Lieutenant-Colonel William George “Billy” Barker, V.C., is one of Dauphin’s most celebrated early residents and Canada’s most decorated First World War hero. His legendary final combat saw him take down multiple enemy aircraft while facing overwhelming odds, earning him the Victoria Cross.
In his honour, the Dauphin Municipal Airport was renamed the Lt. Col. W.G. (Billy) Barker, V.C. Airport, with statues located there and in CN Park. Built during the Second World War as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the airport once housed No. 10 Service Flying Training School, while No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School operated nearby in Paulson. Together, they trained over 9,000 airmen.