Aviation in Canada, 1917-1918 / Being a Brief Account of the Work of the Royal Air Force Canada, the Aviation Department of the Imperial Munitions Board, and the Canadian Aeroplanes Limited

by Unknown

Cadets.

When on May 1st, 1917, the campaign was commenced, the assistance of the Aero Club of Canada was enlisted, and this society used its organization as a recruiting agency.

At the same time, endeavours were made to approach the students of public schools and universities by extensive circularization. It was estimated that about 600 cadet recruits could be handled for training for the balance of 1917, and about 1,500 in 1918, but although thirty-odd schools and colleges were thus approached, the scheme was unproductive of results. It was decided, therefore, to try out more thoroughly the idea of civilian recruiting committees, and bodies composed of about three influential, public men were organized in the following cities:—

Toronto, Ontario.
Montreal, Quebec.
Charlottetown, P. E. I.
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Regina, Saskatchewan.
Calgary, Alberta.
Vancouver, British Columbia.

These committees, being furnished with our medical standards, were empowered to interview applicants, have them examined by the local Medical Board and apply for transportation to Toronto for final test and approval. It will be understood that the committees were not active recruiting agents. They simply passed opinion on the men sent to them by the wing, all applications being made through headquarters. The Royal Flying Corps was by this time becoming known and talked about throughout Canada. Publicity was better managed, and there were received on an average twenty applications per day from the whole of Canada. Uneasiness was felt about this time as to an adequate supply of cadets being available. The demand was continually increasing. Towards the summer of 1917 it reached 300 per month. A little later in the fall it rose to 400 and 500 a month, requiring in two months what in April, 1917, had been estimated as the need for two-thirds of the whole year.

A new plan was therefore necessary. Statistical research indicated that past efforts had not reached the public except in large centres. It was, in consequence, determined to enlarge the civilian committee plan, and establish committees in every town of 10,000 inhabitants and over, throughout the whole of Canada. In places of less than 10,000, the assistance of at least one important man was sought to accomplish this, and the Dominion was completely divided into five recruiting districts with headquarters offices at Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. Each district was supplied with an officer in charge, and a second officer, whose duty it was to travel continually from place to place establishing committees and advise and assist those committees already established. The scheme proved very successful. About 350 civilian committees, with a total of over 1,000 members, were established throughout Canada, and the travelling officers, by the mere fact of their presence in the different towns, stimulated interest, and through interviews with local papers obtained publicity. Coincident with this, the matter of publicity was tackled in a serious way by a campaign whereby it was hoped to bring to the notice of every man in Canada the work being done by, or at least the name of, the Royal Air Force.

About this time the Military Service Act commenced to operate and there seemed a danger of all the available material being absorbed into C.E.F. units. A reserve class “B” was therefore started, and the surplus cadets were placed on this reserve.

From this time on, committees coöperating more fully, the number of applicants steadily increased and there has been no difficulty since then in supplying the demand for cadets.

The difficulties encountered in cadet recruiting were:—

(1) The task of informing the public that cadets would be taken for training as pilots. Not only had the fact to be known that men were wanted, but it was also necessary to say exactly what a pilot had to do. There still seems to be an impression that it is very difficult to gain admittance as a pilot.

(2) Before the Royal Flying Corps, Canada, was formed, pilots were trained at a civilian school. They paid about $400 for the course, and then had to take a chance of being accepted in England. The general public required to be acquainted with the fact that training was free at an Army School.

(3) It was absolutely impossible to interview all the applicants at headquarters or at brigade centres, or to deal with them by correspondence. The committees formed were, therefore, given this work, and as soon as they thoroughly realized the requirements, they rendered the very greatest service, and have been, as pointed out, the backbone of cadet recruiting.

(4) The medical examination of cadets presented almost similar difficulties to that of mechanics. Brigade standards were entirely different from those usually adopted by the local boards. It was very difficult to secure an examination which was anything more than superficial.

The Barany revolving chair is now employed, and in doubtful cases trial flights involving specified tests are given. In this way it has been possible to accept some borderline cases, where under the old system rejections would have been inevitable.

(5) It should not be forgotten that in this, as well as in the campaign for recruits, the same staff was employed.

The brigade was handicapped from the commencement by the absolutely inadequate staff provided. It has only been by most strenuous efforts in training officers and men in the work that it was carried on at all.

At the time of the signing of the armistice, 9,200 cadets had been enlisted for service, while 35,000 applications had been handled by headquarters and the various outstations.