Material: Gilt brass with convex profile and loop shank
Diameter: 25 mm
Description: This convex, open-face brass uniform tunic button features an intricately stamped relief showcasing a central eagle or albatross in full flight with outstretched wings, uniquely surmounted by a small stylized maple leaf rather than a crown. The crisp embossed text "AIR CADETS CANADA" curves elegantly along the upper and lower perimeter arcs of the 25mm gilded face. Manufactured with a closed-back construction and a heavy fixed-wire attachment shank, the reverse of the button is explicitly stamped with the historical maker's mark "Wm. Scully Ltd. Montreal". The deep golden luster and robust composition are characteristic of the specialized electroplating and mechanical die-stripping methods historically used by Canada's most celebrated regimental outfitter.
Circa: Mid 20th Century
Notes:
The movement officially began during the dark early days of the Second World War when Order-in-Council PC 6647 established the Air Cadet League of Canada as a civilian volunteer organization. Created to train adolescent boys in basic aviation skills like navigation, map reading, and signaling, the League acted as a vital preparatory school for future Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel. Following the allied victory, the organization underwent major structural overhauls, shifting its primary mandate from wartime recruitment to peacetime community citizenship, physical fitness, and aeronautical education. The organization reached a monumental inclusivity milestone in July 1975 when the Canadian Parliament formally amended relevant legislation to allow young women to officially enroll as cadets across the country.