Edgar, ON

Operational Strength

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Ops Organizational Changes. (Not reported on last Historical Narrative). The previous COpsO S/L RM Beer, CD, retired and was replaced by S/L JH Cochrane, CD, previously Deputy Sector Commander, 3 ADCC Edgar, now 3^rd NORAD Division.

A three pronged organization was evolved, establishing specialized positions for a Senior Operations Officer, a Control Standards Officer and Surveillance Standards Officer.

The SrOpsO is responsible to the COpsO for the overall performance of the operations and its associated personnel. In the absence of the COpsO, he assumes this position.

The Control Standards Officer is responsible to the COpsO for maintaining the high proficiency of all controllers and for assuring a high standard in all control aspects. This section also keeps all statistical reports.

The Surveillance Standards Officer is responsible to the COpsO for a continuing high standard of surveillance operations.

Tiger Team. (This item was also omitted on the last Historical Narrative) Along with our new organization, a Tiger Team was also formed. The principal behind the Tiger Team is that during major exercises all positions are filled by specialists; in essence, by personnel who have shown exceptional abilities to perform specific functions.

Ops Projects - Surveillance Conference Circuit. Prior to the commencement of this reporting period, communications were made available so that the Duty Surveillance Officers at all units within the 3^rd NORAD Division could be connected on a Surveillance Conference circuit. This facility was used during all the important exercises and proved to be of invaluable assistance in improving the accuracy and continuity of the Surveillance displays throughout the division.

G/C Gwinn, Colonel Milner (USAF) and party visited Edgar and discussed the proposed telecom layout in connection with SAGE.

Operations Command. S/L JH Cochrane, COpsO, assumed command of RCAF Station Edgar on the following dates: 9 May to 21 Jul 59 and 27 Jul to 3 Aug 59. F/L WL Pigeon assumed the post of COpsO for the following period: 9 May to 21 Jul 59 and 27 Jul to 3 Aug 59.

Auxiliary Squadrons. 2424 and 2400 AC&W Squadrons carried out weekend training. 2400 AC&W Squadron attended summer camp at this Unit with 20 officers and 19 other ranks.

Exercises. Listed hereunder, are the names of the exercises which this Unit participated in during the period covered by this report. The results are shown also.

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Broadcast Control Exercises. During the period covered by this report, this Unit participated in the following Broadcast Control Exercises:

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Daily Ops Training - Practice Intercepts. The following is a breakdown of the PIs for this Unit by month:

1 Jun to 30 Nov 59

Training - Controllers. F/L IF Campbell attended the Controllers course Tyndall, Florida. F/O AR Haskell and F/O PR Conroy attended the CPU course, Cold Lake, Alberta. F/L WL Pigden and F/L RL Cross attended a specialist course (F-102) at Tyndall, Florida.

The new scrap compound was installed at the west side of the building (Supply) A Clothing fitment room was installed in Supply. SSO’s Office and Issues Counter were relocated within the Supply Section and a general interior repainting was completed. CE Establishment changes were being effected during this period.

17600 F/L JB Miller resumes the positions of CAdO and Unit Purchasing Officer. An RTT Net joining St. Hubert, Lac St. Denis and this Unit was activated.

ECM Console Receivers. The receiver portions of the prototype ECM console were returned to Canadian Arsenals Ltd., Toronto, for modification prior to further evaluation in USA.

49740 F/L GS Sephton Tech/Tel, assumed the duties of Radar Officer vice WO1 W Stott.

W/C Balk, ADC HQ, visited the Unit to discuss RIP progress.

The Butler Building was taken over by 3^rd NORAD Division personnel.

30345 F/L AK Ruel assumes positions of CAdO and Unit Purchasing Officer, RCAF Station Edgar vice 17600 F/L JB Miller.

10 Jul 59

NE603 Telephone changes were made preparatory to the modification of the GCI Battle Cabin.

A temporary telephone system was installed in 3 ADCC to allow operations to continue during the move of 3 ADCC to the Butler Building (3^rd NORAD Division)

Commenced construction of Combined Chapel. Now nearing completion.

A/C Bradshaw visited our Operations Room and Command Post in Jul 59. During this visit, he approved, in principle, the proposed changes to the Commander’s cabin.

Peaking of AN/FPS-6 height finder radar carried out by section personnel - off the air for 48 hours.

