From the early days of the Royal Flying Corps to the skies over Afghanistan, men and women from the area have 'slipped the surly  bonds' and signed on for service. However, during WW II men from all over the world arrived to train at three major training schools of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan each within 15 kilometers of the Elgin Military Museum: No.1 Technical Training School, St. Thomas, No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School at Fingal and No. 14 Service Flying Training School, Aylmer which was also home to the Women's Division Service Police School (1942) and No. 1 Flight Engineers' School  (1 July 1944 – 31 March 1945).