The Philosophy – Connecting People to Planes

Connecting People to Planes, Airmen to Artifacts

The Philosophy behind the Displays

The Bomber Command Museum operates on the premise that it is the people involved in the history that we present that are paramount. Visitors to our museum or our website soon become aware that a number of individuals are intimately connected with the aircraft, artifacts, and artwork in the museum. Through a focus on these remarkable individuals, the museum honours all who served.

Some of the people are:

  • Ian Bazalgette,
    a Calgarian and the only Albertan to be awarded the Victoria Cross during World War II.
  • Barry Davidson,
    a Calgarian who became a Prisoner of War and played a significant role in the Great Escape.
  • Albert Stanley Prince,
    the first Canadian to be killed while serving with Bomber Command.
  • Roy Chadwick,
    the designer of the Lancaster Bomber and our honourary president’s father.
  • Terry Taerum,
    a Milo, Alberta resident who was Guy Gibson’s navigator on the Dams Raid.
  • The Warren Twins,
    Nanton-born Spitfire pilots.
  • Andy Kindret,
    a Winnipeg native who served with Bomber Command and later completed a remarkable series of aircraft paintings.
  • Ron Groeneveld,
    a High River, Alberta resident who worked with the Dutch Resistance.
  • Joe English,
    a Nanton resident and founding director of the Society who piloted one of the first Lancasters on Operation Manna.
  • John Fraser,
    a native of British Columbia who survived being shot down over the Mohne Dam during the Dams Raid.
  • Doug Tweddle,
    the father of Dr. Maggie Tweddle of Edmonton, Alberta, Doug participated in the sinking of the Battleship Tirpitz.
  • Peter Engbrecht and Gordon Gillanders,
    a distinguished team of Canadian Air Gunners.
  • Frances Walsh,
    a school teacher in Cochrane, Alberta, who was honoured with the George Medal.
  • Matthew Ferguson,
    a Calgary resident who is said to have been the greatest of the Bomber Command nose artists.
  • Jock Palmer,
    A BCATP instructor from Lethbridge referred to as the “Grandfather of Alberta Aviation.”
  • Doug Cameron,
    122 operations as a rear gunner, baling out during two Victoria Cross flights.
  • Father J. Philip Lardie,
    This highly respected RCAF chaplain flew some ops and was “Mentioned in Dispatches.”
  • Murray Peden,
    a highly regarded wartime pilot and author, Murray has tirelessly fought to ensure that the efforts and sacrifices made by his fellow Bomber Command aircrew are properly portrayed to the Canadian public.
  • Marty Mitchell,
    spent most of his six years at Camp Borden training flight instructors before serving a tour of operations and becoming C/O of No. 431 Squadron.