Beaverbank, NS

1954 – Narrative Report – National Archives of Canada


SECRET

 

NARRATIVE REPORT
22 AC&W SQUADRON HALIFAX
1 Dec 54 to 31 May 55

Daily Diary - Operations

1 Dec 54

W/C DB Babineau , F/L TE Wallis, Sgt. JC Mosher and Sgt. M McDonald left on TD to 2 ADCC St. Margarets.

2 Dec 54

W/C DB Babineau , F/L TE Wallis, Sgt. JC Mosher and Sgt. M McDonald returned from TD at 2 ADCC St. Margarets.

3 Dec 54

F/O WG Standing left on TD to 32 AC&W Squadron Foymount for ECM indoctrination course.

5 Dec 54

F/O HG Andrews left on TD to 21 AC&W Squadron Chatham for Identification training.

10 Dec 54

The two week ground school course for FtrCops which commenced on 29 Nov 54, completed this date. 21 FtrCops were on course.

13 Dec 54

F/O WG Standing and F/O HG Andrews back from TD. F/O WG Standing appointed Unit ECM Officer vice F/L TE Wallis.

14 Dec 54

Cpl. MacPherson, Cpl. Keeling and LAC Knock, members of the Radar Acceptance Team from St. Hubert, arrived to carry out calibration of the AN/CPS-502.

15 Dec 54

A Synthetic exercise known as "Dry Run" was carried out this date.

20 Dec 54

Flight acceptance trials completed this date and Operations and EW State resumed at 1415Z.

7 Jan 55

Operational figures for this date showed there were 66 tracks detected by our radar with no X-Rays. 20 overlap tracks were told and the quality control percentage up to 97.1 percent. Otherwise a routine day.

22-23 Jan 55

On these dates the reserves from 2405 AC&W Squadron again visited for weekend training. Personnel included 2 officers and 6 other ranks. The synthetic trainer was used by officers and eighteen intercepts were completed. The daily Operations summary for the 22nd shows 129 tracks detected with 5 of them identified as X-Ray. 95 of these were overlap told and the quality control was 97.6 percent. The DOS for the 23rd shows 73 tracks detected in our area with 2 X-Rays. 28 overlap tracks were told with a quality control percentage of 97%.

24 Jan 55

A routine day with nothing to report except our daily operations summary which shows a total of 89 tracks detected with 6 identified as X-Rays. 14 tracks were overlap told. The quality control percentage was 90.5%.

25 Jan 55

The first fruit of the previous discussions on the 18 Jan 55 were evident today. Two sections of Sea Furies were made available for interceptions in the morning. F/L Wallis completed two practice intercepts and one GCI letdown. F/O Maxwell completed three intercepts. The first handover of Chatham aircraft on Navigation missions was achieved. F/O Maxwell and F/O Standing provided flight surveillance. The DOS for the day showed 115 tracks detected in our area with 8 identified as X-Ray. 40 overlap tracks were told with a quality control percentage of 93%.

26 Jan 55

On this date the first controlled flight was carried out with the navy aircraft. Flight surveillance was provided for 7 flights of Chatham aircraft on Navigation missions. The number of tracks in our area was 110 with 4 being X-Ray. 48 tracks were overlap told and the quality control was 92.8%.

27 Jan 55

A routine day with only the Daily Operations summary to report which shows a total of 72 tracks detected with 2 identified as X-Ray. 32 tracks were overlap told and a quality control percentage of 92.5% was shown. There was one practice intercept using Navy Sea Furies. 3 synthetic intercepts were carried out.

28 Jan 55

This unit received mutual interference from a neighbouring radar. Permission was obtained to stop the antenna and train it on 155 degrees azimuth to determine RPF, rotation rate etc. of the interfering radar. No synthetic intercepts were attempted due to a six hour maintenance period that fell on most of the day shift. Navy Sea Furies could not become airborne at Shearwater due to the icy conditions of the runways.

29-30 Jan 55

Highlight of the day (29th) was a visit by thirty two Dalhousie University Flight Cadets on a tour of the Operations Building during daily maintenance. F/L Wilson, the cadets support officer was in charge of the tour, conducted by F/O Andrews and F/O Maxwell. W/C Babineau addressed them in the officers mess and lunch was taken, prior to the tour. F/O Simmons and F/O Griffith accompanied by 6 airmen from 2405 AC&W (Aux.) Squadron arrived for two days training. The officers spent most of the time using the synthetic trainer for intercepts. The airmen rotated through all positions detailed for FCOs.

31 Jan 55

At three different intervals during the day, mutual interference from the neighbouring Navy Radar was experienced on our scopes. There was a Controllers Meeting held in the Controllers Lounge of the Operations Building from 1630 hours to 2200 hours.