The Globe and Mail Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account
Getting audio file . This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy. Full Disclaimer
handout/Handout
George Borden was a few months shy of his 18th birthday when he and his two older brothers joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He had to get his parents’ permission, because he was technically still a minor.
Growing up in a poor community in Nova Scotia where the only job prospects for young Black men seemed to be working in the local coal mine or as a porter on a train, Mr. Borden and his brothers saw the air force as a gateway to a better life.