt will be issued for donations made.
(Photos by 17 Wing Imaging)