No. 33 Elementary Flying Training School:

by Bruce Forsyth (www.militarybruce.com), with permission

Opened on 5 January 1942 near the town of Caron by the Royal Air Force, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. A Relief Landing Field was constructed near Boharm. The school closed on 14 January 1944.

The Caron aerodrome was used briefly as a Relief Landing Field for No. 32 Moose Jaw, then abandoned.

In 1946, the site was taken over by the Briercrest Bible Institute and re-named Caronport.

Today, the Briercrest Family of Schools, consisting of Briercrest College and Seminary and Caronport High School, carry on the tradition of providing education at Caronport. The 160 acre campus is home to 1200 permanent residents and approximately 1000 students.

A significant portion the former station remains. One hangar, the Mess Hall, PMQs, the Recreation Centre (although extensively refurbished), one H-hut (originally a classroom, but now used as a dormitory) and various smaller buildings remain. The airfield also remains, but the runways now serve as streets for trailer homes. One of the hangars has been converted to a Sports Arena.

Source material: information supplied by Lois Penner Vice President, Advancement, Briercrest Family of Schools (2004), Briercrest Bible College web site – www.briercrest.ca, information supplied by Gord Elmer (2004) , information provided by Vintage Wings – www.vintagewings.ca & “Wings For Victory” by Spencer Dunmore.

The following perished while serving at No. 33 EFTS:  FH Bouchard, DG Davies, WV Edmondson, WD Jarratt, RG Littlewood, SO Nethercot, WD Nethercott, RH Nicholls, GA Shearer and TKJ Simpson.