A CanAdian Air Force squadron will meet veterans in Cricklade for a Remembrance Day event this weekend.

The 437(T) Sqdn, Royal Canadian Air Force, based at Trenton in Ontario, is flying to the UK on Saturday and joining up with the Cricklade Royal British Legion and other uniformed groups on Sunday for the Remembrance Day Parade and wreath-laying service at the town war memorial.

This will be followed by a service of remembrance in St Sampson’s Church before paying their respects at the memorial at the old war-time airfield once called RAF Blakehill Farm, two miles outside Cricklade.

The Canadian presence is a pilgrimage for their commanding officer, Lt Col Ryan Eyre, and 20 other personnel of the squadron as they return to the place where 437(T) Sqdn was formed to remember those who flew from Blakehill but never returned.

Once again the people of Cricklade will see the Canadian Maple Leaf Flag accompanied by a uniformed Royal Canadian Air Force Guard of Honour marching down the High Street. They will arrive in town at 9.30am at the council offices then join the parade at 10.25am and attend the church service at 11.20am. The re-dedication service at Blakehill will begin at around 12.40pm.

437(T) Sqdn (the ‘Huskies’) was formed at Blakehill on 14 September 1944; aircrew from other RAF squadrons were posted in to form a new all-Canadian squadron equipped with Douglas Dakota C-47 transport aircraft modified to tow the wooden Horsa gliders.

The memorial at Blakehill was dedicated in 1994 in the presence of the then CO of 437(T) Sqdn and the chairman of Cricklade Town Council, backed by Cricklade Band and the Royal British Legion.