1 Radar and Communications Unit (Auxiliary) RCAF
Montreal, PQ

National Archives of Canada


Historical Narrative
1 Radar and Communications Unit (Auxiliary) RCAF, Montreal, PQ
1 December 1950 to 31 May 1951

1 - 10 Dec 50

Normal Routine

11 Dec 50

F/L HB Ripstein of 2401 AC&WU commissioned to write an article on the history of 1 R&C Unit for the "Roundel" magazine.

12 - 13 Dec 50

Normal Routine

14 Dec 50

Work commenced on the D'Allaird Building, 20 Laurier West, Monteal (the new quarters for 1 R&C Unit). The contract has been let to Building Renovators' Ltd.

15 - 16 Dec 50

Normal Routine.

17 Dec 50

Huge Christmas party for all ranks (including 1 R&C Unit Support Personnel) held at the 438 Sqn/1 R&C gymnasium. A wonderful time was had by all and the kiddies were given excellent gifts.

18 - 21 Dec 50

Normal Routine.

22 Dec 50

1 R&C Support Unit staff party held.

23 - 24 Dec 50

Normal Routine.

25 Dec 50

Christmas entertainment held in the various messes of this unit.

26 - 31 Dec 50

Normal Routine.

Total strength as at 2359 hours 31 Dec 50:

Officers (Staff) - 82
Officers (Trainee) -64
Sr NCOs (Staff) - 49
Sr NCOs (Trainee) - 0
Cpls & ACs (Staff) - 42
Cpls & ACs (Trainee) - 507
Attachments -1
Total - 745

1 Jan 51

Officers and Senior NCOs had open house in their own messes and visited various other messes in the Montreal area.

2 - 11 Jan 51

Normal Routine.

12 Jan 51

Word received that establishment for 1 R&C Support Unit upped to 10 Clerk Adm (4 of which are to be employed at AC&WUs outside Montreal.

13 - 14 Jan 51

Normal Routine.

15 Jan 51

F/L M Beaurgard appointed as Chief PRO of 1 R&C Unit.

16 - 21 Jan 51

Normal Routine

22 Jan 51

Word received from Stn St Hubert that AMES-II Convoys must be mobile at all times, and therefore, they are not being put on blocks for the winter.

23 - 25 Jan 51

Normal Routine.

26 Jan 51

Word received frlom AFHQ that 9955 WO2 AA Davis (MRT4) of 1 R&C Support Unit commissioned in Tech Tel Branch with rank of F/O.

27 - 29 Jan 51

Normal Routine.

30 Jan 51

F/O GM Hill (Tech Tel) of 1 R&C (Res) Unit transferred to Tech/Tel Branch of RCAF (Reg) with rank of F/O.

31 Jan 51

Normal Routine.

Total strength as at 2359 hours 31 Jan 51:

Officers (Staff) - 59
Officers (Trainee) -41
Sr NCOs (Staff) - 33
Sr NCOs (Trainee) - 0
Cpls & ACs (Staff) - 28
Cpls & ACs (Trainee) - 254
Attachments -2
Total - 417

1 - 4 Feb 51

Normal Routine.

5 Feb 51

9955 F/O AA Davis (tech/Tel) of 1 R&C Supp Unit, 23616 Sgt JA Cadeux RdrT (G) 3 (O), 22419 Cpl JEA Reeves RdrT (A) 3 (P) and 16864 AC1 JEM Marchand RdrT (G) 2 (O) attached to RCA Victor, Montreal for a 3 week course on TPS-10B.

Meeting of all Reserve CO's held at 401 Sqn Officers' Mess with the Group Commander ADG and the newly-appointed Group Commander Reserve Group, Montreal, to discuss the proposed organization.

6 Feb 51

ADG Reserve Trade Test Board visited this unit to test eligible personnel.

7 Feb 51

ADG reserve Trade Test Board visited 2450 AC&WU, Sherbrooke, to test eligible personnel.

8 Feb 51

Word received from ADG that building located at 7 Delaware Ave, Ottawa, purchased as urban HQ for 2416 AC&WU.

9 - 11 Feb 51

Normal Routine.

12 Feb 51

Word has been received that the Bell Tel Bldg in Quebec City has been purchased by the Dominion Gov't for joint use by 2452 AC&WU and the Army.

