Wartime Airfield Construction Part 1:
Building Up the Workforce

Mr. Bennett describes how, while undertaking the airport construction projects in Edmonton during the early stages of the war, it was easy to find qualified tradesmen to work on the projects. After struggling through years of the Depression many of the men had lost or sold their tools, they were undernourished and not up to the job of working a full eight hour shift. His company had to nurse these men through the initial stages, by working 4 hour shifts, until they had built up their stamina again. He also tells of great levels of cooperation every gave these construction projects, from the labourers to city officials. The war had also taken everybody by surprise, the Air Force did not have the capabilities to construct bases on such a massive scale, and these projects were initially done by the Army.