Secret
Appendix "A"
to AFAO 71.00/01
Narrative Report
RCAF Station Senneterre, PQ
2 Jun 58
One week course on the FPS-6 commenced and six men were trained.
4 Jun 58
F/L JS Watt, SMO, transferred to Station Uplands.
14 Jun 58
F/L JMG Morin, Med/MO, reported in from RU Lavalle to assume the position of SMO.
23 Jun 58
F/L RWC Tate became acting OpsO until 25 Jun 58. Equipment for Val d’Or Summer Camp re-installed. Equipment included 2 VHF channels and an intercom system. F/O Hull, CEO, TD to ADCHQ for period 23 to 27 Jun 58 inclusive for CE Officer’s Conference.
24 Jun 58
F/O WA Jackson arrived on posting from Station St. Hubert. S/L HJ Tennant on transfer from RCAF Staff College, Toronto, Ontario.
25 Jun 58
F/O JF Bouman, AS/FtrC, arrived from Station Falconbridge on TD for 2 days Controller Briefing. F/L EH Jones, Chaplain (P), on transfer from 1 OS London, Ontario.
26 Jun 58
F/L JMG Morin, SMO, proceeded to Station St. Hubert for two days, for aircrew medical familiarization and general service hospital operations.
28 Jun 58
F/L EA Archer handed over the Supply Section to F/O WA Jackson.
29 Jun 58
S/L McFee, CO 2402 Auxiliary Squadron Winnipeg, arrived for summer camp training. F/O M Thiesson, Med/Nur, arrived for a one month period of SD.
1 Jul 58
F/O Dumond and F/O Sutherland granted PCs and F/L AR Abercrombie promoted to substantive rank of S/L.
2 Jul 58
F/L ER Archer, Sup (SSO), transferred to Station St. Hubert. F/O W Rae, AS/FtrC, arrived from Station Foymount for cross training for a period of three days. A one week course on the 15-J-1D was carried out and six men were trained.
4 Jul 58
S/L HJ Tennant, Air/Obs, proceeded on TD to Tyndall AFB for an eight week Interceptor Controller Course.
4 – 6 Jul 58
F/L RWC Tate assumed the position of OpsO.
7 – 9 Jul 58
F/L LWF Beasleigh assumed the position of OpsO.
9 Jul 58
Broadcast Control exercise Cross Talk IV carried out with 8 CF-100s. Infiltration team from CHQ arrived and a successful exercise was carried out throughout the night.
10 – 16 Jul 58
F/L CW Chase assumed the position of OpsO.
14 Jul 58
ECM exercise with 104 (K) Flight C-119. Twenty-five intercepts with 18 MAs in the afternoon and eight intercepts in the evening with six MIs.
15 Jul – 1 Aug 58
The Deputy Minister Audit was carried out at this station.
18 Jul 58
F/L WJ Cunningham, AS/FtrC, posted to Station Holberg. F/L WJ Clare, Air/P, proceeded on eight weeks TD to Tyndall AFB to attend Intercept Controller Course.
18 – 20 Jul 58
F/L RWC Tate assumed duties of OpsO.
19 Jul – 4 Aug 58
F/O VL Andrews assumed the position of Acting CAdO.
21 Jul 58
F/O CE Taylor, AS/FtrC, attended a three week Controller Proficiency Unit Course 27 at Station Cold Lake.
24 Jul 58
F/L CH Jensen, Chaplain (P), transferred to 1 Air Div HQ.
25 Jul 58
F/L EH Jones awarded the War Medal 1939-45 CVSM.
26 Jul 58
F/O PH Russell, Tech/Tel, transferred from 1 R&CS Clinton.
28 Jul 58
Cage Bird Exercise was conducted with Lancaster and Neptune aircraft on northbound tracks at low level. Exercise was not too successful.
29 Jul 58
Cage Bird Exercise continued with aircraft returning from northern strips. Met with less success than the northbound trip, with weather as a prime factor as there was considerable AP on the scope. Correlation presented a problem with the numerous local low flying aircraft.
30 Jul 58
F/L RWC Tate, AS/FtrC, proceeded on two days TD to Station Falconbridge for cross training.
31 Jul 58
S/L AJ Simpson, AS/FtrC (COpsO), transferred to Sector Lac St. Denis, Quebec.
