440 Squadron History

Peter Henderson teaches history at Douglas College in New Westminster,
B.C.

The interest of this book lies in that it traces the fortunes of a Canadian air force squadron right from the early beginnings of Canadian military aviation as a separate entity in 1932, up to the present. Although the unit described has undergone several changes of number as it has been periodically disbanded and re-formed, the extent and variety of its service are fascinating. From its start as a territorial-type unit in Vancouver under the direction of a distinguished veteran of World War I, seeing action in Alaska in World War II, reincarnation in Ottawa with subsequent service in England and Europe, the squadron continues in service in Canada.

I found the early photographs of the unit’s pre-war service perhaps the most interesting, together with the text, mainly because of their rarity. I would also doubt if many Canadian squadrons have flown such a miscellany of aircraft types.

This book should be of interest to anyone interested in wholly Canadian military aviation from the little-documented 1930s to the present.