Metz, France
Support Unit (SU) Metz

1 Jun 59

Brigadier General KM Baird, OBE, CD, Director General Dental Services, inspected unit dental facilities as part of his tour of RCAF and Army bases in Europe.

30509 F/L Noel de Tilley was appointed EA/AOC, 1 Air Division.

Air Commodore WI Clements, AOC Maritime Air Command, visited General Navereau School accompanied by S/L HG Edwards, CAdO Support Unit, and Captain FL Miller, school principal.

A Guard of Honour commanded by F/L BC Watson was mounted in honour of General FF Everest, Commander 4 ATAF who visited 1 Air Division.

Two dependents were injured in an explosion of a wartime hand grenade which they found in the Fort Bellecroix area. Extensive evacuations near the PMQ area have increased the possibility of such weapons being uncovered, and all personnel were warned of the danger accordingly.

The summer sports program was begun with women’s fastball and men’s inter-section, inter-mess and inter-wing fastball leagues active. More than $150 was collected from RCAF personnel and civilian employees for the French and Canadian Red Cross by the Officer’s Wives Association in their annual drive for funds.

20527 F/O JW Meaden was promoted to F/L effective 13 Apr 59. 47278 F/O DN Ellis was promoted to F/L effective 30 May 59. 216388 F/O JV Guntensperger was promoted to F/L effective 1 Jul 59.

Major H Smedmor, OC CAFIB Ottawa, inspected Support Unit Air Force Police Identification facilities.

A summer program for dependents was begun under the direction of F/O J Craig and Miss Dorothy Johnson. It consisted of organized sports, including swimming classes at the Metz pool, handicrafts, picnics and short tours. For the teenagers, weekly dances were held and exchange invitations extended to 1 and 2 (F) Wings. An extension was added to the PX providing office space and warehouse facilities for each department. The armament section was moved from the Fire Hall, building 8 to building 2A. A new ammunition storage building was constructed and occupied.

Personnel at 1 Air Division combined with 2 (F) Wing for the annual Friends Day. RCAF personnel were encouraged to invite their French friends to the unit where static displays, sports and a fly-past of RCAF aircraft in use in Europe were featured.

Air Commodore DE MacKell (ret) general manager of the RCAF Benevolent Fund, met with the Support Unit Benevolent Fund Committee to discuss problems and clarify policy pertaining to units activities.

Support Unit Telecommunications participated in Exercise Synthex IV, a 4 ATAF communications exercise to test message procedures, speed of handling and back log reporting.

A Guard of Honour was mounted for General Baillif, Military Governor of Metz and Commander of the Sixth Military Region, who paid a brief visit to 1 Air Division Headquarters prior to his retirement from military service.

Rev PWH Edyt, Rev JG Murdock and Rev TR Davis, representing the Lutheran, Presbyterian and United Church of Canada respectively, visited the Support Unit and Choloy Cemetery as part of their liaison visit with Protestant chaplains and congregations in Europe.

A Guard of Honour was mounted for Air Vice Marshal CL Annis, AOC Air Materiel Command, who, with a party from AMCHQ, visited the unit to implement the forward supply concept.

S/L GC Mansell, F/L RW Rapley and WO1 Perrault of AMCHQ gave a briefing on forward supply to Support Unit personnel concerned with Logistics. This is a new concept in supply whereby the user section telephones its needs to the Supply Section which then delivers the material. It is proving completely satisfactory. At a handing-over parade attended by all Support Unit personnel, 2029 S/L HG Edwards assumed command of RCAF Support Unit from 955 W/C BD Kehoe. After three years as Commanding Officer, W/C Kehoe was transferred to 5 Air Division, Vancouver, on retirement from the RCAF. 237128 F/L RW Tooley, Med/MO was promoted to acting S/L effective 1 Sep 59.

846 W/C AP Blackburn assumed command of RCAF Support Unit on transfer from MACHQ/SPSO vice 2029 S/L HG Edwards.

Increased enrolment in the dependents school, which now numbers 646 pupils, necessitated renovating the south-west wing of building 38, a barrack block, during the summer. Three classrooms were completed at a cost of $3,342.00 and handed over in time for the opening of the new term.

