Edgar, ON

1959 – Narrative Report – National Archives of Canada


NARRATIVE REPORT
RCAF Station Edgar, Ontario
Period 1 Jun 59 to 30 Nov 59, Inclusive

1 Jun 59

Operational Strength

Officers

24

WO

1

Senior NCOs

8

Junior NCOs

22

Airmen

76

Airwomen

34

Total

165

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Ops Organizational Changes. (Not reported on last Historical Narrative). The previous COpsO S/L RM Beer, CD, retired and was replaced by S/L JH Cochrane, CD, previously Deputy Sector Commander, 3 ADCC Edgar, now 3rd NORAD Division.

A three pronged organization was evolved, establishing specialized positions for a Senior Operations Officer, a Control Standards Officer and Surveillance Standards Officer.

The SrOpsO is responsible to the COpsO for the overall performance of the operations and its associated personnel. In the absence of the COpsO, he assumes this position.

The Control Standards Officer is responsible to the COpsO for maintaining the high proficiency of all controllers and for assuring a high standard in all control aspects. This section also keeps all statistical reports.

The Surveillance Standards Officer is responsible to the COpsO for a continuing high standard of surveillance operations.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Tiger Team. (This item was also omitted on the last Historical Narrative) Along with our new organization, a Tiger Team was also formed. The principal behind the Tiger Team is that during major exercises all positions are filled by specialists; in essence, by personnel who have shown exceptional abilities to perform specific functions.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Ops Projects - Surveillance Conference Circuit. Prior to the commencement of this reporting period, communications were made available so that the Duty Surveillance Officers at all units within the 3rd NORAD Division could be connected on a Surveillance Conference circuit. This facility was used during all the important exercises and proved to be of invaluable assistance in improving the accuracy and continuity of the Surveillance displays throughout the division.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

G/C Gwinn, Colonel Milner (USAF) and party visited Edgar and discussed the proposed telecom layout in connection with SAGE.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Operations Command. S/L JH Cochrane, COpsO, assumed command of RCAF Station Edgar on the following dates: 9 May to 21 Jul 59 and 27 Jul to 3 Aug 59. F/L WL Pigeon assumed the post of COpsO for the following period: 9 May to 21 Jul 59 and 27 Jul to 3 Aug 59.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Auxiliary Squadrons. 2424 and 2400 AC&W Squadrons carried out weekend training. 2400 AC&W Squadron attended summer camp at this Unit with 20 officers and 19 other ranks.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Exercises. Listed hereunder, are the names of the exercises which this Unit participated in during the period covered by this report. The results are shown also.

