Wings Over Claresholm

[sounds of guns and men on battlefield]

 Title Screen: B/W 4 Avro Ansons flying in front of Rocky Mountains, with text “Wings Over Claresholm.”

Image of newspaper headline: “Canada at War with Nazis; House Almost Unanimous” The London Free Press, September 11, 1939.

Two illustrated Canadian wartime posters: one depicting army, one depicting air force fighting the Nazis.

World map, highlighting Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Rhodesia, South Africa and the British Isles.

Transcript of Narration:

In December 1939, Canada joined Australia, New Zealand, Rhodesia and South Africa in the British Empire Air Training Scheme.

Photos on screen: RCAF personnel on parade; pilots; airplanes; instrument panel; airwomen in canteen; pilots in front of airplane.

[piano music]

This became the largest program of its kind in history and was known in Canada as the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Photos on screen: group photo of graduate pilots in front of airplane; pilots standing at attention on parade ground; groundcrew standing in front of airplane tail.

More than 131,000 aircrew graduated from over 107 schools located across the country.

Photos on screen: pilot and co-pilot looking out cockpit window; group of airmen at a table looking at maps; instructor teaching 5 students in front of a chalkboard; airmen on parade; 6 wireless operators in headphones seated as desks; 4 airmen working on engine of airplane; 4 Avro Ansons flying in front of Rocky Mountains.

These were pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, air gunners, wireless operators and flight engineers from 11 nations,

[planes flying overhead]

fighting the Second World War with the Allies.

Photos on screen: Newspaper with headline: “Official Opening: Saturday, Aug. 16, 1941. No. 15 Service Flying Training School, at Claresholm, Alberta”

One of these air training bases was located near Claresholm, Alberta.

Photos on screen: Aerial photo of Claresholm airbase; group of young male civilians on parade in front of 3 officers; group of students in classroom working at desks.

Students in the Plan had to first undergo basic military training, then ground school or Initial Training School.

Photos on screen: pilot in air force snowsuit in front of Tiger Moth airplane; aerial photo of twin-engine airplane flying taken out of window of airplane.

Soon, they would move to elementary flight training followed by

[planes flying overhead]

service flying in more advanced schools.

Illustrated map of Canada on chalk board, with red and pink location markers, titled “Elementary Flight Training Schools,” and “Service Flying Training Schools,” RCAF and RAF crests move onto screen.

 Bases in Canada were either run by the Royal Canadian Air Force (the RCAF) or by the British Royal Air Force.

Photos on screen: aerial view of Claresholm airbase; a small line of airmen stand at attention on parade ground facing podium and large crowd; plane on tarmac with clouds moving overhead.

On June 9^th, 1941, the RCAF officially opened No. 15 Service Flying Training School at Claresholm using wooden twin-engine aircraft such as the Avro Anson and the Cessna Crane.

[planes flying overhead]

Colour image of a Lancaster bomber flies across the screen (animated)

After graduation, pilots were posted to an Operational Training Unit in Canada or overseas to finalize their learning.

Photos on screen: group photo of pilot graduating class in front of drill hall.

Jim Ashworth, pilot, on camera, title on screen: “Jim Ashworth, WWII RCAF Pilot, trained in Claresholm.”

Jim Ashworth: “I would personally have to say that I am so proud that I was able to be an Air Force member. The camaraderie in the RCAF was fantastic.”

[planes flying overhead]

Photos on screen: close up of hands-on airplane control wheel (yoke) in cockpit; interior of plane with back of radio operator and pilot; 5 groundcrew in front of airplane tail; airmen lined up getting meals in front of cooks in mess hall; 4 troops of airmen standing at attention on tarmac in front of Avro Anson.

Service flying schools like Claresholm were the final leg of a student’s journey in the Plan and, often, the last peaceful area they lived in before going to war.

Photo of 3 Avro Ansons flying across the screen (animated). 

[planes flying overhead]

The course lasted approximately 16 weeks with the first half devoted to intermediate flying sessions, followed by advanced training.

Photos on screen:  a small line of airmen standing at attention on parade ground facing podium and large crowd; airman on plane instructing man on wireless radio; colour image of a Lancaster bomber flies across the screen (animated). 

Pilots who graduated from Claresholm went on to instruct other pilots or to assume active duties at home,

[planes flying overhead]

or overseas in a combat unit.

Photos on screen: 4 pilots in front of plane engine; a group of airmen on bleachers outdoors; group photo of pilots with wings on uniforms; 3 pilots and 5 groundcrew in front of plane and hangar; 9 airmen beside Anson; 4 troops of airmen standing at attention on tarmac in front of Avro Anson.

Over 1800 pilots were trained at the Claresholm Royal Canadian Air Force base during WW II. 

Photo of Anson airplane wreckage on ground.

[soft music]

There were 28 fatalities during training.

Colour photo of stone cairn with bronze plaques on it; b/w photo of a troop of young airmen marching and saluting 4 officers on parade ground.

Number 15 Service Flying Training School at Claresholm closed on March 30^th, 1945.

Photos on screen: aerial photo of Claresholm airbase; photo of yellow single-prop airplane flies across the sky (animated).

The base was re-opened in 1951 during the Korean War to train NATO fighter pilots on the North American Harvard,

[planes flying overhead]

a single-engine metal aircraft.

Aerial photo of airbase in late-1950s, No. 15 Service Flying Training School crest in colour overlayed.

This program ended in 1958 but today, the old wartime base has become the Claresholm Business Park and Airport.

Jim Ashworth, pilot, on camera.

[piano music]

Jim Ashworth: “Make sure that you take good care of this great country that we have, because it is more important now that Canada be a major driving force in this world.”

Canadian flag waving (video), title on screen: “Jim Milne, World War II RCAF Pilot, Navigation Instructor, Trained at Claresholm.”

Jim Milne, pilot, on camera.

Jim Milne: “Just be thankful we’re Canadians…. Undoubtedly… we are the best place in the world to be.”

Colour video of Canadian flag waving (video) over b/w aerial photo of airbase in late-1950s.

End Credits: Claresholm & District Museum, Claresholm & District Museum, Archives, Library & Archives Canada, Bomber Command Museum of Canada, Footage courtesy of Glenbow Archives, Jim Ashworth Collection, Jim Milne Collection