A Statue for Roy Brown
By John Chalmers
CAHS Membership Secretary
Arthur Roy Brown DSC, inducted as a Member of Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame (CAHF) in 2015, continues to be recognized in his home town of Carleton Place, Ontario, where he was born in 1893. The current effort calls for the creation of a statue to honour his contribution to military and civil aviation. It is a project of The Roy Brown Society. Flying first with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), Brown concluded his military service as a captain with the Royal Air Force when it was formed by combining the RNAS with the Royal Flying Corps on April 1, 1918.
Serving in the First World War, Roy was admired for his leadership qualities and as an ace fighter pilot with 10 credited victories. He is known for the aerial battle that involved squadron mate and fellow Member of CAHF, Wop May, in bringing down the “Red Baron,” Manfred von Richthofen. A mural in central Carleton Place depicts the legendary event of April 21, 1918, with Brown in pursuit of the Red Baron, who was chasing Wop May. (Chalmers photo)
The statue will be cast in bronze and enhanced with extensive landscaping, at a total cost of about $200,000. Veterans Affairs Canada has approved a grant of $50,000. The Town of Carleton Place provided a grant of $12,500 and the local Business Improvement Association provided a grant of $2,350. A fundraising website is posted at www.captroybrownstatue.ca where donations can be made. A canvassing team will seek additional financial support. The Roy Brown Society has selected David Clendining of Ottawa to design the statue of Roy Brown. (Image courtesy of the Roy Brown Society)
The statue of Roy Brown will be placed adjacent to historic Moore House in central Carleton Place, which houses an extensive exhibit about the town’s most famous son, and serves also as a Visitor Reception Centre. Other measures dedicated to the memory of Roy Brown include a riverfront Roy Brown Park and a new access road will be named Captain A. Roy Brown Boulevard. (Chalmers photo)
In 1928, Roy Brown established General Airways Limited, which operated until 1940. Seen above is a de Havilland DH 60 Gipsy Moth flown by the company.
After General Airways, Brown purchased a farm at Stouffville, Ontario, turning it into a successful dairy operation. He died at the age of 50 at his farm home, above. (Chalmers photo)
A short biography and a video about Roy Brown can be seen in Member Profiles at the CAHF web site: www.cahf.ca.