No. 424 Tiger Squadron Fund Committee

Collectivité

No. 424 Tiger Squadron Fund Committee

1944-1945

The No. 424 Tiger Squadron Fund Committee was established by members of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce during the latter half of the Second World War to provide comforts and care packages for the 500 men of the No. 424 Tiger Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force, who were serving overseas. The committee consisted of C.H. Boothe, President of the T. Eaton Company, who served as Chairman, C.H. Sclater, President of the Tuckett Tobacco Company, H.A. MacLennan, General Manager of the Cardy Hotels chain, T.M. Mayberry, Treasurer of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Canada Limited, and President of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, W.B. Powell, President and General Manager of Appleford Paper Products Limited, and William J. McCulloch, Managing Secretary of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. Under McCulloch’s direction, items of clothing such as pyjamas, sweaters and socks, food such as canned fruit and soup, crackers, fruit cake and peanut butter, candies such as gum, lifesavers and chocolate bars, as well as cigarettes, sporting equipment, razor blades and soap, were ordered from various local Hamilton companies and sent overseas though the Canadian Red Cross Society to the men serving in the squadron from 1944 to 1945. The committee also sent Christmas parcels to each of the men in 1944. Funds were raised by members of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and orders were filled by employees from companies such as Life Savers Limited, the Tuckett Tobacco Company Limited, William Neilson Limited, and William Wrigley Jr. Company Limited. By the end of the war, the Tiger Squadron Fund Committee had sent 220,000 cigarettes, 10,000 packages of gum, 6,000 packets of lifesavers, 500 Christmas parcels, a football and various other items of food and clothing. The items received were very much appreciated by the men of the squadron and their gratitude was expressed in letters sent home to members of the Tiger Squadron Committee, which had “adopted” the unit as part of the war effort. Various squadrons were adopted by different organizations and charities throughout the country during the war, but few had the reputation of the Tiger Squadron, which was given its name in honour of Hamilton sports teams of the same name. The squadron gained a good reputation for being affectionately cared for and supported by the generosity of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and its Tiger Squadron Committee. This support was steadfast and only ended when the squadron was officially disbanded on October 15, 1945.

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

War Work