October 26, 2023 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The next chapter meeting will take place at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, 2088 Wellington Avenue, and by Zoom on Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 pm.
The speaker this month is Hedley Auld, a local aviation history enthusiast who has researched the early history of the RCAF in Manitoba, in particular the Victoria Beach air station.
Hedley Auld, born and schooled in Winnipeg, has degrees from University of Manitoba (Mechanical Engineering) and University of Oxford (Philosophy, Politics, Economics). He comes from a prominent family connection to aviation as his father, W. Murray Auld (1916–2015), was an RCAF Inspector in the Second World War and later joined MacDonald Brothers, rising to the role of General Manager of Bristol Aerospace Ltd. in Winnipeg.
Hedley retired in 2016 after a 37-year career with CN at its Montreal Headquarters in Economics, Financial Planning, and Marketing Planning, and in Winnipeg in the Grain Marketing business unit.
His keen interest in history has included membership in the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada and research on early aviation in Manitoba and the West. He has extensively researched the story of the Victoria Beach Air Station.
Victoria Beach, today a rural municipality noted for its cottage lifestyle, is located on a Lake Winnipeg shoreline, an ideal location to establish one of Canada’s first air bases. The Air Board of Canada (1919-1923), and, later, the Royal Canadian Air Force, operated flying boats from the Victoria Beach air Station, including Canadian-made Vickers Vedettes used for surveying, forest inventory and fire patrols.
In May 1921, 18 workers arrived at the new beach townsite to begin building the base on what is now the municipality’s sports field. Up to 60 personnel worked at the air station from May to October, including squadron leaders, pilots, photographers, and support staff. In 1926, the base was moved to Lac du Bonnet to continue the RCAF role in the region.
Registration for this meeting is required at CAHS-MB.
The meeting Zoom link will be provided around two hours before the meeting. Please register early enough to receive the link.
Meetings are free and open to CAHS members and everyone interested in Canadian aviation history. Donuts and coffee included!
EVENT DETAILS