2 Aug 58
F/L WH Wortley, AS/FtrC, transferred to Station Edgar.
4 Aug 58
F/L GW Chase, AS/FtrC, proceeded on two days TD to Station Foymount for cross training.
4 – 7 Aug 58
S/L AR Abercrombie assumed temporary command in the absence of the Commanding Officer, W/C EJW Higgin.
5 Aug 58
W/C EJW Higgin, CO, proceeded on TD to O’Hare AFB, Partridge Illinois, USA for two days. Purpose – Briefing WSEG trials.
6 – 14 Aug 58
First annual peaking of the AN/FPS-3(C) Radar, by RCAF technicians. The results were highly successful and the "Off the Air" time kept to a record minimum of 13 hours.
7 – 8 Aug 58
Four Faker aircraft from Ottawa penetrated the Sector at two hour intervals. This unit was involved with a total of 18 intercepts.
10 Aug 58
F/O ET Keasey and Sgt. LHR Theedon arrived from Station Parent to observe peaking of FPS-3 radar. F/O GP Vincent, AS/FtrC, transferred from Station Edgar.
13 – 21 Aug 58
F/O VL Andrews assumed the position of CAdO.
14 Aug 58
A pre- WEXVAL training exercise was carried out, however, other than augmentation of crews, this station not involved.
16 – 21 Aug 58
S/L AR Abercrombie assumed temporary command in the absence of the Commanding Officer, W/C EJW Higgin.
18 – 27 Aug 58
The main and left radomes were recoated with rubberized paint by representatives of Firestone Company of Hamilton.
20 Aug 58
F/O JS Farrell, Tech/Tel, transferred to 1 R&CS Clinton for Staff Duties.
22 Aug 58
F/L GW Chase, AS/FtrC, transferred to Station Sydney.
23 Aug 58
Station Softball Team left for a weekend at Parent and returned with the Kent Trophy.
25 Aug 58
F/O FA Carson, AS/FtrC, proceeded on two days TD to ADCHQ COC for cross training. F/O KH Derick from 2401 AC&W Squadron Montreal, arrived for a six month period of Special Duty.
29 Aug 58
An exercise of no defined name occurred with three penetrations by six targets. Seven pairs of fighters were assigned to Senneterre.
4 Sep 58
WEXVAL Exercise – little effect on this station.
5 Sep 58
F/O FW Carroll, Tech/Tel, transferred from Supernumerary CJSW duty, Keesler AFB.
8 – 19 Sep 58
F/L RWC Tate, AS/FtrC, F/L HT Scott, AS/FtrC, and Sgt. LB Mosher, FtrCop, proceeded on TD to Santa Monica California, USA for Indoctrination Course, STP.
9 Sep 58
Equipment at Val d’Or was returned at the completion of Val d’Or summer camp.
10 Sep 58
Another Wexval Exercise with no activity for this unit.
13 Sep 58
Mr. L Hebden and party started the project of Halyard Installation of the HF antennas. The task was completed within one week.
15 Sep 58
F/O NM Danson, Med/Nur, transferred from 1 OS Centralia. W/C EJW Higgin, CO, proceeded on three days TD to Santa Monica, California, USA for Indoctrination Course, STP.
15 – 19 Sep 58
S/L AR Abercrombie assumed temporary command during the absence of the Commanding Officer, W/C EJW Higgin.
16 Sep 58
F/O HH Bouis, Air/Obs, transferred from 1 FWHQ.
18 Sep 58
Wexval hit us fairly hard as far as the surveillance picture was concerned. No fighters assigned. Considerable mechanical jamming.
20 Sep 58
Exercise Top Hand, "Cocked Pistol" declared at 0432Z. This was a two phase exercise, one a minimum warning attack, followed twelve hours later by a maximum warning strike. F/O DJ Sillars, Med/Nur, transferred to Station Cold Lake.
24 – 30 Sep 58
Peaking of the AN/FPS-6 Height Finder, was carried out by an MRP of five technical personnel from General Electric, Toronto and four unit Radar Technicians.
26 Sep 58
Air Commodore Bradshaw and Group Captain Dennison arrived for a visit and tour of Station Senneterre.
29 Sep 58
F/O GP Vincent, AS/FtrC, proceeded on TD to Station Cold Lake, Alberta for a three week CPU Course.
