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Not So Black and White Black Canadians and the RCAF's Canadian Military History Volume 21 Issue 1 Article 4 2015 Not So Black and White Black Canadians and the RCAF’s recruiting policy during the Second World War Simon Theobald Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Simon Theobald "Not So Black and White Black Canadians and the RCAF’s recruiting policy during the Second World War." Canadian Military History 21, 1 (2015) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. : Not So Black and White Black Canadians and the RCAF’s recruiting policy during the Second World War Not So Black and White Black Canadians and the RCAF’s recruiting policy during the Second World War Simon Theobald lan Bundy of Dartmouth, Nova because of their small population, AScotia, first tried to enlist with Abstract: This article examines the black experience was not the air force in nearby Halifax in the recruitment policy of the Royal representative or relevant.6 This Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the 1939. While his best friend, who had perspectives of black volunteers during conclusion suggests that the valiant similar credentials but happened the Second World War. The author wartime efforts and significant to be white, was accepted, Bundy discusses the colour line employed by struggles of blacks to serve do not was not. His rejection on racial the RCAF, the discriminatory beliefs contribute to our understanding of grounds was a bitter experience, of some recruiting officers, and the either the conflict or of Canadian motivations behind the acceptance of but he remained determined to join black recruits. The author argues the society. the air force. In fact, over the next fear that “racial differences” would This lack of attention to the two years he ignored the National cause animosity within the ranks Second World War exists even Resources Mobilization Act notices was a large barrier for black recruits within the realm of black Canadian to train with the army, a decision and a central reason why groundcrew historiography. If the wartime duty was encouraged. However, the that prompted an RCMP officer to growing demand for manpower forced experience is acknowledged at all, visit his home. Bundy’s explanation the RCAF to relax its policy and enlist it is brief. The few existing accounts for refusing to respect his notice was all qualified applicants, regardless of conclude that the war helped blacks that “I had gone to join the air force skin colour. integrate into society but provide few in 1939 and if the bullet that kills me specifics to support this contention. is not good enough for the air force fly only solo fighter missions, Edward Robin Winks’ seminal work, The then it’s not good enough for the “Lefty” Wright, a white sergeant Blacks in Canada, first published in army, either.” Shortly after the visit from Midland, Ontario, agreed to fly 1971, simply noted that “on both to his home, Bundy went back to the with him. On their first sortie together the war and the home fronts, the Halifax recruiting station in 1942 to on 15 October 1944, they helped sink Negro’s position improved.”7 In a try his luck with a new commanding the 1202-ton Norwegian tanker Inger comprehensive review of academic officer. He subsequently became one Johanne and the 426-ton German and popular histories of black of the few blacks to be accepted for Auxiliary Trawler VP.1605 Mosel off Canadians in Atlantic Canada, aircrew training.1 Bundy was sent the coast of Norway.2 Bundy flew a historian Harvey A. Whitfield argued to Ontario to train as part of the Bristol Beaufighter on more than 40 that historians have narrowly focused British Commonwealth Air Training operational missions.3 on the black Canadian experience and Plan (BCATP) and arrived overseas While there have been critical that there is especially “a gap between where he joined No.404 (Buffalo) studies of the Aboriginal, Chinese, the early years of the 20th century Squadron in September 1944. While Mennonite, and Ukrainian Canadian and the Africville saga of the 1960s.” he proved his ability as a multi- experiences, the black4 experience Tellingly, Whitfield makes almost engine pilot during operational during the Second World War no mention of military history in his training in Canada and Britain, white remains largely uncharted territory.5 review.8 When discrimination and navigators refused to fly with him. The principal assumption behind the use of restrictive policies against With the prospect that Bundy would this relative lack of attention is that, blacks are acknowledged in sources, Published© by Canadian Scholars MilitaryCommons History @ Laurier,, Volume 2015 21, Number 1, Winter 2012, pp.35-43. 