Date

Exercise

# a/c committed

Results

Results

8 Jun

Profile

5

2MA

3MI

9 Jun

Cats Eye 8

8

2MA

6MI

10 Jun

Profile

16

13MA

3MI

11 Jun

Desk Top II

12

6MA

6MI

11 Jun

Counter Punch

5

3MA

2MI

17 Jun

Big Blast

5

2MA

3MI

17 Jun

Big Blast & Cue Ball

6

2MA

4MI

23 Jun

30th Air Div Exercise

6

3MA

3MI

24 Jun

Shake Up

3

1MA

2MI

29 Jun

Cross Talk 6

4

0MA

4MI

7 Jul

Chess Match

6

0MA

6MI

9 Jul

Big Blast - Bank Clerk

11

5MA

6MI

10 Jul

Big Blast - Red Eagle

10

7MA

3MI

16 Jul

Profile

21

9MA

12MI

16 Jul

Profile

2

2MA

0MI

17 Jul

Counter Punch

8

2MA

6MI

31 Jul

Big Blast - Red Eagle

4

2MA

2MI

6 Aug

Straw Boss

4

2MA

2MI

6 Aug

Counter Punch

4

0MA

4MI

7 Aug

Big Blast

0

0MA

0MI

12 Aug

Cue Ball

14

4MA

10MI

13 Aug

Think Ahead

4

3MA

1MI

13 Aug

Big Blast - Bank Clerk

4

0MA

4MI

18 Aug

Chess Match

8

3MA

5MI

20 Aug

Counter Punch

4

0MA

4MI

26 Aug

Chess Match

8

3MA

5MI

27 Aug

Cats Eye 9

4

1MA

3MI

27 Aug

Big Blast

0

0MA

0MI

27 Aug

Profile

9

6MA

3MI

3 Sep

Straw Boss

4

3MA

1MI

4 Sep

Big Blast - Red Eagle

8

3MA

5MI

10 Sep

Big Blast - Bank Clerk

0

0MA

0MI

17 Sep

Counter Punch

2

1MA

1MI

24 Sep

Cats Eye 10 - Big Blast - Red Eagle

22

17MA

5MI

29 Sep

Chess Match

8

6MA

2MI

29 Sep

Profile

21

11MA

10MI

2 Oct

Profile

10

8MA

2MI

2 Oct

Big Blast - Red Eagle

6

1MA

5MI

2 Oct

Cats Eye 11

9

4MA

5MI

6 Oct

Big Blast - Sound Wave

0

0MA

0MI

9 Oct

Profile

12

5MA

7MI

13 - 14 Oct

Fast Move

23

16MA

7MI

15 Oct

Big Blasts - 2

4

2MA

2MI

20 Oct

Shake Up

2

0MA

2MI

21 Oct

Profile

10

9MA

1MI

22 Oct

Bone Yard

11

6MA

5MI

28 Oct

Profile

9

9MA

0MI

29 Oct

Big Blast - Red Eagle

0

0MA

4MI

6 Nov

Profile

8

4MA

4MI

10 Nov

Chess Match

8

3MA

5MI

12 Nov

Big Blast - Red Eagle

2

1MA

1MI

12 Nov

Profile

10

4MA

6MI

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Broadcast Control Exercises. During the period covered by this report, this Unit participated in the following Broadcast Control Exercises:

Month

# Exercises

# Commitments

MA

MI

Jun

5

27

9

18

Jul

4

12

2

10

Aug

3

14

4

10

Sep

7

21

7

14

Oct

1

2

1

1

Nov

3

13

4

9

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Daily Ops Training - Practice Intercepts. The following is a breakdown of the PIs for this Unit by month:

Month

Attempted

MA

MI

Jun

368

292

76

Jul

384

334

50

Aug

318

253

55

Sep

379

308

71

Oct

390

313

77

Nov

195

155

40

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Training - Controllers. F/L IF Campbell attended the Controllers course Tyndall, Florida. F/O AR Haskell and F/O PR Conroy attended the CPU course, Cold Lake, Alberta. F/L WL Pigden and F/L RL Cross attended a specialist course (F-102) at Tyndall, Florida.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

The new scrap compound was installed at the west side of the building (Supply) A Clothing fitment room was installed in Supply. SSO’s Office and Issues Counter were relocated within the Supply Section and a general interior repainting was completed. CE Establishment changes were being effected during this period.

4 Jun 59

17600 F/L JB Miller resumes the positions of CAdO and Unit Purchasing Officer. An RTT Net joining St. Hubert, Lac St. Denis and this Unit was activated.

11 Jun 59

ECM Console Receivers. The receiver portions of the prototype ECM console were returned to Canadian Arsenals Ltd., Toronto, for modification prior to further evaluation in USA.

23 Jun 59

49740 F/L GS Sephton Tech/Tel, assumed the duties of Radar Officer vice WO1 W Stott.

24 Jun 59

W/C Balk, ADC HQ, visited the Unit to discuss RIP progress.

30 Jun 59

The Butler Building was taken over by 3rd NORAD Division personnel.

1 Jul 59

30345 F/L AK Ruel assumes positions of CAdO and Unit Purchasing Officer, RCAF Station Edgar vice 17600 F/L JB Miller.

10 Jul 59

NE603 Telephone changes were made preparatory to the modification of the GCI Battle Cabin.

14 Jul 59

A temporary telephone system was installed in 3 ADCC to allow operations to continue during the move of 3 ADCC to the Butler Building (3rd NORAD Division)

15 Jul 59

Commenced construction of Combined Chapel. Now nearing completion.

Jul 59

A/C Bradshaw visited our Operations Room and Command Post in Jul 59. During this visit, he approved, in principle, the proposed changes to the Commander’s cabin.

27 Jul 59

Peaking of AN/FPS-6 height finder radar carried out by section personnel - off the air for 48 hours.

3 Aug 59

19739 W/C WA Hockney resumes command of RCAF Station Edgar vice 2210 S/L JH Cochrane.

10 Aug 59

ALCOP circuits were installed in the new location of 3 ADCC (3rd NORAD Division)

25 Aug 59

Organization Change. In accordance with ADC HQ directive, the Ground Training Section assumed responsibility for all personnel on the station, including 3rd NORAD Division HQ; and for Systems Training Program. F/O Gray remained as SGTO with FS Dragomir as NCO i/c STP; Cpl. Ward, Cpl. Pladsen and LAC Dempsey as TOR Team. Cpl. Griechen remained GT NCO. Plans to expand the Station Ground Training Section to effect the increased responsibilities are implemented. Mr. Jones, the editor of the C&E Digest visited the Unit in connection with an article on the Pinetree Line. W/C Hill ADC HQ, made the annual STelSO visit to the Unit.

