Personnel from RCAF 4 Wing Cold Lake took inspiration from a historic victory and paid tribute to the fallen at the annual Battle of Britain parade on Sunday.
The Battle of Britain was fought in the skies over the English Channel and over England itself in the summer and early fall of 1940. The Royal Air Force and its allies, including the Royal Canadian Air Force, disrupted wave after wave of attacking German aircraft as Hitler attempted to disable Britain’s defences against an intended invasion.
With the Allied victory secure, Hitler cancelled the invasion plans. It was his first major setback of the Second World War, and is widely regarded as the first battle to have been decided by airpower alone.
It was, in the words of Winston Churchill, Britain’s “finest hour.”
Aircrew from 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron participated in Sunday’s parade. 401 Squadron, based at Cold Lake, is the present iteration of RCAF No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron, which distinguished itself in the Battle of Britain.
Addressing the parade, 4 Wing Commander Colonel David Turenne drew parallels between the RCAF of 1940 and today’s air force.
“Today, our role in the RCAF is critical,” he said. “Once again there is war in Europe, and once again we are working to rebuild and modernize our forces. It is our responsibility, duty, and honour to fulfill that legacy now and into the future.”
Cold Lake – Bonnyville – St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr and Cold Lake mayor Craig Copeland were among the dignitaries to lay wreaths at the ceremony. Second World War veteran Don Dygert was also present for the occasion.
After the parade Turenne expanded on his remarks about the parallels between 1940 and today.
“Right now, through Operation Reconstitution, a big part of our focus is reconstituting our forces and modernizing the equipment we have,” he said. “And I think the war in Europe reminds us that the world is still a dangerous place. There’s people that would like to challenge our institutions and challenge the way that we enjoy democracy, and we’re here to protect those values for Canada.
“It’s important for everybody to hear that and remember those people who are fighting today. It’s not just 85 years ago these battles occurred.”