Narrative Report
52 AC&W Squadron, RCAF Tofino, BC
1 Dec 54 - 31 May 55
1 Dec 54
RCAF Tofino became self accounting this date.
2 Dec 54
S/L Ashworth left for CO’s conference.
10 Dec 54
Lt. Col. Shillington, Dental Corps, inspected station Dental Clinic.
11 Dec 54
Still Stormy - Tarpaulin temporary roof on #1 tower blew off again - third time.
15 Dec 54
First phone call between 12 Group and Station Tofino on lease DND 879.
21 Dec 54
Children’s Christmas party.
22 Dec 54
The weather broke - clear and cool. The Christmas sked arrived - took out eleven personnel on Christmas leave.
25 Dec 54
Merry Christmas - Officers and NCO’s served Christmas dinner to the airmen. F/O MR Jegard’s baby was christened.
31 Dec 54
New Years Eve dance held in Canteen by invitation.
1 Jan 55
Happy New Year. - clear and cold.
10 Jan 55
F/L Bell arrived as CTechO
12 Jan 55
Radar returning.
28 Jan 55
Captain Moss and M/Sgt. Snyder USAF arrived to assist in setting up CPS-5D radar and liaison for spare parts.
29-30 Jan 55
Work continued throughout the weekend on the installation of the CPS-5D and by the time work finished in the evening, PE’s could be seen out to 50 miles.
1 Feb 55
The org board consisting of W/C Jackson, S/L Johnson, F/L Joslin, F/L Rideout and Mr. Beaudin visited the unit.
8 Feb 55
Sgt. Hunt appointed as SWO.
11 Feb 55
Fred Grant of Electronics Lab plus 4 men arrived to complete VHF installation.
12 Feb 55
Mr. Thompson of CMHC Vancouver arrived to look into the location of 20 PMQ’s.
26 Feb 55
Sgt. Hart departed the unit for overseas.
27 Feb 55
Terrible weather. S/L Ashworth and F/L Bell searched Schooner Cove for an old cannon said to have gone down with a Spanish ship. No luck.
28 Feb 55
The weather got worse - seventy knot winds.
1 Mar 55
The weather is still foul - Includes everything. Mr. Kyle and Mr. Salmon of Bell Tel Co arrived to complete final telephone installations.
2 Mar 55
Temperature dropped to 18 degrees above.
3 Mar 55
Cpl. G Howis, R Spec, now on unit.
4 Mar 55
Marriage of LAC Carson - Robinson performed by F/L Goldie who arrived in PM from Comox.
8 Mar 55
15 FtrCop’s arrived via sked a/c from 5 ADCC. Mr. Garry Baker arrived as resident representative of Bell Tel Co.
9 Mar 55
Operations started on hill on an eight hour schedule.
11 Mar 55
FtrCops commenced 24 hour watch. F/O H Huston FtrC reported for duty.
14 Mar 55
Finalized 3rd line from Ops PBX to domestic site which now has 10 phones in use: CO, CTechO, OR, Supply, CE, SP, Fire Hall, ME, Mess Hall, and Wireless room.
15 Mar 55
Captain Taylor and Cpl. Robertson of Dental Corps arrived for 10 days at the new clinic.
17 Mar 55
Quarterly trade exams supervised by F/O Jegard. F/O JA MacGregor and F/O JD McKnight reported in for duty.
21 Mar 55
F/O MacGregor appointed as adjutant. The "Uckuck" went u/s in the Alberni canal - no mail.
22 Mar 55
Mr. J Bull of Bell Tel arrived to replace Mr. R Kyle.
24 Mar 55
The furniture arrived. Mr. Pat Carpenter of CAE arrived to supervise the installation of the "502".
30 Mar 55
A/C Orr, CBE CD, S/L Paul, F/L Carlson and F/O Goddard arrived for Mess dinner. CAE party arrived to start installation of FPS-502.
31 Mar 55
Sgt. G Bell arrived to replace Sgt. Faber in accounts. Promotion of airmen results:
Cpl. to Sgt. - Cpl. Martin
LAC to Cpl. - LAC Banser, LAC Waldron, LAC Lewis, LAC Allin
4 Apr 55
S/L Powell and WO1 Harkin (ADCHQ CE) arrived to discuss CE problems. F/O MacGregor appointed CAdO.
9 Apr 55
Snowed for four hours.
10 Apr 55
A large Davis raft broke up off Long Beach, strewing logs all along the twenty mile beach. Many of the old wartime posts (placed in the beach to prevent a/c landing there) were snapped off, leaving the beach quite clear.
13 Apr 55
Sgt. E Hughes arrived to replace Sgt. Wade as SSO. The CO’s birthday was duly celebrated in the Mess.
14 Apr 55
The operational aspect of Tofino was officially on the air at 1600 local.
18 Apr 55
Sgt. Fairchild, FtrCop reported in.
19 Apr 55
The DM Audit board arrived.
20 Apr 55
The flu has affected all sections of the camp although not yest assuming the proportions of an epidemic.
27 Apr 55
Lt. R Murdock USAF arrived to give an interesting lecture on ECM.
29 Apr 55
Sgt. J Wade left the unit on his way overseas.
30 Apr 55
A Saturday matinee has been started for the children of the unit.
3 May 55
S/L Rogers RAF visited the unit and gave a talk about the RAF AC&W system.
4 May 55
The Land search team departed on a two day exercise.
5 May 55
Station newspaper published.
6 May 55
F/C Eadie reported for duty. F/O’s MacGregor, McKnight and Huston passed promotion exams.
12 May 55
Many types of a/c visited the unit today. A Navy Avenger brought a party of frogmen in to look for the old Spanish Cannon that is supposed to lie among the rocks off the northern end of Wickenisnish Bay. No luck.
15 May 55
Cpl. Montgomery shot a perfect trap shoot score of 25 for 25.
18 May 55
F/O Lachance and party arrived to start installation of the LF/MF Radio beacon.
19 May 55
Lt. Dacy (USAF) and party arrived for the calibration of the CPS-5D.
29 May 55
F/O Huston departed on posting to Comox.
Positions as at 31 May 55
|
CO |
S/L JR Ashworth, CD |
|
CTechO |
F/L DL Bell, CD |
|
CAdO |
F/O JA MacGregor, DFC |
|
COpsO |
F/O Fenwick, DFC |
|
SAO |
F/O GV Roberts |
|
STelO |
F/O M Jegard |
|
CEO |
WO2 S Otto, CD |
Signed by:
(JR Ashworth) S/L
CO,
RCAF Station Tofino.