Wop May 1896-1941
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Wilfrid Reid May was born April 20, 1896 at Carberry, Manitoba. His family moved to Edmonton in 1902. On the way to Edmonton the family visited family friends. While there, a young cousin nicknamed him "Woppie", which was soon shortened to "Wop" and the name stuck for the rest of his life.
Wop May was a celebrated WWI combat pilot, flying in old-style bi-planes. But it was his experiences after the war that made him a famous Albertan. He was one of the first pilots flying from Edmonton into northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. The term bush pilot started with May and the kind of dangerous and remote flying that Wop May did for a living.
His efforts to save people and serve his country have not been forgotten.
As a matter of fact, Wop May has been recognized in many ways. His military flying earned him medals from Great Britain and the United States. He became an Officer in the Order of the British Empire in 1935.
Sources image and text: http://www.wopmay.com/adventures/adventures.htm, and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wop_May
Canada Vignettes: Wop May
Wop May was a celebrated WWI combat pilot, flying in old-style bi-planes. But it was his experiences after the war that made him a famous Albertan. He was one of the first pilots flying from Edmonton into northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. The term bush pilot started with May and the kind of dangerous and remote flying that Wop May did for a living.
His efforts to save people and serve his country have not been forgotten.
As a matter of fact, Wop May has been recognized in many ways. His military flying earned him medals from Great Britain and the United States. He became an Officer in the Order of the British Empire in 1935.
Sources image and text: http://www.wopmay.com/adventures/adventures.htm, and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wop_May
Canada Vignettes: Wop May