Dispatches: Backgrounders in Canadian Military History Hugh A.
Halliday and Dr. Laura Brandon In 1917-18 the British air force
directed an ambitious flying training operation in Canada. The
scheme had no precedent, but it inspired the vast British
Commonwealth Air Training Plan of the Second World War, and
subsequent training programs in Canada for aircrew from nations
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that continue to the
present day. The importance of air power had been growing from
the outbreak of the First World War. Aircraft photographed enemy
defences, directed the heavy guns that bombarded those defences,
and warded off opponents’ aircraft intent on performing the same
tasks. As aircraft became more vital to waging war, Britain
required greater numbers of airmen. In late 1916, expansion
plans of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) called for the creation of
35 new training squadrons. Most would have to be located outside
of Britain itself, where it was difficult to find space for more
airfields and fa