Royal Canadian Air Force Centennial Commemoration Panel
TORONTO – April 18, 2024 – April 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. With that in mind, Historica Canada, the charitable organization that operates the Memory Project Speakers Bureau, invites you to a commemorative panel on ZOOM Thursday April 25th, 2024, at 1 PM EDT. It will feature retired members of the RCAF, moderated by Colonel Margaret Jacula, RCAF 2024 Campaign Manager. Register here.
“The centennial marks a century of excellence, bravery and innovation,” said Anthony Wilson-Smith, President and CEO of Historica Canada. “It provides a tremendous opportunity to honour the dedication and sacrifice of the men and women, past and present, serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force.”
Panel Members:
Colonel Maggie Jacula, the moderator, was born in Digby, Nova Scotia and joined the Canadian Forces in 1995. She graduated from the Royal Military College in 2001 and earned a Master's in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Bristol in 2002. Throughout her career, she held various positions, including Squadron Maintenance and Engineering Officer and Deputy Aircraft Engineering Officer. Notable assignments include serving with the Joint Task Force-Iraq and commanding the 19 Air Maintenance Squadron. In 2020, she retired from the Regular Force, becoming Chief of Staff for the RCAF 2024 Centennial Campaign.
Captain (ret’d) Mort Lightstone joined the RCAF at 18. At the start of his 28-year career, he was trained as a Global Celestial Navigator. During the Korean War, he flew missions on Operation Hawk providing essential support to United Nations Forces. His two Flight Log Books reveal a plethora of details of his 6,600 flying hours of missions and operations. He says his most enjoyable duty was commanding a “Military Caravan” as part of celebrating Canada’s Centennial in 1967.
Master Corporal (ret’d) Woodrow French was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Woodrow’s grandmother was aboriginal Inuit from Seal Island Labrador, and he is a member of the Métis Nation, Nunatukavut. As an Air Cadet, Woodrow dreamed of serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He enlisted in the RCAF and served 10 years from 1960-1970. Woodrow received training as a Military Policeman and served as a police officer on bases in Newfoundland, RCAF Station Torbay, Quebec, La Macaza, Zweibrucken, 3 Wing, Germany, and Nova Scotia, Shearwater.
During the summers of 1972 and 1973, Captain (ret'd) Brian Cotter served at Trenton Air Cadet Camp (TACC) as a Drill Instructor, teaching Intermediate Leaders and Instructors Courses. As he progressed from Lieutenant to Captain, his roles included staff officer, instructor, and commander for various training programs, overseeing groups ranging from 60 to 1,200 trainees. While still in university, he dedicated himself to training and leading as a Training Officer and Acting CO of an Air Cadet Squadron. He remained in the Reserve/Supplementary List until 1998.
Historica Canada is a charitable organization that offers programs in both official languages that you can use to explore, learn, reflect on our history, and consider what it means to be Canadian. The Memory Project is a volunteer speakers bureau that arranges for veterans and Canadian Forces members to share their stories of military service at school and community events across the country.