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2022 Remembrance Exhibit: The Battle From Above

by cityofvaughan

Each November, the City of Vaughan remembers the brave individuals who have served their nation to achieve independence, freedom and human rights. Through the City’s annual Remembrance Day archival exhibit, these brave Canadians are remembered, celebrated and honoured. This year, the exhibit features heroic pilots from Vaughan who fought in the World Wars and were members of the Canadian Air Force (CAF), later called the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Through exploring rare documents, artifacts and photographs preserved by the City of Vaughan Archives, the 2022 exhibit called “The Battle from Above” honours the experiences of Vaughan pilots such as John Thompson and Ed Price, the evolution of the RCAF, pilot training and the development of the air forces Women’s Division. The exhibit also shares the development of aircraft and the dangers pilots faced daily, many of whom had a life expectancy of several weeks at the beginning of the First World War.

Exhibit courtesy of Enterprise Information Management Services, Office of the City Clerk, City of Vaughan

38 photos · 271 views

Photograph of John H. Thompson

Photograph of Flight Sergeant John Thompson in Air Force gear, 1943

Photograph of No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School graduates in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

Photograph of a Bomber Defence training group

Photograph of John Thompson and the 245 Squadron in 1945

Photograph of pilots, including John H. Thompson, consulting a map

Photograph of fire-proof silk map

Photograph of John H. Thompson (right) and an Australian pilot playing with two children

Photograph of RCAF Typhoon in 1945

Group of veterans from the Second World War who returned home

Photograph showing a scan of John Thompson’s certificate of training completion

Photograph of John Thompson’s Operational Wings

Photograph of Flight Sergeant John H. Thompson’s gun and ammunition pouch, 1945

Photograph of Hawker Typhoon with nose art

Photograph of Hawker Typhoon model plane, from John Thompson’s personal collection

Photograph of John Thompson’s boots

Photograph of John Thompson’s mug, which depicts the Hawker Typhoon

Photograph of John Thompson’s flight log

Photograph of Hawker Typhoon

Photograph of a History of the Royal Canadian Air Force by Christopher Shores.

Photograph of No Place for a Lady: The Story of Canadian Women Pilots 1928-1992 by Shirley Render

Photograph of John Thompson’s RCAF uniform, ca. 1939

Photograph of Ed Price

Photograph of the champions of the RCAF Wimbledon Volleyball Tournament in 1945

Photograph of Flying Officer Stewart Page of Thornhill, ca. 1918

Photograph of St. Paul’s Church and Cemetery in Vaughan

Photograph of Vellore Junior Farmers Short Course in 1938

Scan of an article about Marion Orr

Photograph of the Maple Airport

Photograph of Marion Orr

Photograph of men boarding a RCAF plane

Photograph of plane crash

Photograph of RCAF Squadron drill and individual general training instructions from 1940

Photograph of Norda Bennett

Scan of a newspaper article regarding a new constable for Vaughan Township, which was Flight Sergeant William A. H. Skidmore

Photograph of Watson Family Fonds

Photograph of WWI Plaque

Photograph of WWII Plaque