The Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association is working on a veteran’s memorial garden at the Tillsonburg Regional Airport.
Members of this non-profit organization, which operates from a hangar just north of Tillsonburg, met with the council to discuss their plans on Aug. 10.
At no expense to the public, they aim to build a garden next to a full-scale replica of a Second World War Supermarine Spitfire that they obtained earlier this year.
Scott Gillies, chair of Oxford Historical Society, who spoke alongside association members, pointed out that the Tillsonburg airport was an important flight school for the British Commonwealth during the Second World War. Currently, the Town of Tillsonburg owns and manages the airport.
“Thousands of men from across Canada, from across the Commonwealth and from other allied nations learned how to fly (here),” he said. “From here, they were directed to other secondary schools for further education and training as fighter pilots, bomber pilots, as wireless gunners, navigators and mechanics. The skills they learned here determined their future.”
The association has the largest fleet of Harvard aircraft in North America with eight Harvards and one Yale. They attract thousands of visitors each year during events like their Fly Days held monthly.
“The memorial garden’s splashes of colour, splashes of light will – throughout the seasons of bloom – remind us of the youth, who, in their prime, in their colour, came and went with a splash and with a flash,” Gillies continued.
“In winter, the same garden is a reminder of the stark realities of loss, but it can also bring forth hope for the future while remembering the past.”
The garden will feature commemorative pathways, memorial bricks honoring veterans and supporters, landscaping elements, seating areas for reflection and educational displays that will enhance visitors’ understanding of Canada’s aviation history.
“What we really would like is a quiet place with a monument for reflection to honour veterans who served here,” said John Britton, vice-president of the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association.
The council expressed support for this initiative. Members from the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association are expected to return with more details once they’ve finalized plans regarding where in the airport they’ll locate the garden.
You can find more information about them online at harvards. com.
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