Roger Beebe can be found on the far right in this photo, from his time serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force

By Lisa Parent

Medicine Hat veteran reflects on legacy of Royal Canadian Air Force as they celebrate 100th anniversary

Apr 1, 2024 | 5:14 PM

The Royal Canadian Air Force turned 100 years old on Monday.

Established in 1924, the RCAF played a key role in World War Two, enlisting 232,000 men and 17,000 women between 1939 and 1945.

It’s role is to defend and protect Canadian and North American airspace and contribute to international peace and security on a daily basis.

The RCAF say they are celebrating a century of excellence, courage and innovation.

CITY HALL

'Taylor Drift', 'Darth Blader' and 'Blizzard Wizard' to hit Medicine Hat streets

1h ago

LIVE UPDATES

Road construction, detours and traffic in Medicine Hat

1h ago

SMILE SUNDAYS

Medicine Hat's Tara Chisholm finds success at international tournament

Nov 03, 2024

“The dedication of the people needs to be remembered,” RCAF veteran Roger Beebe said.

“We have a hundred years of people stepping up and joining and helping keep Canada the way it is, right?”

Beebe joined in Saskatchewan when he was 19, becoming an aircraft maintenance technician.

He spent most of his time in Europe, including two years in France and two in Germany.

Beebe said serving in the Air Force can be a rewarding career, but it requires discipline, teamwork and a strong technological sense. However, it was also dangerous.

Though Beebe served in the 60’s, long after World War Two, in his almost seven years in the air force, he was on about 15 funeral parades.

“A lot of people think that there were no casualties in the Canadian Air Force in those 40 years or so. There was over 1,100 Air Force people killed, mostly in training accidents,” Beebe said.

“That always led me to realize that most people don’t understand how many people serve Canada and how many people lost their life serving in the Air Force.”

Medicine Hat will commemorate 100 years of the RCAF next Monday in the Monarch Theatre.

Admission is free.