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
World War 2 had begun on September 3rd 1939. Canada, not being bound by the British ulitimatum to the Germans, declared war on Germany a week or so later, but nothing changed at Cape St James, and why should it? The war after all, was in Europe and so Herb Fitzgerald went on with his lonely work. The only real change was in the issuance in early November of a notice to Lightstations etc, by the Department of Transport. This set out the procedures to be followed, commencing Sunday November 12th, 1939. Upon receipt of a message on the radio announcing 'Instruction A', all lights, fog signals and radio signals were to be operated normally. If the message was 'Instruction B', all lights, fog signals and radio beacons were to be extinguished and/or turned off. When the presumed emergency was over, 'Instruction C' would be sent, which effectively cancelled 'B' and all equpment would then be put back into operation. These broadcasts were preceded by a band playing 'Rule Britania', and the actual instructions would be in the form, 'Instruction A - A for Apples'; 'Instruction B - B for Butter' and 'Instruction C - C for Charlie'. The world of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta was some distance away. The Americans had their own phonetic alphabet in the war and used Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog etc.
It is interesting to reflect that although the war was indeed half a world away in Europe, construction of an Air Force station at Alliford Bay had begun in 1938, with the place opening for business in June 1940. However the first planes to arrive (Blackburn Shark float planes, and the monster Stranraer Flying Boats) came in to find the station unfinished.
In the fall of 1941, young Hallvard Dahlie, the sixteen year old quartermaster of the Tender 'Alberni' had the choice of either spending 3 months scraping her bottom in Rupert's drydock, or going ashore on the Rock, as Herb's assistant. He chose the latter, and saying farewell to his friend Norm MacKay, the 'Alberni's' mate, ashore he went.
Dahlie actually left the Cape on Saturday, December 6th 1941, so we can only imagine what Herb Fitzgerald must have felt when he heard the news the next morning, and realized that the far off war in Europe was now, in all probability, going to come a hell of a lot closer than he or anyone else had ever imagined. What did he think, alone on his light, when he heard the voice of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, speaking of 'a day that will live in infamy'?
That fatal Sunday, December 7th, Western Air Command ordered a blackout on the West Coast, with all lights out in Charlotte, Skidegate, Masset etc. One presumes 'Instruction B' was received on Herb's radio, and the light was out for probably the first time since 1914.
Even before the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Canadian Government had been approached by the US Government with a proposal to use what were called 'electronic airplane detectors' (what we now know as Radar) to defend the west coast of British Columbia. This would complete the chain of radio defence already operating in Alaska and the US west coast.
Apparently it was felt even then, that it was not merely a case of "IF" the Japanese attacked the continent, but when and where. Prime Minister Mackenzie-King agreed to this but things moved slowly, and although two sites were chosen, Cape Scott and a site on the Alberni-Tofino road, near Mt Arrowsmith, more were needed and a party was sent out to seek other sites in the Queen Charlottes.
It was not until June of 1942 that the following report was submitted, amongst other recommended locations was The Cape, life at the end of the world was about to change radically.
Cape St James, located at the southern end of the islands, appears one of the easiest sites, in that there is no clearing to be done and certain works exist which could be made use of. The site itself is technically the worst of the three (the other two were Langara, and Buck point, at the entrance to Skidegate Channel) because of it's cliff-edge site and consequently will have gaps in the vertical polar diagram (of the radar antenna). The height, however, is about 350 feet and so the gap would be quite small. If the station were moved back onto Kunghit Island, though, there would be a blind spot about 30 degrees wide in the middle of the sweep. It is considered that such a blind spot would be a very serious drawback and in the present state it could not be supported. The lighthouse on the island is only manned by one keeper, Fitzgerald, and it is not considered by the Department of Transport to be a very important light; prior to the war consideration was being given to doing away with it. As it is, the light is useless for a large part of the time because it is in the clouds and there is no foghorn provided. After a discussion with the Department of Transport Agent at Prince Rupert, it was concluded that they would accept a proposal for either allowing the Service to take over the light, or to put in an unwatched light lower down on another island. This would leave the lightkeeper's house for the Service, and the aerials could go on the present site of the lighthouse. The existing boat-landing and aerial tramway would have to be improved but this would not be too expensive. Also, no water exists on this island and would have to be distilled. Moreover it is recommended that this station be heated with either coal or oil since wood will be scarce. If the Dept of Transport is not open to either of these suggestions there is still room to put the aerials, operations house, and power house on top of the island. The aerials would have to go in front of the light but they would interfere with light, except at large angles of depression. The remainder of the camp would go down beside the boatlanding where a certain amount of shelter is to be had.
It is strongly recommended that, with the exception of Marble Island, these stations by undertaken by the Works Constuction Unit under S/L Aitkens. They are already doing a very good job in the fastest possible time.
In July an order was issued establishing ten Radar Detection Units in the strategic locations on the West Coast, among them, No. 28 RD Cape St James. The units were to be manned by up to 70 RCAF personnel and to be under the command of an officer of Flight Lieutenant rank.
*from Chris Weicht's 'Jericho Beach', and taken from RCAF files.
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