Bulldog and Sea Wolf Squadrons...			...in Smithers
			by Jim Easterday

A distant whine turns to a growl as two Hawker Hurricane fighters dive and fly the length of the runway at full-power. Both pull up and go around for another high-speed pass. It's another long day for the men of the Bulldog Squadron based at the Royal Canadian Air Force Station Smithers. There was no enemy in the area, only the routine of patrol flights and training exercises. Bulldog squadron had only three Hurricane fighters. They shared Station Smithers with three Lockheed Ventura torpedo bombers from No. 149 Squadron, the "Sea Wolf" squadron.

use BACK button to return No. 135 "Bulldog" Squadron, Hawker Hurricane, 1944, Smithers, B.C. (note the nose art) all photos courtesy of Bob Ells

All six aircraft were based in Smithers from January to March, 1944. At the end of March, Station Smithers was disbanded. Smithers' role in World War II was brief and quiet. RCAF Station Smithers was in official service for only 10 months. Canada had entered World War II in 1939. By 1940, Canada felt threatened by the Japanese military.

No. 149 "Sea Wolf" Squadron Ventura torpedo bomber at Smithers

Japanese ships were patrolling the Eastern Pacific. They carried small submarines that could easily be used to land an invasion force on the coast of B.C. or Alaska. Japanese aircraft carriers were capable of launching aircraft to attack Canadian targets. The Defence Department needed to move aircraft, men and supplies north to patrol the coast and to repel any attempted invasion.