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Honouring a Century of Service: A Special RCAF 100th Anniversary Flypast for the National Remembrance Day Ceremony

Oct 26, 2024
Each year, at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, countless Canadians come together to pay tribute to our Veterans and mourn those who gave their lives in service to our country. This year, at 11:30 a.m., as the solemn notes of God Save the King fill the air, a special flypast of vintage military aircraft will soar above, marking the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Flypast

OTTAWA, ON, 26 October 2024 – Each year, at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, countless Canadians come together to pay tribute to our Veterans and mourn those who gave their lives in service to our country.

This year, at 11:30 a.m., as the solemn notes of God Save the King fill the air, a special flypast of vintage military aircraft will soar above, marking the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Each aircraft, painted to honour the memory of a Canadian Veteran, serves as a powerful tribute to their sacrifice and the century-long legacy of the RCAF's service and dedication to our nation.

Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane
 
The British Hawker Hurricane—a renowned single-seat fighter aircraft—serves as a poignant symbol of courage and sacrifice. This aircraft was responsible for 60 percent of the Luftwaffe’s losses during the Battle of Britain. The restored Hurricane pays tribute to Flying Officer William Lidstone McKnight, who served with the Royal Air Force's No. 242 (All Canadian) Squadron. Though McKnight was lost in combat in 1941, his memory and spirit are honoured through this aircraft, a reminder of the bravery of those who gave their all for freedom. 
(PHOTO: vintagewings.ca)

Supermarine Spitfire Mk XII

Spitfire
 
The second aircraft to grace the skies is the iconic Spitfire, a highly capable and elegant fighter, known for its speed and admired by the pilots who flew it—many of whom were trained in Canada. This particular Spitfire is painted in tribute to Arnold Roseland, a Canadian pilot who flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 442 Squadron on more than 65 missions before being shot down and killed over Normandy in 1944. 
(PHOTO: vintagewings.ca)

Harvard 4

Harvard 4

As the third and final plane in this year’s National Remembrance Day Ceremony flypast, the Harvard 4 takes to the sky, symbolizing a critical chapter in the training of Allied pilots during the Second World War. This particular Harvard is painted in the distinct markings of an aircraft flown by Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, an Anglo-American aviator who trained at No. 2 Service Flying Training School in Ottawa. Magee is best remembered for penning the iconic poem High Flight, a stirring ode to the joy of flying, often recited at aviators’ funerals. In Magee’s memory, this Harvard serves as a powerful tribute to the thousands of pilots trained in Canada, whose skills and sacrifices helped shape the outcome of the war. 
(PHOTO: vintagewings.ca)

The National Remembrance Day Ceremony

The Royal Canadian Legion, on behalf of the people of Canada, organizes and conducts the National Remembrance Day service in Ottawa. Legion National Headquarters shares information and updates on the 2024 Ceremony here.



About The Royal Canadian Legion

Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S. and Europe. With over 260,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers.

Public Relations/ Media inquiries: PublicRelations@Legion.ca; Nujma Bond 343-540-7604

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