Historical Record

1. General

It is proposed to outline the activities of 31 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron during the above period under main subject headings.

2. Organization

204 Radio Station, Edgar, Ontario, was organized effective 15 September, 1952 under authority of AFHQ Org Order #1003 dated 6 May, 1952, but was re-named 31 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron effective 1 October, 1952, with no changes in its functions from that previously in force.

Prior to 15 September, 1952, the date of activation of 204 Radio Station, an advance party of 30 personnel was made available to prepare the Station for occupancy. The duties performed by this advance party were quite onerous and consisted mostly in unloading and uncrating furniture, setting-up furniture in the various buildings, preparation of an administrative set-up in messes and institutes and organization of station headquarters and the supply section.

On the opening date the Station began to function quite smoothly with a few kinks still to be sorted out.

The biggest single problem affecting a good organizational setup was the lack of proper storage facilities for a surplus of equipment, most of which could not be set-up due to the non-completion of the recreational hall. As a result, this equipment had to be stored in the Station School and in the main building (which was far from ready for occupancy). It would appear that there was not too much liaison between the organizational staffs at higher level and AMC HQ insofar as shipment of sports equipment was concerned or the fact would have been known that a recreational building had not even been started when the first consignment of sports equipment arrived. Recommend inn future, that scheduling of shipments should be based on availability of storage facilities at new stations.

3. Personnel

The following executive appointments were made effective 15 September, 1952:

The following executive appointment was made effective 16 October, 1952:

The following executive appointment was made effective 13 November, 1952:

The following officers were TOS effective dates as shown:

Personnel visiting this Station during the period of this report were as listed below:

The following promotions were announced during the month of October:

To be Flying Officer

45185W P/O EC Hick (Admin)
46360 P/O L Bushell (CE)

As at 30 November, 1952, 154 officers, airmen and airwomen were on strength.

Due to the fact that the majority of the airmen and airwomen at this station are in the trades which cannot be utilized until such time as the main building is ready, a great deal of misemployment is necessary. All misemployed personnel seem to have accepted this fact in good grace and realize that it is only a temporary measure until they can be employed in the trade in which they are mustered.

Very few charges have been laid against airmen or airwomen, indicating that the discipline, deportment and morale is generally sound. Visiting officers have, in fact, commented that they are well satisfied with the morale on this station and have intimidated that it is higher than the average obtaining at other similar units.

4. Supply

The general supply situation is good. There are no acute shortages of any material except civilian documentation pro formae which, it is understood, are short throughout the service.

Storage of surplus equipment has been somewhat of a problem, but as more buildings are being taken over (e.g. hospital and main building) this situation should resolve itself.

In the initial stages of organization, it was not always possible to carry out all the required voucher work before the Station opened but this has now been done.

The security of the Supply Section leaves much to be desired, as access to the Station is no problem to anyone determined enough to want to enter that Station area illegally, and entrance to the Supply Section would be quite easy by simply braking a window or windows.

5. Accommodation

The accommodation provided for the ME Section, Fire Hall and Supply Section is totally inadequate, which fact has been brought to the attention of ADC HQ. An additional wing should be added to the existing Supply Section. A building at least three times the present building now housing the Fire Hall and ME Section is required to accommodate all vehicles called for on establishment and to provide sleeping accommodation for the duty driver and fire picquet. Neither of the aforementioned sections can operate efficiently under the present set-up.

The present accommodation provided for single personnel will be insufficient if the total establishment of officers, airmen and airwomen is filled. Recommendations have already been submitted that an additional wing be provided for the airwomen’s barrack block. If Reserve personnel are to be accommodated on week-ends and during the summer period, an additional barrack block or Armco hut will have to be built or the temporary living quarters now used by Piggott’s Construction Company taken over. Station Headquarters now is being housed in two of the three wings of Building #2 (Airwomen’s Quarters) and should the need arise, it will be necessary to re-house Station Headquarters in the marries quarters area pending the completion of an Armco hut for the Station headquarters, as now planned, or inclusion of Station Headquarters in the basement of the Recreation Hall which is now only about 1/5 completed, to date. Before the move of Station Headquarters is decided upon, all single officers and NCOs will be moved out of their present accommodation and housed in PMQs and their quarters taken over by airwomen.

One of the big stumbling blocks regarding accommodation has been the lack of a recreational hall for entertainment, sports, church services, snack bar and a spot for Station Headquarters to be located. All of the above services are being carried on without the facilities of a recreational hall, but only under the greatest difficulty. The recreational hall is approximately 1/5 finished and should be ready by the spring of 1953.

