DAILY DIARY
75 RADIO DETACHMENT - FOX RIVER, PQ
August 21, 1944 to November 30, 1944
21 Aug 44
Weather- Clear and bright. The installation of the operations hut for the new MEW/AS equipment started. Mr Miller, from the Dept. of National Defence for Air is the civilian engineer in charge. F/O WG Jeffrey arrived at the station.
22 Aug 44
Weather- Clear and warm. Changes regarding the new building site discussed. The operation building site changed by advice of F/O WB Jeffrey. F/O WB Jeffrey doubted that the present tower would hold the new tower equipment. F/O PD Loosen stated that the strength of the tower had been discussed and been found suitable. Fishing party with F/O PD Loosen lost in the woods. Found one hour after dawn by station search party.
(PD Loosen) F/O
OC No 75 R Detachment
23 Aug 44
Weather- Heavy rain. Station non-operational. F/O WB Jeffrey assumed command of the station. F/O PD Loosen left for No 1 Y Depot on overseas posting. All personnel living at Caribou Inn, in Fox River. Believe this to be the only RCAF Station where every man has a private bath. No electricity in town therefor no shows etc. Transportation once a week to Gaspe requested. Believe the local YMCA will supply the transportation. The Jeep is in Gaspe for repairs, personnel walked to work. Morale and discipline of camp appear very low.
24 Aug 44
Weather- Clear at station site, mist and light in valley. Station non-operational. Skeleton guard crew established for night duty and a large day crew. Complete staff started repairing and cleaning the camp. Mr CF Miller and F/O WB Jeffrey visited Group Captain Ewart, FJ, CO of Gaspe Station. Discussed changes of the diesel hut location proposed by F/O PD Loosen. Location not altered.
25 Aug 44
Weather- Fair. Station non-operational. Camp repairs continued. W/T aerial repaired. Dress of camp personnel at Caribou Inn less relaxed. Small canteen started at Caribou Inn.
26 Aug 44
Weather- Cloudy. Station non-operational. Camp repairs continued. Morale of camp seems improved as men kept busy at useful work. Danger to morale seems to be lacked entertainment in off duty hours which is greater that usual due to station being non operational. Bridge contest and ping-pong tournament planned once a week. Prizes donated by the YMCA.
27 Aug 44
Weather- Clear. Station non-operational. Local villagers invaded hill to pick blue berries. Desisted when guards threatened with rifles. F/O WB Jeffrey visited local Priest and explained to him that this practice could not be tolerated. Although not wishing to cause disturbance between the local villagers and the Air Force, that if any civilians returned he would be arrested. Priest guaranteed this practise would cease.
28 Aug 44
Weather- Clear. Station non-operational. Plans for rifle range made and site located.
29 Aug 44
Weather- Heavy rain. Station non-operational. Painting of administration buildings completed. Personnel started looking for work to improve conditions, cabinet file built, shelves in store room, coal piled in bin. This work was done and supervised and showed definite interest in camp on part of personnel.
30 Aug 44
Weather- Rain. Station non-operational. Accounts of personel checked and discrepancy found. DRO re issued so personnel could obtain ration allowance while on leave. Party with CS Millar searched countryside for a supply of water. No water located.
1 Sep 44
Station non-operational. F/L CR Slipp, SAdO of Gaspe visited the camp to check living conditions of the camp.
2 Sep 44
Station non-operational. Second attempt to locate a water supply for camp. A spring located approximately 2,000 ft. from the camp.
3 Sep 44
Station non-operational. Party from Station went fishing. Returned with 100 lake trout. Station celebrated with a fish fry.
4 Sep 44
Station non-operational. New motor installed in Jeep.
5 Sep 44
Diesel base for new diesels completed. Bridge contest held at Caribou Inn. Local merchants donated prizes.
6 Sep 44
Station non-operational. YMCA sent Station Wagon to camp to take the men in to Gaspe for the evening. This is the first of a weekly run by the YMCA It is impossible to see a show in Fox River due to lack of electricity. The run seems popular and is appreciated by all.
7 Sep 44
Trade Test Officer arrived at Gaspe, RCAF Station. LAC Vollett W, Radar Operator, Cpl Hicks, R and LAC Cain LL, diesel fitters tested.
8 Sep 44
Station non-operational. Rifle range mapped out.
9 Sep 44
Station non-operational. Started instructing mechanics on maintenance of new equipment.
10 Sep 44
Skeleton guard crew on duty for day. Remainder of personnel went on a fishing trip and returned with 95 lake trout. Men returned wet, tired but all had a good day.
11 Sep 44
Magnetron tubes arrived in Gaspe. Spoke to F/L JC Scott of EAC and received permission to try one of these tubes in old equipment. Station operating at 1800 hours. Results outstanding. This was the first time the Station was operating since F/O WB Jeffrey took command. Equipment completely overhauled and at 0400 hrs. Sept 12th was declared operational.
13 Sep 44
F/L WC Cummings spoke to men of future in civilian life. Sgt A Unsworth and LAC J Taylor in bed sick. These men are the only mechanics at present on camp. F/O WB Jeffrey on duty 24 hours a day. Off air at 0930 hrs. Transformer burnt out. LAC McLean, A, and F/O WB Jeffrey left for Gaspe at 1115 hrs to try and locate a suitable replacement for burnt out transformer.
