To help honour Listowel’s greatest hero, WWI Veteran Andrew McKeever, the Listowel Legion and The Great War Flying Museum are planning a commemorative fly over in town next month.
Coming during the time of the Listowel Legion’s 90th anniversary the fly over will go across town, eventually reaching the cemetery and to throw out poppies at the end of the fly over.
McKeever, born August 21st 1894 he first joined the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada until November 1916 when he was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps (RFC)
Under the RFC, McKeever became a well decorated ace who alongside his gunners during the war claimed 31 tallies which consisted of 18 destroyed and 13 “out of control.”
McKeever was eventually shipped home on January 25th 1918.
Garfield Ingram, President of the Great War Flying Museum says while they unfortunately do not have a two seat Bristol Fighter which McKeever used during his service, they do have an aircraft very similar which will be used for the flyover.
“We don’t have a Bristol Fighter although there are a few of them flying around the world but we do have a Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter. So I thought that’s pretty close to what type of aircraft, what class of aircraft McKeever flew.” said Ingram.
The fly over commemoration will take place on June 22nd.