All of the permanent married quarters have now been taken over, subject to certain deficiencies being corrected. To date, 34 houses have been allotted, leaving 31 vacant, a large proportion of which have been reserved for married personnel who will be arriving when the main building is ready for occupancy and is on a working basis. In the absence of a clear-cut policy re the number of PMQ’s which should be held in reserve, a minimum of 70 points for Senior NCOs and officers and 50 points for Cpls. And below has been set as the qualifying factor to decide whether or not a PMQ is allotted to any individuals. Generally, not too much distress has been caused married personnel who do not qualify for a PMQ as adequate accommodation off the Station is available within the surrounding district, even though it is not up to the standards one would expect to obtain in a city.

The single barrack accommodation is quite modern but the colour scheme, although attractive, is quite impractical. One of the major omissions from the largest wings of each of the present barrack blocks is the complete absence of a locker room. This omission, plus the fact that no space is available in the bedrooms for locking up valuable articles, makes it rather difficult for an airman or airwoman to feel that his valuables can be stored in his sleeping accommodation with any degree of safety. This situation is being corrected, locally, by providing a steel bar locking device for each occupant of every room, with which he can, by purchasing a lock, provide a reasonable safe receptacle for his valuable belongings and private papers.

The Station Hospital is not yet complete. Progress has been quite slow, but it is anticipated that it should be ready by the first week of January 1953, subject to the RCAF accepting it.

On 18 October, 1952 the first radome was installed on the main building and from that time on the diesel power plant in the main building was required to operate on a full time basis, developing power to keep the radome up. The tower radomes were erected on 13 October, 1952 and 17 October, 1952, west and east towers respectively.

On 13 November, 1952, the RCAF Resident Engineer assumed the responsibility for the pressurizing equipment for the radomes, utilizing the services of four radar performance checkers as watchers on a 24 hour basis.

On 27 November, 1952, the search radar produced its first signals on the precision "A" oscilloscope and on the following date, 28 November, 1952, it was operating on three PPI screens, showing for the first time the radar plan of this area.

6. Security

The security of this Station leaves much to be desired and has already been outlined in full to ADC HQ.

Since the above letter was written, the fencing around the main building has been completed, but it is practically useless as the fencing is resting on a sand base and it is a comparatively simple matter to burrow a hole under it and gain admittance.

A strict system of controlling entrance of tradesmen and guests has been instituted at this Station. Details respecting this are not being listed but assurance is given that, so far as barrier control is concerned, it is working out quite well. However, as this Station, without fencing, is so accessible by a number of different routes, security outside of barrier control, hourly patrols and internal security measures is practically non-existent.

The unsatisfactory situation respecting fencing around the station perimeter will be partially taken care of by a wing fence to be constructed around certain parts of the station perimeter,

7. Medical and Dental Services

Up until the arrival of the SMO, all sick parades were held at Camp Borden, (approximately 32 miles away). Effective 16 October, 1952, sick parades were held at this station.

Dental treatment for service personnel is provided by the RCDC detachment at Camp Borden, but when the station hospital is completed, a dental clinic will be set up and a dental officer made available to give treatment to personnel at this station on a two weeks out of four basis.

The station MIR is presently located in the officer’s wing of Barrack Block #1, but will move from there in January 1953 when, it is anticipated, the Station Hospital will be completed.

8. Chaplain Services

Despite a number of visits by the Command Chaplain (Protestant) and his assistant, no firm date can yet be given as to when Protestant church services will be held on this station, although it is understood that a part-time Protestant minister will be available sometime in December.

One visit only (on 28 November, 1952) has been made to this Station by the Command Chaplain (RC), despite a number of requests made by the Commanding Officer. No information is available as to when RC masses will be held on this Station.

Pending further information re organization of church services on this Station, arrangements have been in effect for some time to transport Protestant and RC personnel to church at Crown Hill and Barrie, respectively.

When church services do commence on the Station, they will be held in the assembly room of the Station School which, although not satisfactory accommodation, is the only space available until the recreation hall is ready in the spring of 1953.

9. Accounting Services

Up until the 1^st October, 1952, this Station obtained its accounting services from RCAF Station Camp Borden. As from the above mentioned date, 31 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron became self-accounting.

