AIR TRAINING

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1944, Page 8

AIR TRAINING

THE SCHEME IN CANADA OTTAWA, Oct. 9. Disclosing for the first time full details of the Commonwealth air training plan, the Air Minister. Mr Power, said that 114.253 air crew members had graduated up to September 25 out of a total of entrants of 158,221. He added that as long as trained airmen were needed to accomplish their enemies’ defeat so long would trainees graduate from this aerodrome of democracy. Of (he total graduates 60,503 were of the R.C.A.F., 39,657 of the R.A.F., 8,067 of the R.A.A.F. and 6026 of the R.N.Z.A.F. Both Australia and New Zealand had discontinued sending men to Canada, but there was a considerable number of Australians and New Zealanders still in training here. Giving expenditure statistics, Mr PQ,wer said the cost was 2304 million dollars. Canada spent 1631 millions, of which 442 millions was recoverable from Britain. Australia and New Zealand made a cash contribution of 207 million dollars. Mr Power stated that Canadian airmen to fight the Japanese would be recruited on a- voluntary basis from existing R.C A.F. squadrons. Such volunteers would fight in the Pacific as i a Canadian squadron. |