H.R. No. 1095
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum in
Terrell is marking the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the
Lend-Lease Act and of the school's founding on April 7, 2011; and
WHEREAS, In the summer of 1940, Britain lost 11 destroyers to
the German navy in less than two weeks, and newly elected prime
minister Winston Churchill requested help from United States
president Franklin D. Roosevelt; the United States had not yet
entered the war, but under the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, it provided
arms and supplies to the nations already fighting the Axis powers,
and the British Royal Air Force sent crews to six civilian training
schools in the United States, where they could benefit from better
weather conditions and learn their craft while safe from enemy
bombers; and
WHEREAS, The No. 1 British Flying Training School in Terrell,
the first and largest of the six schools, opened three months before
the attack on Pearl Harbor; the RAF cadets received ground training
in England and then traveled by ship to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for
more training in navigation and meteorology; before arriving in
Texas, some had never been in an airplane before, or even driven a
car; in Terrell, they trained in the air on aerobatics, instrument
flight, and night flying, spent time on early flight simulators,
and also studied navigation, meteorology, engines, and armaments;
and
WHEREAS, Between 1941 and 1945, residents of Terrell and
Kaufman County welcomed more than 2,000 RAF pilots, and lifelong
bonds of friendship were formed; in addition, some three dozen
trainees met their wives in the United States and returned to live
in Texas and other states; 200 American pilots eventually trained
at the school as well; and
WHEREAS, Aviation enthusiasts, history buffs, and veterans
alike are drawn to the museum's fascinating holdings, which include
log books, training materials, uniforms, and memorabilia; to
support further research and the recovery of artifacts, the
institution has partnered with Shearwater Aviation Museum in
Halifax; and
WHEREAS, The archives of the No. 1 British Flying Training
School Museum document an extraordinary time period and the
contributions of Terrell and Kaufman County residents to the war
effort; declaring "The seas divide but the skies unite," the
museum's emblem pays tribute to the enduring links forged among
Britain, Canada, and the United States through the Lend-Lease
program; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption
of the Lend-Lease Act and of the founding of the No. 1 British
Flying Training School and extend to all those participating in the
celebration sincere best wishes for a memorable event; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum as an
expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Gooden
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1095 was adopted by the House on April
14, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House