Other work of the Club covered an extension of branch organization in most towns and cities in Canada, where appeals for donations were sent out and met with a generous response in comforts and money. Since the Club was affiliated with the R.A.F. Air Committee in London, England, a special effort was made to aid its endeavors, and a sum of nearly $7,000 had been forwarded to parent headquarters in England by the middle of August, 1918. This was subdivided between the R.A.F. Hospital, the Prisoner’s Fund and the Comfort Fund.
The King Street Hostess House, organized by private individuals, was a down-town rallying point for men in both American and Imperial services, and the cadets and airmen of the brigade comprised a great majority of the visitors.
Mrs. Chester Martin and Mrs. Martin Jones, the wife and daughter of the American Consul at Toronto, and Mrs. Ransom, associated with themselves a number of ladies whose voluntary duty it was to make the place exceptionally attractive, and to minister to practically all the needs of uniformed visitors.
The Aero Club of Canada, originated with the visit to the Dominion of the late Colonel C. J. Burke, D.S.O., R.F.C., in 1915, and a recommendation made by him that an organization be formed to control the granting of aeronautical certificates.
In July, 1915, the late Colonel William Hamilton Merritt had an audience with the Dominion Government at Ottawa and was then assured that every official facility would be given to any organization which might aid the Naval and Military authorities in Canada in securing trained pilots. From this interview developed the formation of the Aviation Fund, and later arose the Aero Club of Canada. It was incorporated in December, 1916, and the by-laws adopted at its first meeting provided that all flying officers of the Allies in Canada be made honorary members if they so desired. The first annual meeting took place on March 14th, 1918.
Recruiting for the R.F.C. was given special attention by the Club from its inception, a committee being formed to assist in the obtaining of cadets. The official report of this committee states that thirty local organizations had been formed to obtain candidates throughout Ontario, and that some 3,000 lawyers and clergymen were circularized, as also all college and university students in the Province. The press was used very largely to forward this work. Six thousand application enlistment forms for R.F.C. cadets were distributed in Ontario, and this work carried on till October 12th, 1917, when the Royal Flying Corps took over the local offices and shouldered all its own recruiting.
All cadets of the R.F.C. are honorary members of the Aero Club of Canada. The flying personnel of the Corps found the club and reading rooms (established by the courtesy of the Canadian Military Institute) most valuable in their leisure hours.
As at present constituted, the Club is affiliated with the Royal Aero Club of London, England. Its membership is comprised, amongst others, of some 3,000 members of the R.F.C. personnel, and it has of late been authorized to issue international aeronautical certificates to pilots who have qualified in training.