On Nov. 5, Ted Barris will again be the keynote speaker at the Southwold Twp Remembrance event. This year, he’ll offer  the unique story of Canada’s largest WWII expenditure – $1.75 billion in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan that supplied the Allied air war with nearly a quarter of a million qualified airmen. Within its five-year life-span, the BCATP supplied a continuous flow of battle-ready pilots, navigators, wireless radio operators, air gunners, flight engineers, riggers and fitters.

While the story of so many men graduating from the most impressive air training scheme in history is compelling enough, Ted Barris offers the untold story of the instructors – the men behind the glory – who taught those airmen the vital air force trades that ensured Allied victory. In Winston Churchill’s words, the BCATP proved “the decisive factor” in winning the war.

Ted Barris is an author, journalist and broadcaster, making regular appearances on CBC Radio and contributions to the National Post and Legion, Air Force and Zoomer magazines. He has authored 18 published, non-fiction books.

In 2011 he received the Canadian Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Commendation and in 2012 the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. His book The Great Escape: A Canadian Storyreceived the 2014 Libris Best Non-Fiction Book Award.