Metz, France

Improvements of the Operation Control

One of the findings of the AFHQ Nuclear Defence Team, and included in the "Young Report", was that 61 AC&W Squadron and 6 TACC, if they remain in their present location, cannot continue to operate even under moderate fallout conditions. The team considered, and 1 Air Division HQ agreed, that there was a necessary and urgent need to establish 6 TACC and 61 AC&W Squadron in underground shelters.

Upon request of AFHQ, 1 Air Division HQ provided an estimate of the cost to build an R-3 building to combine 6 TACC and the GCI, and to house additional consoles. 1 Air Division HQ also provided an estimate of the cost of establishing 6 TACC and 61 AC&W Squadron in Ouvrage Jury and of removing the antenna a safe distance away. 1 Air Division HQ recommended that the Ouvrage Jury proposal be abandoned as it was not considered possible to accommodate the facilities in Jury, and urged that a conference be held with all interested agencies to establish firm plans for dispersing the entire 1 Air Div HQ, 6 TACC, 61 AC&W Squadron, and Telecommunications operational complex now centred at Metz.

AFHQ advised 1 Air Division HQ in Aug 58 that the dispersal and protection for 61 AC&W Squadron was going before Air Council and that 1 Air Division’s recommendation that a conference be held was covered inn the submission. However, in Sep 58 AFHQ advised that information was being awaited from CJS(L) on the role 61 AC&W Squadron is to play in SHAPE’s proposed integrated air defence system, and that further consideration of the improvement of the capability of 1 Air Division’s operational control elements and the protection against blast and fallout would depend on this information. No further information has been received at this HQ.

The deployment airfields are not ready for occupancy. However, they have been assigned to IDF squadrons as follows:

Rocroi – 441 Squadron Marville
St. Hubert – 421 Squadron Grostenquin
Bertrix – 444 Squadron Soellingen
Sandweiler – 434 Squadron Zweibrucken

The runways at each of the deployment airfields are in usable condition but critical items such as POL storage, ammunition storage, and communications are not completed and preclude the airfields being used operationally. In addition, until such time as the warehouses or hangars are completed, pre-stocking cannot be undertaken. Completion and acceptance of the airfields cannot be foreseen before the end of 1959 at the earliest, although limited use may be possible during the summer of 1959.

1 Air Division’s doubts concerning the usefulness of vicinity dispersal sites under conditions of fallout were confirmed by the report submitted by AFHQ Nuclear Defence Team which visited 1 Air Division during Apr and May.

1 Air Division HQ then informed AAFCE that present vicinity dispersal plans were considered impractical, and recommended that these be discarded. It was further recommended that a percentage of the infrastructure funds, which would be saved by this action, be used to provide the required shelter for personnel, and storage space for material, at the main and deployment airfields.

MOD Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Germany were advised of 1 Air Division’s recommendations to AAFCE and it was suggested that the countries concerned might wish to suspend the development of these areas pending the acceptance or otherwise of the proposals. AFHQ, however, considered that 1 Air Division’s action was premature and directed that 1 Air Division cancel the messages to the various MODs.

A reply has not been received to 1 Air Division’s request to AAFCe referred to in paragraph 5, but it is understood that the dispersal policy is under review at SHAPE and AAFCE.

During the period AFHQ advised that existing support facilities were adequate for fulfillment of our operational role, which in effect cancels the As for P for additional JP4 storage at 1, 2, and 3 (F) Wings. AAFCE have not advised of the final decision on a parallel request for Infrastructure funding.

The NATO pipeline project is progressing slowly. Hook-up to 1, 2, and 3 (F) Wings will be affected during 1959. This will provide more efficient peacetime operations and a greatly increased wartime capability.

During the period 1 Jun 58 to 31 Dec 58 the Host and User Nations met and drafted a tri-national agreement covering the establishment, operation, maintenance and financing of the NATO AWTI Decimomannu. This draft was then passed to the respective governments for perusal and comments.

