Deaths
 Hundreds
of men who died while training in the British Commonwealth
Air Training Plan (BCATP) are buried across Alberta. Some
of these men were far from home and laid to rest here, while
others were returned to family in their home province. Let
us remember the men who rest in our province, men who lost
their lives while training to serve the
Allied cause. These
men did not survive to meet the battlefront, but they are
no less heroic. We owe them our deepest gratitude.
 Using
the records held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
and research compiled by Royal Canadian Air Force veteran Dennis Wagner and
Reverend David J. Carter,
we have compiled lists (shown left) of the men who lost their
lives on the homefront, training to serve their countries.
 We
acknowledge that in compiling such a list, there are going
to be names that we have overlooked. If you know of someone
who should be included on this list of people who died while
training in Alberta, please feel free to contact us and
we will add their name.
 These are some thoughts of the Reverend Dr. David J. Carter
B.A., L.Th., S.T.B. D.D. Former Member and Speaker—Legislative
Assembly of Alberta:
"Unfortunately
there were almost 900 deaths associated with training in
Canada alone—ma ny of these occurred on the Prairies including
a large number in Alberta. While Canadians who died in flight
training had their remains shipped back to their hometown
for burial, almost all of those who came from other lands
still lie in our local Fields of Honour. They too ‘fought
for freedom and peace.’ We owe them due respect and honour.
The last verse of the Royal Air Force Hymn from the Second
World War is our prayer for these young men and their families:
Bear Thou them up upon their way
Be Thou their comfort and their stay
Through perils of their every day
Grant them Thy shield from all that harms,
And peace at last from war’s alarms
Within Thine everlasting arms. Amen."
Find more information on Dr.
David J. Carter's website and information on his research
and publications concerning Canada and World War II.
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