Red Roads to Runways, the Story of the Royal Canadian Air Force at Summerside, by Captain (Ret) Larry F. Gray is for its size, a fairly comprehensive history of the air force base in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Having served at the base, Gray is well suited to write the history of RCAF Station/CFB Summerside and this is his fifth book covering the history of men and women who have served in Canada’s military.

The reason for the title is abundantly clear to anyone who has lived on or visited the island, with its rich red soil, and that is where the book begins; with that soil making up the roads of the base prior to their being completed. We are taken through the history of the station, from its start in 1940 as a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan location to the final closure of CFB Summerside in 1991. The author introduces us to the people, planes and lifestyles over that period, with a healthy serving of personal stories and events as well as the steady changes in purpose endured by the base.

I only wish there had been more and larger photographs included within the pages, but I appreciate how difficult acquiring them would be from the days before everyone carried a cell phone with a camera built into it in their pockets. We are however, treated to some of the aviation art works of Rob Arsenault, one of Canada’s most gifted artists, which adds a beautiful touch to the book, including the cover.

Captain (Ret) Larry F. Gray has produced a wonderful work within the pages of Red Roads to Runways, and anyone who served at Summerside, or has an interest in Royal Canadian Air Force history will want to acquire a copy for themselves.

Copyright 2014 Daniel L Little ( )