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Oakville's own Honourary Colonel Gerald Haddon will be the special guest speaker at this month's 60th anniversary banquet for the 540 Golden Hawks Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron. Haddon is the grandson of Honourary Air Commodore John McCurdy, the first British subject to fly a heavier-than-air machine in the former British Empire. On Feb. 23, 1909, McCurdy -- who opened Canada's first aviation school -- piloted the Silver Dart over Bras d'Or Lake in Baddeck, N.S. Haddon has also travelled extensively throughout the Middle East and Europe prior to his appointment as honourary colonel of the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering. The anniversary banquet, which takes place on Sunday, May 27 at the Oakville Conference Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Rd., celebrates 60 years of cadet excellence in Oakville and engaging youth aged 12-18 years in many activities such as wilderness training, field exercises, and a marching band. Named after the famous Golden Hawks precision flight team of the Canadian Air Force, the 540 Golden Hawks Squadron in Oakville has nearly doubled in size this year with more than 115 cadets. The cadets meet regularly at Thomas A. Blakelock High School. Former cadets, staff and 540's extended squadron community are invited to join in the Golden Hawks celebrations and help honour the squadron's history with stories, memorabilia and pictures from their cadet experiences. The annual Ceremonial Review will precede the banquet at 1 p.m. at the Oakville Arena, 133 Rebecca St. Registration for the banquet can be done at T.A. Blakelock High School, 1160 Rebecca St., from 6:159:15 p.m. (Tuesday evenings only) or online at www.540goldenhawks.ca. For more information on the anniversary banquet, e-mail anniversary@540goldenhawks.ca -- sponsorship opportunities are also available by e-mailing sponsorships@540goldenhawks.ca. Honourary colonel will speak at Cadets' celebration 15 · Friday, May 18, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com