News & Events - News Room

By MWO Normand Marion, 16 Wing

“It is a source of pride to all Canadians that a BCATP commemorative pennant presented to 16 Wing will fly in Borden, Birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force”, declared the Honourable Hilary Weston, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, during a ceremony at Queen’s Park on November 8.  She then proceeded to unfurl a pennant commemorating the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) and handed it to representatives from 16 Wing.

      Among those attending the ceremony were veterans, many of them graduates from BCATP schools, as well as representatives of the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, the Air Force Association of Canada and Veterans Affairs Canada.

      The Lieutenant Governor described the significance of the pennant, which is officially referred to as a “Commemorative Distinction”, and explained the symbolism of intertwined leaves and floral emblems of the four signatories of the BCATP. “These are the ferns of New Zealand, the wattle of Australia, the oak leaves of Britain and the maple leaves of Canada”, she explained to the audience.

      The event is a significant honour for 16 Wing as it recognizes the leading role played by RCAF Station Camp Borden during the years of “The Plan”.  The honour of receiving the pennant on behalf of 16 Wing fell on Major Alain Corbeil, Commandant of the Air Command Professional Development and Training Centre, along with former wartime Chief Instructor of No1 Service Flying Training School (Borden), Wing Commander (retired) William Hasenpflug.

      During the ceremony, Veterans Affairs Canada representative, Mr John Conlin, explained that the Commemorative Distinction is similar in nature to a military battle honour.  “This is only the second Commemorative Distinction to be created, the only other recognizing the wartime actions of naval and merchant seamen during the Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence” added Conlin.

      A similar pennant was also presented to 8 Wing (Trenton) during the same ceremony and seven other ones are being presented this week by Lieutenant Governors of other provinces that hosted BCATP schools during the Second World War.

      The pennants will be flown only on special ceremonial occasions, not unlike unit Colours or Standards.