CAFA News

The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was an elite and highly skilled airborne unit of the Canadian Army during the Second World War. Formed in July 1942 and disbanded in September 1945, it was officially part of the Canadian Army but operated under the British 6th Airborne Division, participating in some of the most significant operations of the war — including D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and Operation Varsity (the Rhine Crossing).

Join the Canadian Airborne Forces Association's 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion Study Tour from 7-16 May 2027. Explore Normandy D-Day beaches, key battlefields in Europe, museums, and cemeteries with expert historians and veterans. Express interest via survey starting Oct 6, 2025.

Discover the September 2025 issue of The Maroon Beret, the official magazine of the Canadian Airborne Forces Association. Featuring veteran stories, historical insights, and community updates—now available digitally!

Scholarship presentation that was done on 25 August 2025 by CWO (ret'd) John Marr at St John New Brunswick. Photo:  L to R - John Marr,...

Join CAFA to buy pre-release copies of Canada’s Killer Elite for $35 on Aug 13 & 17, 2025, at Kingston & Petawawa. Cash only, profits support CAFA.

On Friday 25 July, 41 Army Cadets completed Basic Parachutist Course Serial 0253 at the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre (CAAWC) ...

On 24 July 2025, presided by Commander Combat Training Centre Colonel Loic Darras, a Change of Command ceremony was conducted between Lieutenant-Colonel Jéremie Gauvreau and Lieutenant-Colonel Jeff Brown.

DAKOTA C-47 CEREMONY. A ceremony was held on 6 June on the 81st anniversary of D-Day, to rededicate the newly refurbished C-47 Dakota...

The Canadian Airborne Forces Association (CAFA) Soldier of the Year is MCpl Dylan Caron from 3rd Battalion Royal 22nd Regiment (R22eR) ....

A ceremony will be held at Garrison Petawawa Military Museum to rededicate a refurbished C-47 Dakota aircraft.

CAFA AGM 23-25 May 2025.   The Canadian Airborne Forces Association (CAFA) conducted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and associated...

The Canadian Airborne Forces Association (CAFA) will hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at CFB Trenton on the 23rd, 24th and 25th of...

Click the link below to download this issue and past issues of Maroon Beret Magazine!

May 8th marks the 57th anniversary of Canada’s worst peacetime training accident, which saw seven paratroopers drown.

8 May 2025 will mark the 80 th anniversary of the WW II Allied victory in Europe. In recognition of this historic event Roger Chabot and...

On 23 February at Royal Canadian Legion Branch #97 in Prescott Ontario, Walter Holmes and Rick Hatton (Canadian Airborne Forces...

On Tuesday 25 February, in Gatineau QC, Marlene Schmidle and André Bilodeau were each presented the King Charles III Coronation Medal....

As part of a Canadian War Museum initiative, “In Their Own Voices,” aimed at creating accounts of veteran experience after war or...

On Tuesday 18 February, in Napanee Ontario, CAFA President Rick Hatton presented a King Charles III Coronation Medal to Glenn Piper....

RSVP:  Susan Cook at RCMI  Slc@rcmi.org  by April 1st, 2025  The 35th Annual Airborne Luncheon will be held on April 11th at the Royal...