RCAF RADAR 1941 - 1945

No. 30 Radar Detachment, Cape Bauld, Newfoundland

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

Cape Bauld is located on Quirpon Island at the most northerly tip of Newfoundland. Our new CO addressed us, "you boys are the advance construction party and you know the importance of keeping this movement secret. You're to be in front of the administration building at 06:30 hours on a certain day in September with all your baggage." Several days later the RCAF boat, "OK Service", was loaded and ready, and so we were all set to push off for a new adventure into the unknown.

Our departure from Dartmouth, NS was an event that will go down in the annals of Air Force history. As the boat pulled away from the dock to the accompaniment of a band, many a bet was made that she would sink before she was 25 feet from the dock. But to the amazement of all, including the Skipper, she more than kept her own. So with music in the air, tears in our eyes, cameras grinding, we said good-bye to dear old Canada.

The old tub pointed her nose towards the sea. The music died away as the harbour faded into the distant horizon. We were on the open sea. Bays and inlets slipped by as the trusty boat battled its way to its destination. Gun drill was held at regular intervals and once a whale within range of the 12-pounder was nearly bagged.

And then we were there. One morning we awoke to find ourselves at the Cove - what a gruesome sight - rocks, rocks and more rocks. We were all mobilized into action to unload the boat as quickly as possible. Cement bags, chicken-haddie, shingles, chicken-haddie, roofing, chicken-haddie, pilot biscuits, chicken-haddie, boards - all went flying over into the waiting skiffs to be brought ashore.

Cpl Teevens was quite a sight trying to work in his great-coat, egged on by Fanning and Bokstrom. Terry Pond and Brooks were kept busy carrying the food from the cove to the kitchen. No time was lost in putting us off the boat. Creamer, Steel, Gammon, Connors and myself, all argued as to how the tents should be put up; but finally brawn took the place of brain and up went the tents. In the meantime, Young and Stevenson were kept on their toes preparing the all-important meals.

And then the fun began. First came the winds; then rain, hail, snow and general misery. Some poor sucker just coming off guard duty, more than once had to waken the boys to bolster the rain-filled tents. Good old "Doc" Northover was kept puzzled by the lack of patients, while F/L Bob Margeson paced up and down the hills trying to locate appropriate sites for the radar.

Airmen, civilians and boat-crew, all seemed to be one jumbled heap of confusion. But gradually things took shape. The sites were chosen, buildings and towers began to spring up from the ground. Shingles, hammers and nails went flying in all directions as the mess-hall was rushed to completion. Then, hut after hut took on the aspect of living quarters. What was once barren, wind-blown rocks, had been transformed into an all-important RCAF station. On October 28, 1942, the remaining personnel arrived and with them our first mail. On November 27, Ken Serivens, P/O Musselman and Lee Cruess arrived on the "LK Sweeney".