The Government of Canada has advised all concerned that with minor amendments which have been passed to Germany and Italy, she is prepared to accept the draft agreement. Italy has advised that she is prepared to accept the draft agreement with the Canadian amendments. The West German Government has indicated that she is not prepared to sign the Agreement until the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is ratified by the West German Government or until a bi-lateral agreement is signed and ratified by the Governments of Italy and Germany to give the German Forces the same privileges afforded other NATO military personnel in Italy.

Until the NATO SOFA is signed, or the governments of Germany and Italy sign and ratify a bi-lateral agreement concerning status of German Forces in Italy, no progress can be made on the activation of the NATO AWTI.

No progress has been made, during the 1 Jun 58 to 31 Dec 58, with Luxembourg concerning the use of Sandweiller by the RCAF. Luxembourg has an election coming up early in the new year and it is hoped that an agreement will be reached shortly after a New Government is formed.

During the period SOPO and SOLog were disbanded, SOOrg was formed and Plans and Logistics were amalgamated to form SOPL. While originally intended as an experimental arrangement for three months to 1 Jan 59, this has been extended.

On 1 Sep 58, AFHQ by Organization Order 4.8 authorized 601 Radio Relay Squadron to be re-designated as 601 Telecommunications Squadron. Also, the status of the officer in charge of this unit was raised to that of a Commanding Officer. The HQ of this Squadron will remain at 2 (F) Wing.

With the move of HQ 4 ATAF from Trier to Ramstein, pay and materiel accounting for RCAF personnel of the HQ was transferred from SU Metz to 3 (F) Wing. This change took effect on 1 Oct 58.

During the period 1 Jun 58 to 30 Nov 58, 1 Air Division’s Service personnel establishment was increased by 36 positions, thus raising the overall manpower ceiling to a total of 6256 positions.

APPENDIX "A" TO
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
1 AIR DIVISION HQ

General

The COC continued to co-ordinate and monitor scheduled and non-scheduled operational exercises, and the following are the only major changes that occurred in the COC during the subject period.

In addition to current exercises, Exercise Sentry Post and Exercise Step Out were initiated.

An FTX exercise sponsored by 1 Air Division in conjunction with the Luxembourg Air Observer Corps designed to practice ground attacks against Observer Post locations. 1 Air Division forces involved approximately 32 daily sorties.

A Royal Norwegian Air Force exercise designed to give Norwegian aircrew flying training under navigational and weather conditions similar to those which may be encountered during war and to familiarize them with flying operations in the AIRCENT area. 1 Air Division provide turnaround and control facilities for the Norwegian aircraft.

The reporting procedures within the Air Division were revised with the aim of presenting a daily operations briefing in the COC for the Air Officer Commanding. At these daily briefings all aspects of operations were covered including exercises, flying operations, ground operations, radar, intelligence, etc. The passing of routine statistical information was effected between 6 TACC and the COC in order to achieve this aim.

Having referred to the Plans and Projects Brochure, Aug 58, it is clear that there were no independent Operational Research Projects at the policy level. This would be expected since a most important function of Operational Research is it assist policy makers in making decisions. (ORS has been defined by some as the Science of Decision, although in general it has greater scope).

There was one project which could effect the policy of 1 Air Division to which OR contributed considerable effort, vis, the plans for 4 ATAF re-organization in anticipation of extended atomic capabilities and air defence integration. The implications of this plan are contained in S895-156/1(SASO) dated 1 Oct 1958. Subsequent meetings in November at 4 ATAF and AIRCENT, however, indicated certain national disagreements and the future of the plan is uncertain.

APPENDIX "D" TO
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
1 AIR DIVISION HQ

Activities

1 Exercises. The following is a list of the exercises which this section participated in:

1. Exercise "Summer Stalk". This exercise was organized by the 1 Air Division’s Intelligence Section and was held in the St. Mihiel-Menehould area of France using 1 (F) Wing as the control centre. It was held during June.
2. Exercise "Full Play". This was the annual large-scale NATO flying exercise and it was the first occasion that the Intelligence Section at 6 TACC played a part in the intelligence reporting network.
3. Synthex. These CPX exercises continued to be of little value to this section because of the small amount of activity which also has been unrealistic.