13 - 15 Feb 51

Normal Routine.

16 Feb 51

121075 F/O WE Bullock (Air/RO) reported to 1 RC&WU at Stn St Hubert for 3 months full-time employment.

17 - 25 Feb 51

Normal Routine.

26 Feb 51

120923 F/O HB Ripstein (Air/RO) reported to Stn St Hubert for 3 months full-time employment on administrative duties (Acting as Ass't Stn Adjutant).

27 Feb 51

Normal Routine.

28 Feb 51

Furniture for all the Messes of 1 R&C HQ arrived from supply depot this date.

1 Mar 51

121076 F/O JSR Leclerc reported to Stn St Hubert for 3 months full-time employment with No 1 AC&WU.

2 Mar 51

Normal Routine.

3 Mar 51

F/L Spicer and F/O Lomas Regular Force support officers of this unit were observers of the Toronto RC&WU during a week-end exercise of Reserve Units.

4 Mar 51

Normal Routine.

5 Mar 51

121378 F/L JL Larochelle MO with 2452 AC&WU in Quebec appointed CO of 4014 Reserve Medical Unit with rank of A/W/C.

6 Mar 51

The OC of the Regular Support personnel of this unit was attending officer at Court Martial held at RCAF Stn St Hubert.

7 Mar 51

G/C Clare Annis OBE of AFHQ addressed officers of 1 R&CU, 438 and 401 Sqns on the following subjects: "The Perils of Surfaces Thinking".

8 - 11 Mar 51

Normal Routine.

12 Mar 51

A meeting was held between Group Commander RCAF Reserve Group and the COs of the Reserve units in Montreal.

13 - 14 Mar 51

Normal Routine.

15 Mar 51

F/L McCuaig of the Regular Force staff was transferred to the RCAF Administration Wing.

16 - 18 Mar 51

Normal Routine.

19 Mar 51

Flying Officer Stiles the entertainment officer of the unit visited detachments in Ottawa, Sherbrooke, and Quebec to organize their entertainment.

20 - 22 Mar 51

Normal Routine.

23 - 26 Mar 51

Easter Holidays

27 Mar 51

S/L MacNamara OC of 2416 AC&WU Ottawa visited the unit to discuss organization problems in connection with his unit.

28 Mar 51

A meeting of all section heads was held to discuss the present status of the R&C Organization.

29 Mar 51

Normal Routine.

30 Mar 51

Advice has been received from ADG that for the 4th time personnel of this unit who were to attend the controllers in the USA cannot attend and no specific reasons have been given.

31 Mar 51

Second Annual Radar Ball held at unit HQ under the patronage of A/M Curtis CB, CBE, DSC, ED and Mrs Curtis.

1 - 2 Apr 51

Normal Routine.

3 Apr 51

A meeting was held at Reserve Group HQ to discuss the coming summers high school students course.

4 - 8 Apr 51

Normal Routine.

9 Apr 51

WO2 Lachange and FS Hector of the Regular Force Support were promoted eff 1 Apr to these ranks.

10 - 12 Apr 51

Normal Routine.

13 Apr 51

S/L Dean-Freeman of Res Gp HQ and F/L Rocheleau of 1 R&C visited 2416 AC&WU to discuss the summer High School Students course.

14 - 15 Apr 51

Normal Routine.

16 Apr 51

G/C Archambault, S/L Hatton, S/L MacArthur, and F/O Buxton of Res Gp HQ and F/L Rocheleau of 1 R&C visited 2450 AC&WU to inspect their building and study their problems.

17 Apr 51

A meeting was held at R&C Unit to discuss the status of University students of this unit versus status of University Flight of Universities. In attendance, G/C Patrick, R&C, W/C Parks, AFHQ, S/L Carson, AFHQ, S/L Peters, ADG, S/L Bourcher, ADG and F/L Laronde, AFHQ.

18 - 20 Apr 51

Normal Routine.

21 Apr 51

9955 F/O AA Davis returned from a week's course in USA on the 13 D 1C Trainer.

22 - 24 Apr 51

Normal Routine.

25 Apr 51

S/L Rutland OC of 2400 Res Unit in Toronto visited ADG and this Unit to discuss controller training.

