Canada Post honors Royal Canadian Air Force centenary with commemorative envelope

By David Hartwig

On April 2, Canada Post issued a commemorative envelope marking the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The envelope is a postal collectible and cannot be mailed. Canada Post has issued these collectible envelopes to commemorate events or dates of significance since at least 1976.

A stamp issued March 27, 2019, as part of an Aviation Pioneers and Airplanes set (Scott 3173), franks the envelope. The stamp shows World War I flying ace William George Barker, who was the first director of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

On April 1, 1924, the Royal Canadian Air Force received the “Royal” designation from King George V and became a permanent component of Canada’s defense force. This followed the creation of a temporary Canadian Air Force after thousands of Canadians served in the British flying services in World War I.

The April 2 commemorative envelope features a collage of photographs from Canada’s Department of National Defence. The back of the cover shows the roundel symbol of the Royal Canadian Air Force, a red maple leaf in a blue ring.

The cover is canceled in Borden, Ontario, home of the Canadian Forces Base Borden, the historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force and home to the largest training wing in the Canadian Armed Forces. The postmark shows a black-and-white Royal Canadian Air Force roundel.

The commemorative envelopes were printed in a quantity of 10,000 and cost $3 each. They are available online and can be ordered through postal outlets across Canada.

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