2401 AC&W Sqn (Auxiliary)
Montreal, PQ

National Archives of Canada


Historical Narrative
2401 Aircraft Control and Warning Unit (Aux) Montreal, PQ.
1 June 1954 to 30 November 1954

1 Jun 54

S/L Bourke to 1 Air Defence Sector, Lac St Denis, with F/O Campbell (Support Officer) for AC&W conference.

2 Jun 54

F/L Harvey to 1 ADCC for remainder of conference, S/L Bourke returning.

12 - 13 Jun 54

9 FtrC and 19 FtrCOps to Lac St Denis for contact training. Being the last training visit to 11 ACWS prior to Summer Camp, this was in the nature of a trial to assess what FtrC and FtrCOps have learned during the past training year.

12 Jun 54

4 of the new fighter controllers who had already sat their Phase One examination, to LAC St Denis for one week special duty. The main object in this is to obtain a good grounding in Surveillance procedure. For this purpose a test is given at the conclusion of each period of duty.

15 Jun 54

44 more RTTP(B) taken on strength ready for the start of training next month.

19 Jun 54

2 more Phase One FtrC to 11 ACWS for surveillance training.

28 Jun 54

RTTP (B) Indoctrination training starts with a total of 72 High School students under training. This indoctrination period to last three full days, with one extra day for clothing parade.

1 Jul 54

F/O's Bourgeois, Legere and Philp promoted to Acting Flight Lieutenant.

Three officers granted special duty for work with the RTTP(B) students. F/L Cutting (Chief Instructor), F/L Richmond (CAdO) and F/L Bourgeois (Senior Classrom Instructor). Support officer to remain with Squadron throughout the training period.

3 Jul 54

25 Officers and 17 airmen to 11 ACWS, Lac St Denis, for Annual Summer Camp training.

4 Jul 54

3 Officers and 5 Airmen to 34 ACWS, Senneterre, for Annual Summer Camp training.

RTTP(B) training starts with 72 AC's being enrolled.

18 Jul 54

Summer Camp ends. FtrC of this squadron having worked a total of 1045.75 hrs at 11 ACWS for a total of 108 attempted and 102 completed live interceptions. The FtrCOps having worked a total of 1431.5 hrs taking all positions. Special commendation by Sector Commander for the following personnel: F/L Richmond, FS Denoncourt, LAW Anderson, LAW Rember and AW1 Rotsky. For those attending at 34 ACWS, FtrC worked a total of 191 hrs with a total of 30 attempted and 35 completed live interceptions. FtrCOps at 34 ACWS obtained invaluable training owing to the lightness of traffic and were able to work unsupervised towards the end of the period.

7 Aug 54

Three FtrC (Phase One) to 11 ACWS for surveillance training.

14 Aug 54

Three FtrC (Phase One) to 11 ACWS for Surveillance training.

18 Aug 54

Three FtrC (Phase One) to 11 ACWS for Surveillance training, all these officers were unable for civilian employment reasons to attend Summer Camp training between 3 - 18 Jul.

21 Aug 54

Two FtrC (Phase One) to 11 ACWS for Surveillance training.

26 - 27 Aug 54

F/L Merritt and F/O Campbell to ADCHQ for AC&W Conference.

31 Aug 54

One FtrC passed Phase Two evaluation in FtrC training.

RTTP(B) training finishes. 62 airmen wrote the final exams, with a total of 45% passing.This was the first year that this squadron had attempted this type of training and the sqn has learnt much from this attempt.

1 - 8 Sep 54

Recruiting for new FtrC and new FtrCOp courses nearly complete. Full programme scheduled for both old and new personel for forthcoming training year. Results of Phase One examinations for FtrC have given a total of 96% passes, with only two FtrC having to write again in December 54.

11 Sep 54

F/L Merritt granted special duty at 1 R&CS (Clinton) for the purpose of finding out how the FtrCOp training for the sqn can be improved.

18 Sep 54

Two FtrC to 11 ACWS for contact training in Surveillance.

25 - 26 Sep 54

17 FtrC and 19 FtrCOps to 11 ACWS for contact training. All normal positions held. No aircraft available owing to u/s jet runways.

28 Sep 54

New FtrCOp flight formed with 28 personel under training.

1 Oct 54

Four airmen and 1 airwoman promoted to Acting Corporal.

23 - 24 Oct 54

47 FtrCOps and 25 FtrC to 11 ACWS for contact training. Large number due mainly to one flight of FtrCOps atttending for academic training with Regular Force instructors. All normal positions held.

6 - 7 Nov 54

24 FtrC and 18 FtrCOps to 11 ACWS for contact training. Four live interceptions completed and all normal positions taken.

27 - 28 Nov 54

9 FtrC and 11 FtrCOps to 11 ACWS for contact training. No live interceptions completed, but good ECM practice obtained.

12 Phase Two FtrC given sythetic intercept practice at Sqn HQ. 105 interceptions carried out in the two days. The Sqn has been training four nights per week now for four weeks with good results in synthetic interceptions.