27 Radio Unit - Marble Island, BC

Memories of Marble Island - As Indicated

Comments by Bill McLachlan - Another place where every landing ought to have brought at least a Mention in Despatches was Marble Island (No. 27 RD). This was a small knob of land which the Pacific Ocean was pertpetually trying to swallow, "affectionately" known to its RCAF inhabitants as "Alcatraz". Here, the usual technique for getting ashore involved putting on a rubber overall suit, getting into a small boat, approaching the island as near as possible without getting smashed to bits on the rocks, and then sliding over the side and walking or, more often than not, being washed ashore. During the building of the station, and afterwards in order to land supplies, large rafts were constructed of oil-drums and logs, on which supplies were lashed. It was then left to Lady Luck and the Pacific to get them ashore. The immensity of the undertaking can perhaps be realized when I say that the unit finally consisted of a complete ground radar station, a cable railway to the top of the island about 500 feet above sea level, accommodation and mess rooms for more than a hundred personnel, power plants, and radar and communication equipment.

Comments by Chris Weicht - The challenges faced and surmounted by the WCU (Works Construction Unit) can only be imagined after looking at the geographical locations of some of the radar sites, and then examining the formidable physical features of the surrounding area. The first major challenge in some cases was getting the men and their supplies and equipment onto the site. At Marble Island the best that could be done was to anchor the scow about a mile from the huge bolders that stood offshore like jagged sentinels and float the supplies ashore on large rafts. The crew, dressed in rubbr overalls, would swim to shore on the incoming tide, constantly aware of the surf pounding on the treacherous rock formations. The Unit relied heavily on RCAF marine craft, scows and coastal boats for transporting personnel, supplies and equipment.