1940-1949

1940

War Services Committee organized.

1940

The hall on Second Street in Rivers, Manitoba, was renamed the Tailspin Inn.

1940

Construction begins on buildings to be used by the Royal Canadian Air Force training program.

1940

It was announced that 700 novice pilots from Trenton, Ontario, would be transferred to Rivers. The first family to arrive was that of Flt. Lieut. J. Hone. Housing became scarce. The Rivers town council encouraged the conversion of all available space into apartments.

1941

First Navigation School tragedy occurred. Five Canadians died when a plane crashed on takeoff.

Manitoba — 1942

No.1 Air Navigation School (No. 1 ANS) merged with No.2 ANS from Pennfeld Ridge, New Brunswick, to form No.1 Central Navigation School (No.1 CNS).

May 1942

The Air Navigation School was renamed under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) as No.1 Air Navigation School (No.1 ANS).

Manitoba — 1943

A troop train and a general passenger train collided at St. Lazare, Manitoba, and planes from the No.1 Central Navigation School at Rivers, Manitoba, were used to transport the injured to the air station hospital.

1943

The Town of Rivers launched Aid to Russia, Milk for Britain, and Chinese and Greek War Relief Funds.

June 1943

The first army parachutists to jump in Canada flew from Rivers in a Lodestar aircraft to "drop" at Camp Shilo. They had been trained in England and the United States.