User:Barry L Stewart

‘’’Black Velvet Dinner’’’ – 400 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force

The Event
The ex-officers of 400 Squadron RCAF organize for the first Friday of every December, a dinner similar to a Mess Dinner. Serving officers and retired members are invited to attend for a fee. It is a chance for former members to reunite and get to know the serving members.

In the 1950’s when the squadron was based at RCAF Station Downsview, the Black Velvet was celebrated as a cocktail party. By 1970 it had evolved to a sit down mess dinner style event. It was held variously at the Avenue Road (Staff School) Mess, the Armour Heights (Canadian Forces College) Mess, the Royal Canadian Military Institute and the Downsview Mess, all in the Toronto area. By the 1980s the members had decided to keep it at the Downsview Mess but that tradition came to an end with the transfer of the squadron to Canadian Forces Base Borden and the demolishing of the Downsview Officers Mess. The event found a new home at the Armour Heights (Canadian Forces College) Officers Mess where it was held as late as December 2010.

The Black Velvet Dinner is controlled by the President who was elected the previous year. The President typically puts much work into the event to ensure its success. A typical Black Velvet dinner begins in the early evening with mixing and meeting in an anteroom. The Black Velvet beverage is made available to imbibe but a bar for other drinks is available. After an hour a piper sounds the ten minute warning to the guests. At the appointed time the Head Table is piped into the dining hall. Except for the Head Table there is no formal seating plan. The tables are arranged in a large “U” shape and formally set. The rest of the attendees follow along to find their chairs and grace is said.

Grace is followed by a soup course, salad, main entrée and dessert. Over coffee and port the Loyal Toast is made. The piper is then toasted with scotch and other toasts follow including a toast to Fallen Comrades and a Toast to the Harvard (aircraft). At this point the President introduces the Head Table. Often the serving Commanding Officer is invited to offer his summary of squadron activities for the previous year. A guest speaker may also give an address. The squadron’s award winning Pipes and Drums are often present to play a demonstration. This is followed by the award of a Black Velvet Medal to a deserving officer or ex-officer. Finally a President is elected to run the following year’s dinner and the party adjourns to the lounge.

Origin
The origin of the annual Black Velvet Dinner is somewhat obscured. In the book “On Watch To Strike- History of 400 (City of Toronto) Squadron” by RW Wylie, 1996 (Toronto), the author gives the following detail: In 1940 the squadron, then known as 110 (City of Toronto) Squadron was based at RAF Station Old Sarum (England) learning its Army Co-operation role. With heavy course loading at the School of Army Co-operation the decision was made to move the squadron to RAF Station Odiham. “Just before leaving RAF Station Old Sarum, the squadron held a garden party to convey its appreciation to those local people, both military and civilian, who had made the squadron feel at home. It is said that on this occasion, the now-traditional squadron drink was conceived. With most of the customary liquid refreshments in short supply a search unearthed caches of Guinness stout and mediocre champagne. When combined, the elixir named ‘Black Velvet’ was born. Guests and hosts alike found the mixture most agreeable. To this day the squadron officers hold an annual Black Velvet Reunion on the first Friday in December.”

It should be noted that Guinness Brewers lay claim to creating the original Black Velvet drink. It is said that at the passing of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert in 1861 the drink was conceived as a dark beverage that would symbolise the mourning of the prince.

400 Squadron, originally known as 10 (Army Co-operation) Squadron was the first RCAF squadron ever formed. Renumbered as 110 Squadron in 1937, Squadron Leader “Wib” Van Vliet took over as Commanding Officer in December 1939. The unit became the first RCAF squadron to proceed overseas for service in World War Two, departing Halifax by ship on 14 February 1940. 400 Squadron is the senior squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force.