35 1 Canadian Military History, Vol. 21 [2015], Iss. 1, Art. 4 404 Squadron archives 404 Squadron archives 404 Squadron Above left: Flying Officer Alan Bundy (left) sits on the wing of a No.404 Squadron Beaufighter in 1945. He flew 42 operational missions with the squadron. Above right: This photo of Bundy was carried by Bundy during the war in case he was shot down over enemy territory and needed to create a escape and evasion documents. Below: A German naval vessel sits dead in the water and on fire following an attack by No.404 Squadron Beaufighters. Royal Canadian Air Force photo PL 61346 photo Canadian Air Force Royal https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol21/iss1/436 2 : Not So Black and White Black Canadians and the RCAF’s recruiting policy during the Second World War “progress” is still considered to be animosity from whites, the RCAF denied that a discriminatory policy have been made because the formal rejected a qualified black applicant was being employed and insisted that segregation seen in the military who wished to serve. The official there was “no legal bar” preventing during the First World War was not reply to Dunn’s correspondence, blacks from serving in the military. implemented in the Second World signed by Hollies for the chief of the Likewise, he argued that, despite War.9 While official segregation may air staff, reiterated that applicants the fact that the air force regulations have come to an end, discriminatory “must be of pure European descent stated that only people of “Pure and recruitment policies still profoundly with the exception of the North European descent” were acceptable, affected black volunteers. American Indians.” Dunn was also this regulation was not actually This study seeks to partially fill informed that the applicant was to enforced because he was aware that that gap by examining the recruitment be advised of this ruling and that it one particular black applicant had policy of the Royal Canadian Air “would apply to all Asiatics as well been permitted to enlist. Finally, Force (RCAF) and the perspectives of as to coloured applicants.”13 While he claimed that “there are coloured black volunteers in order to analyze this ruling was clear, the RCAF’s people in all branches of the service.”16 the experience of black Canadians recruiting policy was much more A week after Isnor’s comments during the Second World War. ambiguous in 1940. in the House of Commons, Air From 1939 to 1942, the In May 1940, the recruitment Force Manning Order 10/22 was recruitment policy regarding black office in Vancouver was told that released which stressed to all the applicants was inconsistent and there was no “restriction in K.R. (Air) commanding officers (COs) and obscure. The RCAF ‘s “Colour Line” [King’s Regulations and Orders for staff at Recruiting Centres not to let policy in 1939 was that all volunteers the Royal Canadian Air Force] in Canadian-born applicants of foreign- had to be “British subjects and of regard to enlistment on the grounds origin feel discriminated against pure European descent.”10 Black that the applicant is not of pure “because of their racial descent.” Canadians, regardless of how long European descent.” The criteria for Furthermore, it emphasized that any they had lived in Canada or of how enlistment were supposed to be Canadian-born applicant “must not recently they had emigrated from the the successful completion of trade be refused the privilege of submitting British West Indies or elsewhere in tests and a satisfactory medical an application.”17 The manning the Empire, were not viewed as being examination.14 order caused some confusion among “of Pure European Descent.” A prime Two months later, Gordon B. recruiters about whether non-white example of how the policy functioned Isnor, Liberal Member of Parliament volunteers should be accepted. in practice comes from November for Halifax, brought the issue of In November 1940, Flight 1939. The officer in charge (OIC) black recruitment to the attention Lieutenant A.A. Harcourt-Vernon, at the RCAF’s Hamilton recruiting of Parliament. He questioned then the commanding officer of the centre, Flying Officer O.S. Dunn, whether the Department of National Halifax RCAF Recruiting Centre, wrote to the secretary of National Defence assumed that all blacks were wrote to headquarters to clarify the Defence regarding the recruitment of “illiterate, flat-footed and barbarian details of the enlistment policy since a “coloured” volunteer to work as a people who cannot be disciplined, “there are Airmen now serving who steward. The unnamed 6-foot, 1-inch who will run at the first sound of a are not of pure European descent.”18 and 185-pound black volunteer, who rifle or the first sight of the enemy’s He was informed by Group Captain had worked as a steward on ships bayonet.” Furthermore, he wondered J.L.E.A.
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