2 Training

1. This HQ’s section organized and ran off the annual squadron intelligence Officers’ Course for Squadron Intelligence Officers and wartime task assignment personnel. The course was held at 3 (F) Wing in November.
2. The Intelligence part of 1 Air Division training syllabus was drastically revised.

3 Projects

1. Construction continued on this section’s wartime facilities in D’Ars.
2. The organization of a special intelligence facility in the HQ was initiated. The accommodation and equipment aspects were completed by the end of November; also the positions for the necessary personnel were authorized; however, these positions will not be filled until Apr 59.

4 Personnel. The section was up to strength over the subject period.

5 General. Planning was carried out with 4 ATAF in respect to the handling of POWs; however, to date nothing concrete has been achieved.

APPENDIX "E" TO
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
1 AIR DIVISION HQ

Renovation of Ouvrage D’Ars

Heating, Ventilation and Electrical contracts were let during this period. Overall project progressed from 17% to an estimated 55% of completion.

Contract let for hangar doors.

Main contract let

Foundations started

3 (F) Wing Zweibrucken became the first NATO base to receive fuel by pipeline direct to base tankage.

APPENDIX "F" TO
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
1 AIR DIVISION HQ

Mobile Telecom Convoys for the Deployment Airfields

In Jun 58 AFHQ offered Air Division Design Authority responsibility for the telecom installation in the new telecom convoys to be supplied for the four deployment airfields. Subject to AFHQ agreement with certain provisions and reservations, Air Div indicated willingness to accept the Design Authority responsibility. Air Div was appointed Design Authority effective 1 Sep 58 by AFHQ. Certain items of equipment were to be provided from RCAF stocks and other items, including UHF, Quadradars, Crypto, etc. were to be procured. In Oct 58, action on mobile telecom installations was place in abeyance pending clarification of the "no-dispersal" concept.

The mobile microwave radio relay squadron of 1 Air Division provides the primary operational communications circuits between continental units of the Division. However, responsibility for servicing and maintenance of telegraph and on-line crypto terminal equipment connected to these circuits has been divided among the units using the equipment. Consequently, correction of circuit defects frequently involved personnel of two Wing Bases as well as personnel of 601 Radio Relay Squadron.

To correct this situation, responsibility for all aspects of telegraph and on-line crypto circuits was combined and delegated to 601 RR Squadron as of 1 Sep 58. Appropriate changes were made to the personnel establishment in keeping with the increased responsibilities, and 601 RR Squadron re-designated as 601 Telecommunications Squadron, the latter name being more descriptive of the function of the unit.

APPENDIX "G" TO
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
1 AIR DIVISION HQ

Strength

The units of 1 Air Division are shown in Annex 1, with strength figures as at the end of Nov 58.

Administrative and accounting services were provided for RCAF personnel at NATO Integrated HQ, as indicated in Annex 1.

Canadian Army personnel serving with 1 Air Division were:

Length of Overseas Tours

Tours of duty for RCAF personnel in 1 Air Div were lengthened early in 1958, and the following plan came into effect:

Dependents

In addition to the service personnel in 1 Air Div, there were approximately 4,600 wives and 7,900 children. Married quarters, available at all the units except 6 MovU and the AWU in Decimomannu, could only accommodate about half the families. The remainder were living in rented civilian accommodation or trailers.

Over 3,600 children were of school age, and to provide for their education DND schools were in operation at most of the units. In Sep 58, 174 Canadian school teachers were employed in 1 Air Div, on loan from school boards across Canada.

