DAILY DIARY
6 RADIO DETACHMENT - Louisbourg, NOVA SCOTIA
16 March 1944 to 30 November 1944
16 Mar 44
Movie from YMCA (A Lady Takes a Chance) was entertaining. S/L Johnson, command padre and F/L Harding padre at RCAF Sydney visited this unit. Abnormal PE's at 330º - (43-51) mi. and 340º - 51 mi. Sig. to noise ratio on 34 mi. PE is 5/1 without pre-amp. Plane at 76 mi. having S/M of 6/1. Off air at 1600 hrs. for phasing and matching aerials. Back on air at 1655 hrs. Max. range 90 mi. no IFF and 108 mi. with IFF.
17 Mar 44
St. Patricks dance was held with partners from Sydney. Rec Hall was artistically decorated in green and white by LAC Flemming and airmen's wives. At intermission had an enjoyable buffet luncheon. Music for the dance was provided by our own superb little orchestra of Cpl. MacKenzie, LAC Witherly, LAC Reid and LAC Gregoire. This dance was noted as one of the best held at the unit. Thyratron went dead at 0300 hrs. Replaced C11 in control unit which was open circuited. Sig. noise ratio gradually dropped from 4/1 to 1/1 throughout the day. Snow, wind and fog reported and very little activity.
18 Mar 44
Average activity today. Fog and rain in early morning which cleared up. Changed Tx sparks gap at 1315 hrs. Returns improved.
19 Mar 44
Cold and windy today with average activity. Max. range 76 mi. with IFF. Sig. to noise ratio on 34 mi. PE remains at 2/1.
20 Mar 44
Movie (George Washington Slept Here) was very enjoyable. Very light activity today. Weather clear and cold. Max. range 62 mi. no IFF.
21 Mar 44
Average activity today. Re-installed pre-amp at 1355 hrs. Sig noise ration improved to 3/1. Abnormal PE's at 340º - 40 mi. and 45 mi. Max range 77 mi. without IFF, 88 mi. with IFF. Had trouble with Halifax line at 2230 hrs. Repaired immediately.
22 Mar 44
Abnormal PE's at 330º - 40 & 45 mi. 331 at 54 mi. Sig. noise ratio 5/1. Max. range 102 mi without IFF. At 1200 hrs installed Leland motor #1680LEE2848 in turning gear for testing. (Sent by Scoudouc) Also installed new choke in 300 V Thyratron power supply. Weather clear and fair activity.
23 Mar 44
Movie (Syncopation) shown in Rec. Hall was rather drab. The roads in the vicinity and the highway from Louisbourg to Sydney are in very poor condition with the frost coming out of the ground. Abnormal PE's - 300º - 44 mi., 305º - 24 mi., 313º - 41 mi., 332º - 42-45 mi., 338º - 46-50 mi. All PE's very strong. Average activity. Sig. noise ratio of 5/1 on 34 mi. PE At 14. 21 hrs aerial motor went U/S. Returned to air under reduced operations at 1715 hrs. Fully operational again at 1901 hrs.
24 Mar 44
Halifax land line U/S at 0024 hrs. Repaired at 0033 hrs. Rear grid lecher of Tx was arcing at stand-off support. Removed support. Sleety weather. At 1620 hrs an explosive arc in Tx osc. compartment, became abnormally wide and so changed grid squegging condensers. Aerials were bolted down at 1643 hrs due to wind and rain. Unbolted aerial at 1915 hrs. Also changed grid squegg condensers back and pulse returned to normal. Heavy fog.
25 Mar 44
The long awaited pool table finally arrived and set up. It really boosted the already high morale of the men. The higway to Sydney is out of bounds to heavy truck. We have to use the panel for ration runs. Weather clear and mild and considerable activity today. Max. range of 107 mi. with IFF.
18 Oct 44
Busy today - 94 a/c with a total of 587 plots and max. range of 138 miles no IFF. Dance run to Glace Bay, NS. R143851 Cpl McIntyre, AD and R131470 Cpl Hudson, GH posted to No. 1 Group, Hq.
19 Oct 44
Average activity - 58 a/c with max. range of 133 miles no IFF. Show "Falcon Takes Over". C10536 F/L Webster and K130106 Sq/O Nielson, HR visited station.
20 Oct 44
69 a/c today - max. range of 152 miles no IFF. Only 287 plots. Clear day today. R214934 LAC Leavey, LJ posted to No. 16 R Unit. Show run to Sydney, NS.