10. Messing

Messing, up until the end of November, 1952, was a real source of worry to the responsible officer staff at this station, inasmuch as no NCO cook had been transferred in to take over supervision of the staff or control of the mess inventory. This situation will be corrected in December, 1952, when a Senior NCO cook arrives to take over these duties on transfer.

Three different NCOs were sent in on temporary duty for duties as NCO i/c Combined Mess Kitchen Staff, two of which were first-rate men. The third man was completely hopeless and, as a result, the quality of meals, while he was attached here, went progressively downwards.

A high standard of messing has now been achieved and it should be possible to maintain it in the future.

11. Messes and Institutes

An Airmen’s and Airwomen’s Canteen, a Sergeant’s Mess and an Officer’s Mess were set up on the 15 September, 1952.

The Airmen’s Canteen and the Sergeant’s Mess are operating on a continuing basis, but the Officer’s Mess is open, at present, only two days per week. During the remaining 5 days of the week, officers are permitted to use the facilities of the Sergeant’s Mess, until such time as there is a sufficient number of officers to warrant keeping the Officer’s Mess open on a full time basis.

A Station Snack-bar is now in operation each evening and is reasonably well patronized.

Two service stewards, only, are available to operate these institutes, plus the Central Warehouse. As a result, it has been necessary to misemploy tradesmen who cannot be employed, for the time being, in the trades in which they are mustered. There are four civilian steward positions on the Station establishment but, to date, authority to hire all or some of these stewards cannot be secured as the question of employing civilian stewards in Messes and Institutes is under review at AFHQ.

12. Entertainment and Welfare

A very active entertainment programme has been carried on at this Station since its activation. This programme of entertainment has paid off dividends in keeping up morale at a high level.

Three movies are shown per week to all ranks, admission which is .25 cents per person and .10 cents per child of married personnel for two of these movies. There is no admission for the third movie, which is of an educational or medical nature.

At least one Station dance is held per week in addition to those dances held on special occasions such as Halloween.

Bingo’s and millionaire’s nights are held at regular intervals and seem to go over very well.

Swimming parties for Airwomen to Orillia have been organized one night per week and are well attended. A similar programme is being arranged for airmen.

Recreational runs to Barrie and Orillia three nights a week were organized up until such time as suitable public transportation to and from Barrie could be arranged. Now that public transportation has been made available to this Station, the bus company concerned is conforming to the routine recreational runs previously laid.

A Glee Club and Debating Society are now being formed and should be in operation quite soon.

A Station Library has been organized and is now functioning quite well. Two hundred books are available in this lending-library.

A skating rink is being built as soon as weather conditions permit and a ski run is being contemplated.

A station hockey team has been formed and a great deal of interest is being displayed in it. This team will be entering one of the local leagues.

An excellent stage show has been formed including both airmen and airwomen, and is being made available to other stations in ADC as and when desired.

A Station newspaper was organized in November, 1952 and the first edition of the paper was published on 16 November, 1952.

The enthusiasm displayed by all ranks in Station entertainment is most gratifying and is only hampered by inadequate accommodation, as the recreational hall will not be available until the spring of 1953.

13. Mobile Equipment

As mentioned in para 5 of this historical record, inadequate accommodation is one of the main stumbling blocks to the operation of a first-class ME Section.

Since this Station is in a "snow-belt", snow removal equipment of the right type is required during the winter months. The most urgent requirement is for a front-end loader and a "V" plow. A lot of wasted effort is the result of inadequate snow-fighting equipment. The lack of this special equipment has been brought to the attention of ADC HQ.

An ambulance and fire truck are still being awaited for but it is understood that they are on the way.

There were two ME accidents during the period covered by this report.

14. Communications

One teletype machine is in operation at present. This one machine will, for the moment, meet the administrative requirements of this Station.

Switchboard facilities cannot yet be made available due to the non-completion of that part of the facilities in the main building. Three direct lines to Barrie have been provided with a number of extensions and, as an interim measure, are quite satisfactory. One of these lines has been set-up to take calls during after-duty hours and is, in effect, taking the place of a switchboard.

15. Conclusion

In view of the fact that this Station has only been activated two and a half months, it is considered that much progress has been made and all sections are operating quite efficiently, even though hampered by inadequate accommodation which is the most pressing problem.

Prepared By:

(RE Patterson) F/L
CAdO

Submitted:

(HC Vinnicombe) W/C
Commanding Officer
31 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
Edgar, Ontario.

Date: 29 December, 1952