An officer or airman who is serving overseas and wishes to marry a woman who is not a Canadian citizen is required to obtain permission; and before permission is given the proposed wife must be found eligible for admission to Canada. The fiancées are examined at the nearest Canadian Embassy Visa Section or Canadian Immigration office in the country where they reside. As soon as marriage takes place, the wife may be given a "deemed resident" visa and she starts to acquire Canadian citizenship from that date.

Permission for personnel at 30 AMB to marry British girls was handled independently. During the six –month period, 56 applications to marry non-Canadian citizens were received from continental units of 1Air Div. The average was approximately nine applications per month, and a gradual decrease has been noted since 1956 when the average was 15 applications per month.

The nationalities of the finances in this six-month period were:

Casualties

During the period there were eleven service and 19 dependent casualties. These deaths were attributable to the following causes:

All but four of the dependents were below the age of one year. One dependent was killed when a CF100 aircraft fell into the 2 (F) Wing hospital.

Statistics for the six-month period were:

(Sunday Schools were in recess during July and August)

During the early part of July the Staff Officer for Religious Administration (P) attended several functions in connection with the Lambeth Conference is London, England.

Statistics for the period were:

Special activities of the Staff Officer for Religious Administration (RC) were as follows:

Attended the International Air Force Pilgrimage to Lourdes and participated in many exercises as translator from French into English.

Attended a memorial ceremony at Choloy Cemetery, organized by the French Veterans.

Spoke to DND School Principals during their conference in Metz.

Accompanied French senior Air Force Chaplains (RC and P) and the RAF Chaplain on visit with General Norstad, Allied Commander-in-Chief at SHAPE Headquarters. Acted as the interpreter.

Was present at the coronation ceremony of His Holiness Pope John XXIII.

Attended the consecration ceremony of His Excellency the Bishop of Metz.

NARRATIVE REPORT

The work of the Security Section during the period under review comprised, in the main, a continuation of the process of obtaining security clearances for personnel employed in 1 Air Division, both service and civilian, additions to the already sizeable proportions of the Air Division Black List, lectures delivered as part of the security indoctrination programme and, finally, exercises designed to test the defences of units of the Division.

In elucidation, it should perhaps be explained that the Black List is a list of names, birth places and dates, and other personal particulars as available, of persons whom, it is clearly desirable, to exclude from access to units of 1 Air Division, RCAF. Information pertaining to such people is obtained from different sources, both Allied and National, but predominantly from the French Security Organization serving those parts of France and Germany where our bases are located. The archives maintained by the French Service are of considerable proportions and have provided the majority of the information concerning persons who have visited Air Division bases and who have been subsequently reported unfavourable as a consequence of a check of these archives. Each unit is supplied with the additions made to the Air Division Black List, which is consulted before persons seeking access are permitted to enter.

In summary, during the period 1 Jun – 30 Nov:

246 requests for security clearances were forwarded to AFHQ.

1034 clearance certificate were received from AFHQ and distributed to the appropriate units of 1 Air Division. This latter figure reflects clearance requests submitted to AFHQ prior to 1 Jun 58.

362 names were added to the Air Division Black List, bringing the total number of names recorded to 2653.

86 security lectures were delivered throughout the Division to an aggregate of 5366 personnel of all ranks.

An exercise, of two days duration, designed to test the sabotage defences at 4 (F) Wing was mounted during the period.

Under Miscellaneous Activities:

A security poster competition was held during the period, Air Force Police personnel being encouraged to submit entries of security posters of original design. Some 30 posters were subsequently received from units of the Division.

A total of 85 security infractions concerning the incorrect transmission of classified correspondence from units in Canada to this Division were reported to AFHQ. No compromise of the classified information contained in the correspondence was considered to have occurred.

During the same period 1 Air Division received notification from AFHQ and other Commands in Canada of seven infractions concerning the transmission of classified matter originating within 1 Air Division.

Carnets – 2,105

License Plates – 1,259

(1) Includes integrated units

(2) At integrated units dependents report direct to the facilities since RCAF Med/MOs are not located at these facilities

(3) All patients hospitalized at 1, 2 or 3 (F) Wings.

