Category Archives: Battle of Britain

Notice: Battle of Britain Service 2024

The Battle of Britain was formally held from July 10^th to October 31^st, 1940. According to Veterans Affairs Canada:

Many Canadians served in the squadrons of Spitfires and Hurricanes which repulsed the Luftwaffe in the summer of 1940. No. 1 Fighter Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), equipped with modern eight-gun fighters, became the first RCAF unit to engage enemy planes in battle when it met a formation of German bombers over southern England on August 26, 1940. It shot down three of them and damaged four others with the loss of one pilot and one plane. Its next meeting with the enemy was not as fortunate as it was attacked out of the sun by Messerschmitts and lost three planes. By mid-October the squadron had accounted for 31 enemy aircraft destroyed and probably 43 more destroyed or damaged. It lost 16 Hurricanes; thre pilots had been killed.

The Canadians flew with the Royal Air Force during that difficult period. No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF, which had been formed in 1939 from some of the many Canadians who flew directly with the Royal Air Force, was now reinforced with Veterans from the French campaign and joined in the battle. On August 30, nine of its planes met a hundred enemy aircraft over Essex. Attacking from above, the squadron claimed 12 victories and escaped unscathed.

Canadians also shared in repulsing the Luftwaffe’s last major daylight attack. On September 27, 303 Squadron RAF and 1 Squadron RCAF attacked the first wave of enemy bombers. Seven, possibly eight enemy planes were destroyed, and another seven damaged. The Royal Canadian Air Force thus received its baptism of fire.

For several decades the Royal Canadian Air Force Association 900 Wing San Francisco (otherwise known as the “Golden Bear Wing”) hosted a Battle of Britain service at the Presidio Chapel in San Francisco. In honour of the 100th anniversary of the RCAF, join Branch 25 (San Francisco) of the Royal Canadian Legion and Rana Sarkar (Consul General of Canada in San Francisco) for the 2024 Battle of Britain service.

Sunday, 15 September 2024 at 11am
Presidio Chapel – 130 Fisher Loop, San Francisco, CA 94129

If you are unable to attend the service in person, we will do our best to stream the service on the day of the event. To register to watch the service online, please visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S3GLUF7JQDWESFbZfVa5hw

National Battle of Britain Commemoration has been Cancelled

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An item from our colleagues from the RCAF Association.

Dear Fellow Association Members,

On behalf of the Chairman Colonel (Ret) Terry Chester, CD, I wish to convey that the national Battle of Britain Commemoration, in Ottawa, has been officially cancelled. Any decision to cancel local Battle of Britain activities should be reached in cooperation with your municipal (local) officials, out of respect for your fellow residents’ likely preference to participate in official mourning events marking the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

As you know, Canada commemorates the Battle of Britain on the Sunday following the 15th of September, each year. This year our collective desire to properly mourn the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II makes commemoration of the Battle of Britain not possible. The Commander RCAF has now cancelled the national commemoration of the Battle of Britain, owing to the official mourning period and also to prepare for formal events at the national level, to mark the passing on Monday 19 September, here in Ottawa.

We understand many Wings and members have made arrangements to mark the Battle of Britain on Sunday 18 September, in keeping with our tradition. The decision to cancel or postpone such arrangements is a decision you should reach in collaboration with municipal officials who might also be facing the need to make adjustments owing to an understandable desire to participate in and/or observe official mourning events through the period 18-19 September.

Thank you for your kind understanding, and your respect for our patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

God Save the King.

Please do not hesitate to write to director@airforce.ca ( Dean Black ) if you have any questions.

This e-mail was sent from Royal Canadian Air Force Association (rcaf_list@airforce.ca)

Royal Canadian Air Force Association,405-222 Somerset St. West Ottawa ON K2P 2G3 CANADA, Phone Number:(613) 232-4281, Fax Number: (613) 232-2156, Email Address: director@airforce.ca, Website : http://rcafassociation.ca

Battle of Britain Commemoration (Ottawa) 2021 – Sunday 19 September 2021

The Battle of Britain (15 September 2002)

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One of the services that was regularly organized by the Golden Bear RCAF Wing of the Air Force Association of Canada was the annual Battle of Britain service. In 2002 it was held on 15 September at the Main Post Chapel at the Presido in San Francisco. The program from that service is below.

To download a PDF of the complete program, click here.

The Battle of Britain Service (13 September 2009)

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One of the services that was regularly organized by the Golden Bear RCAF Wing of the Air Force Association of Canada was the annual Battle of Britain service. In 2009 it was held on 13 September at the Main Post Chapel at the Presidio in San Francisco. The program from that service is below.

To view the full program click on the image or click here.

Royal Canadian Legion, US Branch #25

San Francisco Bay Area