The Ferry Command Memorial was dedicated by the Reverend Wesley Oake on September 17, 2017. Ferry Command, a collaborative effort of civilians, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and other allies, was an ambitious effort to transport combat aircraft manufactured in Canada and the United States to Second World War operational airfields in the United Kingdom, and other theatres of war.
To avoid catastrophic losses incurred by sea transport, the plan was to fly the aircraft across the North Atlantic Ocean. Given that there had been fewer then 100 successful air crossings of the Atlantic Ocean, the transatlantic flights of Ferry Command were an exercise in ingenuity, determination, and immense bravery.
On the evening of November 10, 1940, seven Lockheed Hudson bombers, led by Captain C.T. Bennett, departed Gander to attempt the 2,100 mile crossing of the Atlantic to Great Britain. Eleven hours later all seven aircraft landed successfully in Northern Ireland.
Over the course of the War, almost 3,500 civilian and military personnel from 23 allied nations (including 1500 Newfoundlanders) played roles in Ferry Command. Of the 10,000 aircraft designated for trans-Atlantic delivery, an unanticipated 95% arrived safely. A significant number of flights across the North Atlantic departed Gander at night and during the winter months. At least 560 personnel lost their lives in these efforts.
