The following article is from RCAF Radar 1941-1945 (Royal Canadian Air Force Personnel on Radar in Canada During World War II) and is used with permission of the author, WW McLachlan
I enrolled in a radio course at Westdale Technical HS in Hamilton and took an eight month course under the War Emergency Training Plan. It was designed to train Technicians for the Navy, Army, Airforce or industry. The RCAF sponsorship gave me a weekly allowance which paid my board, as long as I spent my weekends at home in St Catherines. With eight hour school days and several hours of home work, the pace was hectic. Some of my classmates were, Reg McKnight, Vern Ryerse and Sid Gale, who was given the nickname Ghirardi, as he had written an Electrical Physics text, which we used.
At Toronto Manning Depot in May 1942, we became expert in drill and all things one was required to know as a Leading Aircraftsman. The route marches, on the west-end streets and roads of Toronto, finally taught our limbs to recognize left from right. We slept on double decker bunks, in the sheep barn, and although the sheep had vacated the premises for us, the animal smells persisted.
The radar school at Clinton followed, and the secret training in the compound, with high security, ensured that nothing was taken out. Along with our RDF training we had a CO's parade each weekday. We marched to a scratchy record, which played such tunes as There Will Always be an England, Colonel Bogie, etc until ordered to HALT. With a snappy salute, which became inbred, we recognized the raising of the flag.
The off-duty hours provided pursuits of hobbies and games in the gymnasium, with sports day and music appreciation evenings among my memories.
Successful completion of the Ground and Airborne equipment courses saw my posting to the CH station at Preston, Nova Scotia, in the fall of 1942. A group was assigned the project of building a signals tower, outside of Halifax. During the construction, the 105 foot high tower collapsed, and one airman was killed, one hospitalized and several injured. The one hospitalized was Clarence O'Grady who later became a sergeant, ad was unfortunately killed in Holland, when the jeep in which he was riding hit a mine.
Life at Preston included dances on the station when the Y and the churches brought guests to our social activities. Our truck would take us over a bumpy dirt road to Dartmouth, where we could ride the ferry to Halifax and attend a service canteen, or movies, dances etc. We all felt the Navy types learned to dance, by dancing with one another, while aboard ship. The station dining hall ws used in the evenings for sing songs, generally with Al Blake playing the piano. Many night shifts passed quickly as the operators often would let us talk to the slinky voices of the WD's in the filter room in Halifax.
I attended an IFF course in Scoudouc, NB, and later returned there in charge of a maintenance crew to test Radar Beacons in Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. We were frequently snowed-in at any of these places so would spend a week or even two, playing floor hockey, ping-pong etc, with the various airforce staff. The Scoudouc repair depot housed 75 WD's as well as 2,500 airmen.
The maintenance of beacons was usually associated with bitter below zero weather, with strong winds that could freeze fingers even walking from the AC to the hangar. There were cold ear splitting sounds in the uninsulated flying boats and bombers which transported us to our destinations.
After beacons, my next posting was to Allen Island No 40 RD, off the South Coast of Newfoundland. I spent nine months on this isolated GCI station which was built by the US and staffed and operated by 175 personnel. The RCAF staff numbered 45 to perform the same functions.
Rdar techncians were responsible for the power generators, wiring, refrigeration, wireless transmitters as well as our regular transmitters and receivers. It was a regular experience when going on duty, to hang on a rope fence to avoid being blown away by the snowy gales of winter. The supply boat arrived only about every eight weeks, so we became accustomed to powdered and canned food. We did enjoy the fresh fish supplied by the local fishermen who lived along the shore. There were no roads, however, families came as far away as 30 miles to see the Sunday night open house movies. Most of them had never left the shore, had never seen cities, homes, buildings or cars as depicted in the films.
The next posting was to Stephenville to maintain an IFF beacon positioned on a US army base, where I joined Sam MacSpadden, who became a life long friend. The base was a jump-off point for Liberators and other AC being ferried to Britain. With more luxury and the use of the USO, with it's wholesale store and regular big time entertainment, life was pleasant, but it wasn't to last.
Now as a Corporal I received a posting overseas, reporting to St Johns and while waiting in the control tower I saw my plane arrive, only to sway and damage a wing, making it unserviceable. Another aircraft was provided to take me to Halifax, where I boarded the Ile de France, but not before becoming engaged to WD Doris Rafuse, who I married in May 1946 on return to Canada.
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Updated: August 29, 2003