An Historical Review of Air Force Base Comox: a presentation by the Nanaimo Historical Society

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Thursday, September 12th, 2019
7:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Air Force Base Comox

In response to possible Japanese attack on the West Coast of British Columbia the Royal Air Force (RAF) constructed RAF Station Comox in the spring of 1942.

By May 1943 the base was officially constituted as a RCAF Aerodrome initially tasked as a flying control unit of RAF Patrica Bay (32 Operational Training Unit). The RCAF used the base for training Commonwealth crews of transport aircraft, including the Douglas Dakota/DC-3, for the remainder of the Second World War.

Concurrently, the RAF opened a Glider Regiment satellite station at Cassidy to train airborne assault glider (Horsa) and tow plane (Dakota) pilots and crews.

Mothballed in January 1946, the Station was reactivated in 1952 when the Korean and Cold Wars prompted the establishment of a permanent RCAF base.

Through to the present-day Canadian Forces Base (CFB), as it was renamed in 1968, has continued to grow and evolve with changing situations, requirements, and technologies as Canada's primary air defense installation on the Pacific coast.

Please mark your calendar for this free public lecture by the Nanaimo Historical Society for an in-depth presentation on the history of Air Force Base Comox.

About our speaker: Colonel (Retired) Jon Ambler served 30 years in the Air Force as a Long Range Patrol Navigator. He commanded at the Crew, Flight, Squadron, Peacekeeping Task Force and Wing levels. Following three years in command of 19 Wing Comox he retired in 2007.

Ambler was also Programme Manager and Volunteer Coordinator (Retired 2019) for the Comox Air Force Museum for which the BC Historical Federation awarded him their Certificate of Recognition for exceptional service to their organization and community.

Bowen Park Complex, Room 1

500 Bowen Road

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