21 Oct 44
Only 19 a/c today but total of 261 plots. Max. range of 85 miles no IFF. R188886 Sgt Bubbard and WO2 DW Gee spend week end on station.
22 Oct 44
Foggy and rainy today. Only 13 a/c plotted but had max. range 135 mi. no IFF. Church run to Louisbourg.
23 Oct 44
Busier today - 52 a/c plotted. Max. range of 112 miles no IFF, 267 plots passed to Halifax, NS. Victory Loan campaign opens. Over top first day. Show "Passage to Marseille."
24 Oct 44
Only 39 a/c today but total of 460 plots passed. Max. range of 121 miles no IFF. R129410 LAC Mesher, RW posted to Debert after 20 months on station.
25 Oct 44
Some activity today - 32 a/c but only 159 plots passed. Max. range of 101 miles no IFF. Dance run to Glace Bay, NS.
26 Oct 44
Same amount of activity again today. Sgt. Waters and crew welded weather sealing rim to new RWG aerial. Max. range 154 miles no IFF. R104325 F/S McFee here from No. 4 R Unit. 7881 Sgt Waters, R265364 LAC Fleming JH, R154855 LAC Magee AI, R201799 LAC Jones SH here on TD. Show tonight.
27 Oct 44
Only 10 a/c today - 98 plots. Max. range of 112 miles no IFF.
28 Oct 44
11 a/c today. Slight fog reported. No good ranges noted.
29 Oct 44
Only 9 a/c plotted today but had max. range of 131 miles no IFF. Fog reported to Sydney three times. R180786 Cpl Downey, EJ admitted to hospital with broken nose.
30 Oct 44
Back to normal again. Plotted 47 a/c max. range 119 miles no IFF. C4626 F/L Mulcahey, DJ holds church services on station.
31 Oct 44
Busy today - 92 a/c with total of 461 plots. Max. range of 112 miles no IFF. Aerial froze five times during night. Were on reduced operations for approximately five hours. Have ordered anti-freezing grease to put on turntable. Hallowe'en dance with girls from Louisbourg as guests.
(SR Talbot) F/L,
OC No. 6 R Unit.
27 Nov 44
Cleared up instability in Thyratron by replacing C6 in control unit. Busy again today. Weather better. 151 a/c plotted - max. range 75 miles. R133395 Cpl Shoniker, G arrived on station to take on duties of cook. Boys collect five pails of oysters today and have a real feed. Picture show "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" a vrey entertaining picture with average attendance.
28 Nov 44
Poor weather again. Only 25 a/c plotted - max range 60 miles. Fog report #42 turned in. Ration run to Sydney. Sheets were changed today for airmen. R155189 LAC Facey, AD posted from this unit to No. 29 R Unit, Goose Bay. Stag tonight. Boys enjoyed an oyster feed with beer and trimmings.
29 Nov 44
Weather good again. Plotted 163 a/c with max. range recorded of 108 miles. Aerial frozen again for 27 mins. On reduced operation for this period. A general meeting was held today. C15241 F/L SR Talbot presiding. Many matters were discussed. It was explained that boxing gloves could be obtained from Bob Swim, YMCA on a loan card. It was further explained that the Navy has challenged us for boxing bouts. CAN R80474 Sgt Finlayson, DG was appointed instructor for boxing. It was explained that the matter of Xmas cards be looked into and samples be put up in the canteen. Told by R162198 Cpl McKenzie, KB that 1000 ft. of lumber could be obtained for our rink from YMCA. It was explained by CAN C15241 F/L Talbot, SR that on 7 Dec/44 the "Joeboys" will be playing here and for airmen to invite their friends to the performance. Moved that a vote of thanks be extended R73470 F/S Cole, CW for his donation to the boys of $10.00 which had been sent him for his prize in the Victory Loan. R141308 Sgt Hutton, SM was posted to Gander from this unit. Dance run to Glace Bay where boys were entertained by the girls in St. Anne's gym of the CYW. They thoroughly enjoyed their time over there.
30 Nov 44
Only 55 a/c today due to bad weather again. Max. range 78 miles. Feeder system on new array installed. Ready to solder same to dipoles. Pay day today. There was a show with "Abroad With Two Yanks" a very comical picture. It was learned that R155189 LAC Facey, AD was awarded two first and two seconds prizes in the hobby show which was held in Halifax this week. Very sorry to lose LAC Facey, AD as he was very active in hobbies and handicraft on this station and also a valuable member of our station orchestra. We wish him every success at Goose Bay.
(SR Talbot) F/L,
OC No. 6 R Unit.
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Updated: March 28, 2003