19739 W/C WA Hockney resumes command of RCAF Station Edgar vice 2210 S/L JH Cochrane.

ALCOP circuits were installed in the new location of 3 ADCC (3^rd NORAD Division)

Organization Change. In accordance with ADC HQ directive, the Ground Training Section assumed responsibility for all personnel on the station, including 3^rd NORAD Division HQ; and for Systems Training Program. F/O Gray remained as SGTO with FS Dragomir as NCO i/c STP; Cpl. Ward, Cpl. Pladsen and LAC Dempsey as TOR Team. Cpl. Griechen remained GT NCO. Plans to expand the Station Ground Training Section to effect the increased responsibilities are implemented. Mr. Jones, the editor of the C&E Digest visited the Unit in connection with an article on the Pinetree Line. W/C Hill ADC HQ, made the annual STelSO visit to the Unit.

This Unit’s FPS-6 was inoperative for a total of 9 hours, 49 minutes, due to contract maintenance of the rigid radome.

VHF installation Ops Building tests were completed.

Second annual PMC Roadeo was held on the Unit.

Battle Command Post. Renovations to the Operations Cabin were completed to provide an area more suitable for a Battle Command Post. This is now more compatible to our type of operation, having sufficient space for the Battle Commander, the Duty Operations Officer, the Raid Master, the Raid Master’s Assistant, the Ops "B" and the Ops "B1". This project was carried out during the last week of August.

Interim handing-over of 1 room extension to A/V/M RC Ripley School, RCAF Station Edgar.

A reference library was set up with LAC Douthwright in charge. He also assists the GT NCO.

FtrCop TA Courses. Two, 2-week TA courses were given to a total of 55 FtrCops of this Unit and 3^rd NORAD Division, in preparation for writing October trade examinations. This Unit continues to participate in three System Training Missions per week. The Auxiliary Units at Toronto and Hamilton carry out two STM’s per weekend visit.

The GPA-27A conversion kit which converts the AN/FPS-3 radar to AN/FPS-20A arrived on the Unit and was placed in room 119 of the Operations Building.

NE Company installation crew from Toronto and Belleville arrived to commence installation of GPA-27A. Mr. Clair Hunt was engineer in charge. This phase of the installation was completed 30 Oct 59.

The preliminary survey was started on the GATR Site.

The cable between the Ops and PX Building was damaged by shot-gun pellets.

RCAF Tel Techs assumed full responsibility - NorWest Company contract terminated. 49740 F/L GS Sephton assumed the duties of STelO and was appointed Custodian of Registered Publications.

Two officers and two NCOs from SAGE, Syracuse, gave a lecture on SAGE operations to all Unit personnel, during the month of November. They also had discussions with the COpsO, SurvStandO regarding forward and cross telling to SAGE units.

The message centre was moved to the 4^th floor of the Operations Building. Tuning and testing of all electronic portions of the equipment being carried out. Mr. R Reddick of NE Company, Belleville, Ontario was in charge.

22043 WO1 W Stott was appointed Radar Officer.

Raid Stands. On the 6 Nov 59, vertical raid stands were introduced as track display equipment replacing the large metal plaques and serial number system. The use of these raid stands has the advantage of having the complete amplifying track data displayed on the horizontal plotting board and consequently, makes use of amplifying tote displays unnecessary. This display system presents to the Battle Staff, a better picture by eliminating correlation of serial numbers with amplifying data on totes.

On this date, this Unit ceased operations for conversion of equipment. The FPS-3 was being replaced by the FPS-20. Operations commenced as a Unit, at 0001Z on the 28 Nov 59. During this phase of the programme, radar section personnel relocated the radar section from rooms 407, 409, 410 and 411 to rooms 113, 114, 121 and 119 of the Ops Building. Obsolete portions of the FPS-3 and cabling were removed by Station Radar personnel. Other equipment not made obsolete by the conversion was relocated.

The Comm Section was moved to the 4^th floor of the Operations Building, taking over the space vacated by the Radar Section.

A/C Harvey visited Station Edgar on this date and had discussions with the COpsO. He also inspected our operations facilities.

Press, radio, and TV representatives from Barrie, Orillia, and Midland were given a tour of the Operations Building on this date. The extension to the Guardhouse at Station Edgar was started.

Flight Trials directed by AMC commenced. F/O Procter was in charge.

Acceptance meeting held between F/L Atkinson ADC HQ, F/O Procter AMC HQ, Mr. Williams DNDIS, Mr. R Reddick NE Company, F/L GS Sephton STelO, and WO1 W Stott RadO. Installation problems and design changes were discussed.

AN/FPS-20 completed and operational. NE Company teams departed. The installation teams were most cooperative particularly Mr. R Reddick and his team, in assisting Unit Radar Technicians to become familiar with the equipment.

28 Nov 59

At 0001 hours all radar equipment was declared fully operational.

Operational Strength

Submitted by:

(WA Hockney) W/C
CO RCAF Station Edgar