RNZAF Airmen In Canada During WWII

[Dave Homewood]

One of the parts of WWII which is perhaps a little overlooked these days is the excellent rapport that the New Zealanders, especially members of the RNZAF, had with the Canadians when they were training in Canada. Around one-third of the Kiwis in the Fleet Air Arm also trained in Canada. And every single veteran I ever spoke with who had been there talked with such affection for Canada and its fine people, who all welcomed the Kiwis into their homes, and bent over backwards to make their stay there comfortable.

Here are some articles that are interesting and reflect that special relationship the Kiwis (or EnZeds as the Canadians liked to call them) and their Canadian hosts had.

This is from the New Zealand Herald, 9th of September 1941. Allum was the Mayor of Auckland:


PRAISE FOR AIRMEN



CONDUCT IN CANADA

AMATEUR BED-MAKERS

Reports show that the men of the New Zealand armed forces abroad have created a good impression, but the conduct of a party of New Zealand airmen in Canada so appealed to a resident of Hamilton, Ontario, that she has written to the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, about it. This correspondent quotes an employee of a city hotel as saying that as a general rule soldiers were a great deal of worry and caused more work  than civilians.

"But the New Zealanders! Why, they are great if they are like the 26 we had the other week-end."

This girl then went on that all these boys stripped their beds and folded the linen carefully on a chair and put all trash in the waste-baskets, instead of on the floor. The hotel maid was very much surprised - and had little cleaning up to do.

This was not the end, however. The girl put fresh linen in each room as she went down the hall and started at the far end to make up the beds. Three New Zealand airmen came in and asked questions about her bed-making. When she had done two more rooms she found that the three airmen had shown their comrades how to make beds Canadian hotel fashion, and so all the work was done.

"We in Canada rejoice when we hear about anything kindly being done by our boys overseas, so I am passing this pleasant bit of gossip on," added the correspondent. "It is possible the lads came from your town and their folk would he pleased to know that, in faraway Canada their lads were truly gentlemen, even to a lowly girl in a hotel."

[Dave Homewood]

From the New Zealand Herald, 7th of October 1941:

AIRMEN PRAISED

THE MEN IN CANADA

ONLY ONE OBJECTION

TAKING PRETTIEST GIRLS

"There is only one really serious objection to the New Zealand and Australian airmen who are training in Canada," said Lieutenant-Colonel L. M. Cosgrave, Canadian Trade Commissioner in Australia, yesterday. "That is," he said, "that they are stealing all the prettiest Canadian girls. I should sav a great number of them are going to go back to Canada when this war is over to resume their visiting.

"Speaking seriously, however," said Colonel Cosgrave, who during a recent visit to Canada travelled extensively over the training stations, "the behaviour of the New Zealanders and Australians is magnificent. It is being remarked right across Canada that your young men are the best ambassadors that New Zealand could possibly have.

Keenness and Efficiency
"The only complaint being made by(the towns in the vicinity of the training stations is that they do not see enough of the New Zealand and Australian airmen. But the boys are so keen on getting right ahead with their training that the people only have limited opportunities of giving them the hospitality they are so eager to give.

"Another outstanding feature is the professional efficiency of your airmen. The standard of training they receive here in New Zealand is so extraordinarily fine that when they go to Canada it puts them all right up into the top bracket of their classes. The preliminary training given in New Zealand and Australia has been so splendid that they are going through the training schools in Canada in record time. There is a remarkably low percentage of failures.

"It should also be known," continued Colonel Cosgrave, "that two high New Zealand officials in Canada are doing a first-class job. They are Group-Captain L. M. Isitt and Mr. R. M. Firth. I was extremely impressed with what both are doing for New Zealand.

Group-Captain Isitt is the representative of the New Zealand Government on the supervisory board set up to administer the Empire air training scheme in Canada, and Mr. Firth is New Zealand's trade representative in Canada and the United States. Colonel Cosgrave said Mr. Firth had offices in Washington, New York and Ottawa, and was kept extremely busy.

Feeling for New Zealand
"There is another thing I could not help noticing," added Colonel Cosgrave, "and that is right across Canada the feeling toward New Zealand and Australia has never been better. Canada's appreciation of what is being done for the war effort by New Zealand and Australia is higher than is commonly known. The people also realise very clearly what the casualty lists of your fighting forces mean and are most sympathetic. Every individual firm is most anxious to help. It is no longer a matter of pounds, shillings and pence. In fact, the feeling in this war is even better than it was in the last war."