26 - 29 Apr 51

Normal Routine.

30 Apr 51

Advice has been received that the Bell Telephone Building in Quebec has been vacated by the Army for occupation by 2452 AC&WU.

1 May 51

Normal Routine.

2 May 51

Canadian Aviation Electronics Co, has been awarded the contract to install the telecommunications facilities in the D'Allaird Building.

3 May 51

Normal Routine.

4 May 51

Bell Telephone Co have started to install all line communications in the D'Allaird Building.

5 May 51

Eight Officer Controllers from 2416 AC&WU arrived for the weekend for contract training with 1 AC&WU.

6 - 8 May 51

Normal Routine.

9 May 51

Advice received from ADG indicates that summer camp for our units will be at the following places. 1 R&C, 2451 AC&WU and 2401 AC&WU at Kingston, Sherbrooke and Ottawa. 2416 AC&WU at Chatham NB. 2450 AC&WU at Quebec City vicinity.

10 - 11 May 51

Normal Routine.

12 May 51

Two communications trucks were taken to 2450 AC&WU Sherbrooke.

13 - 15 May 51

Normal Routine.

16 May 51

A meeting of all staff officers of the unit was held to finalize plans for summer camp.

17 May 51

Normal Routine.

18 May 51

A group of 25 personnel from 2452 AC&WU are attending summer camp at Stn St Hubert.

19 May 51

A team of 1 R&C personnel proceeded to 2452 AC&WU in Quebec to install the Radar Convoy and a suggested site to determining the suitability of the site. The operation was very successful.

20 - 24 May 51

Normal Routine.

25 May 51

G/C Patrick, S/L Pilon, F/L Beauregard and F/L Rocheleau of R&C attended a celebration at 2452 AC&WU Quebec to honour the appointment of Dean A Pouliot of Laval University as H/W/C of this unit.

26 May 51

The visiting officers of 1 R&C in Quebec inspected the Bell Telephone Building recently acquired for 2452 AC&WU.

27 - 30 May 51

Normal Routine.

31 May 51

The following promotions were announced for personnel of 1 R&C, 2401, 2416, 2450, 2451 and 2452 AC&WUs:

To be Wing Commander:

120535 A/W/C CJ Konzukeff 15 Mar 61
120115 A/W/C JAA Pilon eff 15 Mar 61

To be Squadron Leaders eff dates as shown:

121337A/S/L LR Gingraseff 1 Jan 51
121065 F/L F Radcliffeeff 1 Jun 51

To be Flight Lieutenants eff dates as shown:

120904A/F/L JL Bourkeeff 1 Jun 50
121062A/F/L CE Montyeff 1 Jan 51
120905A/F/L WH Bruninieff 1 Jan 50
120909A/F/L EJ Gosselineff 1 Jun 50
130349A/F/L W Harveyeff 1 Jun 50
121070A/F/L GD Yateseff 1 Jun 50
120894A/F/L OC Higginseff 1 Jan 51
300324F/O GO Leveilleeff 1 Jun 51
121063F/O JD Piloneff 1 Jun 51
121064A/F/L GJ St Aubineff 1 Jun 51
121232F/O JK Cameroneff 1 Jun 51
121959FO AM Christieeff 1 Jun 51
121950F/O FO Berniereff 1 Jun 51
121301F/O JA Cameroneff 1 Jun 51
121064F/O AJ Poiriereff 1 Jun 51
121059F/O R MacLellaneff 1 Jun 51
120923F/O HB Ripsteineff 1 Jun 51
130001F/O EG Mahoneff 1 Jun 51
130362A/F/L M Valerioteeff 1 Jun 51
121056F/O LA Fullereff 1 Jun 51
121379F/O JL Taschereaueff 1 Jun 51
121419F/O CS Gourdeaueff 1 Jun 51
121502F/O DI Anguseff 1 Jun 51
121424F/O WK McKayeff 1 Jun 51
121933F/O JA Barretteff 1 Jun 51
121939F/O JL McMahoneff 1 Jun 51
121280F/O GW O'Boyleeff 1 Jun 51

The unit started moving from their old location at 160 St Joseph Blvd, East, to their new headquartes at 20 Laurier Street West.

(KR Patrick) G/C
C0, 1 R&C (Res) Unit