Personnel participated in Exercise Side Step, a NATO-wide logistics exercise which also tested the formal alert system by:

Support Unit personnel assumed their war task assignments for the duration of the exercise in logistics, intelligence and telecommunications. The exercise provided Support Unit Telecommunications with the largest volume of messages in any exercise to date. (Ref Air Division Operations Order 22/59 – Exercise Side Step).

A parade under the command of W/C AL Blackburn and church services were held to commemorate the Battle of Britain. The salute was taken by A/V/M LE Wray, AOC, 1 Air Division.

933 WO2 ER Milford was elected mayor of the Canadian Community Council, Fort Bellecroix, replacing 20187 S/L RT Paul. A new slate of councilors was also elected in all wards.

Extensive renovation and redecoration of the Airmen’s Club was begun. During the month eight personnel were trained in a five-day Radiac Monitor course and 21 personnel received refresher training to keep them current on monitoring equipment and procedures. A special French language training course for SIU(E) personnel which began in June was completed. Forty-seven service personnel registered for language training which will continue throughout the year.

30217 S/L SD Walker promoted to W/C effective 1 Oct 59.

G/C GM Fawcett, W/C GL Burness and Mr. JR Eaton of AMCHQ inspected Support Unit telecommunications facilities.

G/C FW MacLean, AFHQ/DRA(P), visited Support Unit and Choloy Cemetery as part of his tour of overseas units.

At a presentation parade, W/C AP Blackburn, Commanding Officer Support Unit, presented the following personnel with the Canadian Forces Decoration.

28 Oct 59

The Chief of Staff, A/C PA Gilchrest, presented the following officers with the Canadian Forces Decoration at a presentation ceremony held in the Recreation Centre.

31 Oct 59

Station Services at 1 Air Division were further improved with the installation of a walk-in refrigerator and the addition of a warehouse to the Grocery Store. Further, a meat-cutting room was set up in the rear of the Butcher Shop.

The RCAF took place in wreath-laying ceremonies at Toul and Metz and at Choloy Cemetery, commemorating French, Canadian and American war dead. At Toul, RCAF representatives were W/C AP Blackburn, CO Support Unit and F/L JBGF Bertand. At Metz G/C HC Ledoux and F/O JG Boissonneault participated.

S/L BC Quinn, AFHQ/AMTS/CCE/DCEM, RCAF fire marshal, inspected the unit fire protection facilities.

Funeral services were held for 30364 F/L AH Milne and LAC FE Lumb who were killed in the crash of an aircraft belonging to the Canuck Flying Club at Donacourt, France, 8 Nov 59. In traditional Remembrance Day services, wreaths were laid by RCAF representatives in the cities of Toul and Metz, and church services held at 1 Air Division Headquarters to commemorate the dead of both world wars and the Korean conflict.

In the annual Grey Cup (Europe) clash, the West defeated the East for the third consecutive year 1-0 on a muddy field. The only score of the game was a rouge in the second quarter. The festivities were presided over by LAW Annette Tang of 4 (F) Wing, this years Miss Grey Cup (Europe) and were attended by high ranking French and American officials, both civilian and military, from the Metz area,

W/C JR France, AFHQ/DATel, visited the unit to inspect and discuss telecommunications workshop facilities.

S/L HG Edwards, CAdO Support Unit, officially opened a new Esso service station, enabling personnel to obtain repairs on their cars and purchase gas, oil and accessories on the unit.

The RCAF, together with French and American personnel, participated in ceremonies commemorating Marshal Foch and the liberation of the city of Metz in 1944.

During the month 42 personnel attended passive defence courses given by the Support Unit Nuclear Defence Section. As part of the unit Civil Defence program, training in First Aid, health and welfare services commenced, with a total of 61 ladies registered.

(AP Blackburn) W/C
CO, RCAF Support Unit, Metz