1 Oct 58
F/O GV Brown, Air/Obs, transferred from 409 AWF Squadron, Comox. Cue Ball Exercise. Two pair of CF-100s assigned to Senneterre with a perfect score. F/O JR Bourassa promoted to substantive rank of F/L effective 1 Jul 58.
2 Oct 58
First STP Exercise with Hip Pocket operations for normal traffic. Shortage of personnel main problem. Results quite good for first exercise. Exercises to be conducted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, if possible.
3 Oct 58
Re-run STP Problem 1.
4 Oct 58
Kiwanis Kid’s Day observed at this unit. A total of 48 boys and 4 adults arrived from Val d’Or under the sponsorship of the Val d’Or Kiwanis for a tour of Station Senneterre.
6 Oct 58
Problem 2 STP. A one week course on the AN/GPS-T2 was carried out. Six men from this unit and two USAF technicians from USAF Station Ramore were trained.
8 Oct 58
Exercise Desk Top conducted from 0700Z to 1900Z. This was strictly synthetic surveillance with information fed into the system by a Trusted Agent. The purpose was to complement an STP exercise being carried on to the south.
9 Oct 58
Cue Ball Exercise with three pair CF-100s assigned and twelve targets. Mobile jammer in area extremely effective. One pair F-89s returned to base short of fuel and two pairs of CF-100s handed over to Eskimo because of jamming.
10 Oct 58
STP Problem 2 – Re-run.
11 Oct 58
F/O HH Bouius, Air/Obs, proceeded on TD to Tyndall AFB Florida to attend a ten week Interceptor Controller Course.
13 Oct 58
STP Problem 3, communications and procedures gradually being sorted out.
14 Oct 58
F/O Bourassa, Air/P, proceeded on TD to 6 FTTU Trenton for three day T-33 Mk3 Aircraft Familiarization Course.
20 Oct 58
F/O JE Robitaille, Tech/CE, arrived on TD from Station Parent for purpose of familiarization.
20 – 24 Oct 58
S/L HJ Tennant assumed temporary command during the absence of the Commanding Officer, W/C EJW Higgin.
21 Oct 58
Briefing by Dr. Meyrand to all controllers on the art of STP debriefing.
22 Oct 58
Exercise Big Jump in support of 30th Air Division, "Cocked Pistol" at 1800Z and lasting to Fade Out at 1836Z 24. Two pairs of CF-100s under control for exercise in addition to normal work load.
27 Oct 58
F/O JCUC Carter, Air/Obs, proceeded on TD to Station Cold Lake, Alberta for three week CPU Course.
28 Oct 58
F/L Robinson visited the station for a Telecommunications Inspection. F/L DJ Cordukes arriving from Station Mont Apica for one day Supply Liaison.
29 Oct 58
Big Blast exercise provided very effective sweep and chaff jamming. Six F-89J’s under Puritan control. Three aborted and three resulted in MAs.
30 Oct 58
S/L HJ Tennant, Air/Obs, and F/L RWC Tate, AS/FtrC, proceeded to Sector Edgar for two days to discuss STP Exercises.
3 – 7 Nov 58
F/O Jackson attended the ADC, SSupO Conference at St. Hubert.
4 Nov 58
Air Vice Marshal MacBrien, AOC ADC, arrived for a staff visit and tour of Station Senneterre.
11 Nov 58
F/O WI Suttie, Air/Obs, transferred from Station Bagotville.
11 – 13 Nov 58
Inspection of the Radar Section and Equipment carried out by F/L HB Robinson of ADCHQ Telecom Staff.
17 – 19 Nov 58
S/L JR Low, WO2 DC Williams, and Cpl. DF Henderson completed the Annual Command Supply Staff Inspection.
19 Nov 58
Mr. Faguay and Mr. Haughian, CCPO’s, arrived for a two day visit at Station Senneterre.
25 Nov 58
F/O HF Hull, Tech/CE, proceeded on TD to Station Foymount for a three day demonstration and site briefings. F/L PC Walker, Air/P, transferred from Station Portage La Prairie. F/O FAW Jurgenson, Air/Obs, transferred from 410 AW Squadron Uplands.
26 Nov 58
Annual overhaul of the AN/FPS-3(C), Search Radar, by technical personnel from Northern Electric, Belleville, commenced.
Submitted in accordance with AFAO 71.00/01
(EJW Higgin) W/C
CO RCAF Station Senneterre