Veteran pilot honoured with Snowbirds fly-over for 100th birthday
One Edmontonian received a special birthday surprise to help celebrate the occasion of turning 100.
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds conducted a fly-over of retired pilot Chris Bellchamber’s care home in Mill Woods on Monday.
Flight Lieutenant (ret.) Bellchamber flew with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and Royal Canadian Air Force in the Cold War, including secret missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
“My dad learned to fly on this plane in Africa where the Brits had their flying school,” said Chris’ daughter Jeanie.
“He was a special operations pilot during the Cold War.”
The veteran recalled to CTV News Edmonton how he helped disable an enemy submarine in the Indian Ocean during the Second World War.
Bellchamber overcame his share of health battles too – including COVID-19 this past December.
“He’s had cancer three times,” Jeanie said. “He had COVID, he had malaria twice in the war.
“The guy just keeps on tickin’, ya know?”
Jeanie emailed the Snowbirds her father’s military history who agreed to conduct the flyby in his honour.
“They said, ‘Sure, we’d love to,” she told CTV News Edmonton. “They honour their own.”
While his birthday is not until Wednesday, Chris watched with joy as the Snowbirds conducted two passes.
“I think it’s terrific,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Six Canadian children repatriated from detention in Syria, Global Affairs Canada says
The Global Affairs Department says six Canadian children have been repatriated from detention in northeastern Syria.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.