EMPIRE AIR FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24415, 28 September 1940, Page 10

EMPIRE AIR FORCE

THE TRAINING SCHEME WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE VITAL FACTOR IN VICTORY (British Official Wireless) (United Press’■Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Sept. 26. Air Marshal Bishop, the famous V.C. airman of the last war, in a broadcast, said it was a great thrill that he was speaking on British soil when only a few days ago he was in Canada. Recalling a quarter of a century ago, when he was “ doing his humble best towards victory,” the Air Marshal said they then had difficult and unequal fighting in the skies; “but,” he continued, “22 years ago we drove the pirate Huns out of the skies of Europe.” The Empire was on the march, and was with Britain through and through. “As the months go by.” he added, “ there will be trained pilots in their thousands coming to Britain to do again what their forbears did.” Before speakingof the Empire air training scheme, which he said was far ahead of schedule, the Air Marshal said: “ The Empire plan will bring from our Canadian shores the trained aviators of our sister dominions of Australia and New Zealand, and our own Dominion of Canada. Men from all parts of the Empire will train together, as later on they will fight together. It will be an air force which is truly an Empire Air Force, binding the glorious ties of Empire, which in the words of Burke 1 are light as air. but strong as links of iron.’ ” He concluded: “ To-night we think again of the Britain of 1805, girding herself to meet Napoleon, the conqueror of half Europe, The role that once belonged to the Mother of our Empire alone, now belongs to all the Empire. A heavy load of responsibility now falls upon the commonwealth of democratic peoples. I repeat—from Canada I bring you good cheer and a message of courage. We who up till now had the easier task admire more than ever before the great, hard task which has been vours. I brine you greetings of Canada—of Canadians with you until final victory is achieved. We in Canada. say Britain yet shall stand, and the Empire emerge from these times of trouble greater, more vital, and a more decisive factor in world history than ever before.” AUSTRALIANS REACH CANADA MELBOURNE, Sept. 27. The Minister of Air (Mr A. Fadden) announced that the first batch of Australian air crew students to go abroad for immediate and advanced training under the Empire air scheme had reached Canada.