Recreation
Asked what military service during the British Commonwealth
Air Training Plan (BCATP), was like, one is likely to answer
that it was a great deal of hard work, but just as much
fun. Similar to
civilian life, to
balance out the strain of their duties, students in Alberta
joined together and organized activities for the
sake
of leisure. Young people who trained in Alberta or simply
lived in a city or town that hosted a base would remember
the regularly scheduled dances. An avid sports enthusiast
would remember matches between the different stations. A
student far away from home would remember the care took
to provide a lovely Christmas meal, to celebrate the season's
cheer and stave off homesickness. It is true that the training
undertook in the BCATP was rigorous and demanding, but it
is also true that recreation was made a priority.
The type of activities available was dependent on the size
and facilities located at each base. If a station had the
facilities, dinners and dances, which community
members were invited to, were held. It was at this sort
of event that the public could interact with the airmen/airwomen
and enduring relationships were formed. The public was also
often invited to witness graduation ceremonies.
Sports were also a common form of play at the BCATP bases.
The games ranged from hockey and skating at Royal Canadian
Air Force (RCAF) bases to
cricket and rugby at Royal Air Force (RAF) bases. For the more common sports,
such as those mentioned above, boxing and wrestling, leagues
were formed and men from different stations would meet and
compete in Alberta Interservices Athletic Championships.
For those less physical and perhaps more interested in
the cultural aspects of life, many bases offered regular
film presentations. It was not uncommon for a station to
dedicate a room to a library and stock it with books and
magazines of interest to the trainees. Most bases created
some sort of publication to provide news and discuss issues
of importance in their community. For the sort who enjoyed
musical or theatrical performances, productions were organized
and staged, the entertainment coming from both outside and
within the station.
Once or twice a week, trainees were able to obtain a pass
to leave the station for the evening and explore the nearby
town or city. Some were very lucky, being stationed in somewhat
populated areas, others felt what many Canadians have experienced
in the dead of winter, cold and isolated. However, many
men left the bases for the evening, for a trip to the local
cinema, diner or bar. It is not an uncommon story to hear
of the man who was dating a woman from the local community
and used every pass he got to go see her.
Holidays
were duly celebrated on the base. For those who were religious,
church ceremonies were always accessible. The station pulled
together as a community and treated these days as the special
occasions they were. All work, barring what was necessary,
was put on hold, delicious suppers were held
and special privileges, such as being able to relax and
smoke in the dining hall after supper, were allowed.
When airmen were on leave they often took vacations near
their training schools. Some of the bases provided YMCA
representatives who provided information about vacation
spots accessible to those in
Alberta.
Many men took time to visit Banff, Sylvan
Lake, Waterton or Vancouver. There are many stories of small
groups of men enjoying the beauty of these locales.
Many types of recreation occurred within the BCATP in Alberta.
Beyond enjoyable, leisure activities were integral to the
success of the Plan. Training an air force is a very serious
task, and one can be sure the RCAF treated the Plan with
due gravity. But what is life without room to enjoy it?
The RCAF acknowledged this and made allowances so that the
human aspects of life were not ignored, but celebrated.
|