14 Sep 44
Arrived in Gaspe at 0130 hours. Located replacement transformer at 0400 hours. Arrived at Station at 0700 hrs after a blow-out on the road. Phoned F/L JC Scott of EAC and requested permission to reduce old equipment to produce. Plans made for dismantling and crating old equipment.
15 Sep 44
Station operational. Five tracks.
16 Sep 44
Station operational. Believe that the trouble with the magnetrons found and remedied. The old equipment now operating was condemned. Believe trouble located and remedied.
17 Sep 44
Station operational. Five tracks - longest SV 56 miles.
18 Sep 44
Equipment off air at 0930 hrs. 3 tracks - maximum range 51 miles. This set was first put into operation in July 1943. It was an experimental set and was built to operate for a period of months at the most. At time of shut down, September 18, 1944, it was still operating in a satisfactory manner. There were no true diagrams of this equipment in existence. The circuits were almost impossible to follow. Operators had to be warned to be careful where they put their legs due to exposed high voltages. Still with these disadvantages the set was operated until July 1944. Great credit is due to the officer in command last year. F/O G Edgerton and to the mechanics of last year and of this year who without diagrams, very little testing equipment and without course in micro-wave radar equpment managed to keep this set operational.
19 Sep 44
Dismantling of old equipment started. The electrical wiring of specifications found not suitable for needs of new equipment. Alterations made at request of F/O WB Jeffrey.
20 Sep 44
Tower completely cleared to turn table. First load of new equipment arrived at site from Gaspe. LAC Ritarie RT at request of G/C FJ Ewart left for Gaspe to work in their MT Section for one week.
21 Sep 44
Second load of new radar equipment arrived from Gaspe. Road is in very poor shape. Fear felt that heavy rains might make the road impassable for heavy loaded vehicles. Entire personnel of camp spent day working on road. Dominion Bridge personnel arrived in Gaspe. They are here to change the turn tables and instal tower hut.
22 Sep 44
New equipment unpacked. This equipment had been in a train accident on route from Ottawa. It seems to have arrived in good shape. The YMCA Station Wagon took party to Gaspe to a dance.
23 Sep 44
Dominion Bridge personnel arrived at Fox River. Mr CB Estalbrook is in charge of the party. New operation hut completed except for linoleum flooring. Installation being held up.
24 Sep 44
Cpl B Hicks and F/O WB Jeffrey travelled to Gaspe.
25 Sep 44
Tower angle iron, hut and turntable, derrick and Dominion Bridge tools arrived in Gaspe. RCAF Station Gaspe stated they did not have the personnel to handle the transportation of this Equipment. Plans made with F/Sgt Coleman, RC to supply the men and to use Gaspe RCAF vehicles in transportation.
26 Sep 44
Entire camp personnel except men for guard duty proceeded to Gaspe to load new equipment onto vehicles. Stove found for Admin. building, sand-papered and painted and installed. F/O JL Bell, SAdO of RCAF Station Gaspe visited camp.
27 Sep 44
Remainder of equipment transported from Gaspe to bottom of hill on camp road, Fox River.
28 Sep 44
New turn table transported to top of hill and installed on tower. Old equipment crated. Station changed from a Detachment to a unit.
29 Sep 44
Rained all night. Roads impassable for four wheel drive truck. RCAF Station Gaspe sent out a tractor to transport equipment from bottom of hill to camp site. All installation and building construction ceased for day due to rain and very high wind.
30 Sep 44
Tractor hauled new tower equipment up the hill to site in the rain. Tower installation started.
(WB Jeffrey) F/O
OC, No 75 Radio Unit
Fox River, Quebec.
26 Nov 44
Snow, high winds. Radio equipment check completed. All camp overhead lines dismantled and rolled. Radio equpment winterized.
27 Nov 44
Radio secret components packed. Camp locked up. Sleigh built and equipment and secret files hauled down hill to village. Snow was over waist deep.
28 Nov 44
Clear, cold. Secret files sorted, packed for shipment. Snowshoes for men remaining during winter obtained. Arrangements made with Gaspe RCAF for transportation of camp personnel on Nov 30th to Gaspe. Personnel will leave on Dec 1st, 1944 on posting to their new units. Jeep stored in Gaspe.
29 Nov 44
Clear, cold. Pay parade held at Fox River. Board of personnel paid. A dog sled was used to travel around the village. Camp banquet was held at the Fox River Hotel.
30 Nov 44
Snow, high winds. Personnel of camp left for Gaspe for posting to various units. Reports on technnical installation and camp construction sent to EAC. The trip from Fox River to Gaspe RCAF, a distance of 25 miles , took 4 1/2 hours. Fox River village is now snowbound and all travelling must be done by horse and sleigh. Today the camp closes officially for the winter months. Arrangements made for rations, clothing, accounts, reports and medical care of the two men remaining on duty for the winter months.
(WB Jeffrey) F/O
Officer Commanding
No 75 Radio Unit, RCAF,
Fox River, PQ
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Updated: April 8, 2003