26 and 27 Aug 59

This Unit’s FPS-6 was inoperative for a total of 9 hours, 49 minutes, due to contract maintenance of the rigid radome.

28 Aug 59

VHF installation Ops Building tests were completed.

29 Aug 59

Second annual PMC Roadeo was held on the Unit.

Aug 59

Battle Command Post. Renovations to the Operations Cabin were completed to provide an area more suitable for a Battle Command Post. This is now more compatible to our type of operation, having sufficient space for the Battle Commander, the Duty Operations Officer, the Raid Master, the Raid Master’s Assistant, the Ops "B" and the Ops "B1". This project was carried out during the last week of August.

31 Aug 59

Interim handing-over of 1 room extension to A/V/M RC Ripley School, RCAF Station Edgar.

10 Sep 59

A reference library was set up with LAC Douthwright in charge. He also assists the GT NCO.

14 Sep 59

FtrCop TA Courses. Two, 2-week TA courses were given to a total of 55 FtrCops of this Unit and 3rd NORAD Division, in preparation for writing October trade examinations. This Unit continues to participate in three System Training Missions per week. The Auxiliary Units at Toronto and Hamilton carry out two STM’s per weekend visit.

23 Sep 59

The GPA-27A conversion kit which converts the AN/FPS-3 radar to AN/FPS-20A arrived on the Unit and was placed in room 119 of the Operations Building.

14 Oct 59

NE Company installation crew from Toronto and Belleville arrived to commence installation of GPA-27A. Mr. Clair Hunt was engineer in charge. This phase of the installation was completed 30 Oct 59.

19 Oct 59

The preliminary survey was started on the GATR Site.

21 Oct 59

The cable between the Ops and PX Building was damaged by shot-gun pellets.

1 Nov 59

RCAF Tel Techs assumed full responsibility - NorWest Company contract terminated. 49740 F/L GS Sephton assumed the duties of STelO and was appointed Custodian of Registered Publications.

Nov 59

Two officers and two NCOs from SAGE, Syracuse, gave a lecture on SAGE operations to all Unit personnel, during the month of November. They also had discussions with the COpsO, SurvStandO regarding forward and cross telling to SAGE units.

2 Nov 59

The message centre was moved to the 4th floor of the Operations Building. Tuning and testing of all electronic portions of the equipment being carried out. Mr. R Reddick of NE Company, Belleville, Ontario was in charge.

3 Nov 59

22043 WO1 W Stott was appointed Radar Officer.

6 Nov 59

Raid Stands. On the 6 Nov 59, vertical raid stands were introduced as track display equipment replacing the large metal plaques and serial number system. The use of these raid stands has the advantage of having the complete amplifying track data displayed on the horizontal plotting board and consequently, makes use of amplifying tote displays unnecessary. This display system presents to the Battle Staff, a better picture by eliminating correlation of serial numbers with amplifying data on totes.

12 Nov 59

On this date, this Unit ceased operations for conversion of equipment. The FPS-3 was being replaced by the FPS-20. Operations commenced as a Unit, at 0001Z on the 28 Nov 59. During this phase of the programme, radar section personnel relocated the radar section from rooms 407, 409, 410 and 411 to rooms 113, 114, 121 and 119 of the Ops Building. Obsolete portions of the FPS-3 and cabling were removed by Station Radar personnel. Other equipment not made obsolete by the conversion was relocated.

18 Nov 59

The Comm Section was moved to the 4th floor of the Operations Building, taking over the space vacated by the Radar Section.

22 Nov 59

A/C Harvey visited Station Edgar on this date and had discussions with the COpsO. He also inspected our operations facilities.

24 Nov 59

Press, radio, and TV representatives from Barrie, Orillia, and Midland were given a tour of the Operations Building on this date. The extension to the Guardhouse at Station Edgar was started.

24 and 25 Nov 59

Flight Trials directed by AMC commenced. F/O Procter was in charge.

26 Nov 59

Acceptance meeting held between F/L Atkinson ADC HQ, F/O Procter AMC HQ, Mr. Williams DNDIS, Mr. R Reddick NE Company, F/L GS Sephton STelO, and WO1 W Stott RadO. Installation problems and design changes were discussed.

27 Nov 59

AN/FPS-20 completed and operational. NE Company teams departed. The installation teams were most cooperative particularly Mr. R Reddick and his team, in assisting Unit Radar Technicians to become familiar with the equipment.

28 Nov 59

At 0001 hours all radar equipment was declared fully operational.

30 Nov 59

Operational Strength

Officers

32

S/L

3

F/L

18

F/O

11

WO

1

Senior NCOs

7

Junior NCOs

18

Airmen

73

Airwomen

37

Total

168

Submitted by:

(WA Hockney) W/C
CO RCAF Station Edgar