(1) Nurse visits for infectious diseases and public health

(2) Babies are examined at time mother attends postnatal clinic and on home visits by public health nurse

(3) X-rays carried out by 1 and 2 (F) Wings

(4) Babies are examined when mother attends postnatal clinic by appointment

APPENDIX "J" TO
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
1 AIR DIVISION HQ

4 Jun 58

Mr. Abram Driediger – Supwapta Broadcasting Co., Edmonton, Alta., Obtaining material for TV and Radio

G/C DGM Nelson – Institute of Aviation Medicine
S/L RA Stubbs – Liaison Visit

A/V/M JG Kerr – AFHQ/AMP, Staff visit

Mr. Ken MacGray – Port Arthur News Chronicle, Getting material for press and radio.

W/C KW Walton – AMC/SArmO
Mr. BF Deshaw – AMC/Arm/S, Liaison visit

W/C JK Tett – AFHQ/AMP/DPA, To discuss recreation programmes

A/V/M LE Wray – AOC ADC. To attend farewell to A/V/M Godwin and meet local dignitaries prior to assuming command of 1 Air Division.

Rev. Dr. WJ Gallagher – General Secretary Canadian Council of Churches accompanied by Mrs. Gallagher, Tour of 1 Air Division Units.

W/C JH Watts – AFHQ/DADO and S/L RG Christie, To discuss air weapons training.

Rt. Rev IA Norris – Bishop Ordinary to the Forces accompanied by Mrs. Norris, To see Anglican personnel.

Brig EM Wansborough – NDHQ/Director General Dental Services accompanied by Mrs. Wansborough, Inspection of dental services.

Mr. J Walton – Station CHEK – TV, Victoria, Obtaining TV material.

F/L JG Ford – AFHQ/CTel/DRDP
Mr. R Sheppard – AMCHQ Radar Installation Engineer, Discussions at 61 AC&W Squadron.

A/C WW Bean – AFHQ/VCAS/COR, To discuss operational requirements.

A/C RB Whiting –AFHQ/CCE
Mr. RG Johnson – President DCL
Mr. HA Davis – Treasury Representative, To discuss proposed CE organization and establishment requirements.

G/C FH Watkins – AFHQ/AMP/DAFS
S/L SA Banks, Security inspection and staff visit.

S/L JE Harriott – OC SIT
F/L JC Paterson – SIT Staff
F/L BA Birbeck – SIT Staff
F/L IJ Cahan - SIT Staff, Debriefing after courses in instructional technique.

W/C JG Showler – AFHQ/VCAS/COPS, Familiarization tour of transport units.

G/C FW MacLean – AFHQ/AMP/DRA(P), Annual staff visit.

G/C GM Fawcett – AMC/STelO
W/C GL Burness
S/L WJ St. Louis
W/C I Gillean, Telecommunications liaison visit.

A/C WA Orr – Commandant RCAF Staff College
W/C AF Avant, Liaison Visit.

A/C RW Desbarats – AFHQ/CFIN, Financial discussions.

The Rt. Hon George A Drew – Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
Maj. Gen. G Kitching – Chairman, CJS (London)
G/C CW Burgess – Executive Officer CJS (L), Liaison visit.

W/C DA Brownless – AFHQ/CPers/PMov, Discussions with movements staffs.

Lt. Col. RV Hyde – Director of Armed Forces Postal serviceability
Maj. FT burgess – ADPost (Europe), Inspection of CPC units.

W/C RB Waitt – AMCHQ
F/L BT Walsh – AFHQ
F/L A Oades – AMCHQ, Technical liaison visit.

G/C JJ Jordan – AFHQ/CAS/DFS
W/C N Burden
F/L JH Kerr , Visit re flight safety.

W/C WJ Buzza – AFHQ
S/L JP Baxter, Flying with Squadrons.

W/C EW Smith – OTU Cold Lake
W/C VP Carson – ADCHQ
F/L KJ Jennett – ADCHQ, Liaison re operational training.