DAILY DIARY
21 RADIO DETACHMENT - PLYMOUTH, NS
January 1, 1944 to September 30, 1944
1 Jan 44
Weather - Clear, light snow in morning, very windy. No flying on Yarmouth Station.
2 Jan 44
Weather - Clear and cold. Diesel breakdown necessitates changing Woodward Governor on No 1 to No 2.
3 Jan 44
Weather - Clear and cold. Flying resumed on Yarmouth Station. F/O Allan and F/L Thompson of flying control visited the detachment.
4 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast and light winds. First of New Year's Leave group return. Diesel oil pressure gauge u/s requiring replacement from No 2 Diesel.
5 Jan 44
Weather - Warmer. Visibility unlimited. P/O Campbell returns from New Years Leave and Sgt Walden from temporary duty at No 4 Repair Depot, Scoudouc, NB.
6 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast, slightly colder. Cpl Bourne, BE posted to No 4 Repair Depot, leaving today.
7 Jan 44
Weather - High overcast. Strong wind. Two guards AWOL since Dec 29/43 return and are brought on charge and remanded to the CO for punishment. LAC Bradshaw gives lecture on Diesel Motors to operators who may have to be in charge occassionally. Main transmitter rectifier goes U/S after 2700 hours service.
8 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast, snow flurries. F/O WE Jessee receives notice of posting to No 19 Detachment to be replaced by F/L RL Margeson, departing January 19. Inventory check made by P/O Brooks and P/O Campbell.
9 Jan 44
Weather - Snowing most of the day.
10 Jan 44
Weather - Strong wind, overcast. F/O Jessee preparing to leave. Craig Computer finally arrives and is set up immediately.
11 Jan 44
Weather - Heavy overcast, much warmer. Normal operations carried out during the day. Curious interference observed on PPI tube at 1630 hours, in the form of a very wide echo present all around the type. This is later identified as IFF Signal received advising posting to this detachment of sixteen operators to bring our station strength to 74.
12 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast, slight mist, still warm. Inventory being reconciled for P/O Brooks to take over.
13 Jan 44
Weather - Colder, occassional snow flurries. Inventory taken over by P/O Brooks. One Radar mechanic tested for "A" Group. Diesel fitter and guards also trade tested.
14 Jan 44
Weather - Clear, warmer, windy. Two Radar mechanics trade tested. Sixteen operators being documented and placed in barracks. F/O Allan agrees to take two of the new operators to #3 Detachment, Tusket for purposes of experience.
15 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast, occasional snow flurries. Ten of sixteen new operators sent to Tusket on temporary duty with prospect of being posted there; none of them had GCI training. One of our operators on temporary duty at Tusket returns to this detachment.
16 Jan 44
Weather - Clear and cold. F/L R.L. Margeson arrives and visits #3 Detachment, Tusket.
17 Jan 44
Weather - Clear and warmer. F/L Margeson at this detachment with F/O Jessee.
18 Jan 44
Weather - High overcast, clearing in the afternoon. Good weather is keeping bush crew make more rapid progress. A smoker is held in Yarmouth Airmens Canteen for F/O Jessee and everyone able to attend had a very enjoyable evening. F/O Allen from Tusket was a guest at the party.
19 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast and colder with light rain. Maintenance period is taken early in order to adjust oil pump on one of the diesels. complete maintenance on turntable. Modification made in PSU.
20 Jan 44
Weather - Heavy fog much warmer. Bush crew unable to work owing to wet weather and spend the morning thoroughly cleaning the guard house.
21 Jan 44
Weather - Light fog, heavy overcast. Names of personnel entitled to wear CVSM ribbon have been promulgated.
22 Jan 44
Weather - Clear bright day, very warm. Roads are in bad shape with the frost coming out of the ground. FM equipment arrives, but relative power supply has been shipped to Tusket in error. GTR 16's previously sent to No 9 B & G by mistake.
23 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast with snow and rain accompanied by lightning and thunder.
24 Jan 44
Weather - Snowed overnight, becoming warmer in the morning. Bush crew unable to work due to weather conditions. Crystal in GTR 16 believed to be broken, and signal sent to No 4 Repair Depot requesting replacement. F/L Margeson, P/O Brooks and P/O Campbell visit Tusket to confer on IM set-up and to pick up power supply delivered to Tusket in error.
25 Jan 44
Weather - Clear and bright, warmer. P/O HM Campbell posted to No. 1 Group, Nfld. effective Jan, 26th. FM equipment being set-up in stand-by receiver room. P/O Henry of the audit board visits this detachment for semi-annual inventory audit. Thompson sub machine guns are returned to stores and replaced by Sten Guns. Additional axe handles are received which will enable us to double the number of bush crew when transportation is available. Security Guards are interviewed by the Yarmouth Station Education Officer and apply for remuster to various trades.
26 Jan 44
Weather - Clear and warm. Quarterly overhaul party to arrive in two weeks. Sten guns cleaned and tested.
27 Jan 44
Weather - Overcast, turning to rain. Diesel spares are very short and if not replaced soon may cause a shut down. Fan belts are wearing fast and cannot be purchased locally. Neither Scoudouc nor Yarmouth equipment sections can give us any satisfaction in this matter.
28 Jan 44
Weather - Clear and sunny. P/O Brooks posted to No 24 Detachment, Tignish, effective Feb 4th.
29 Jan 44
Weather - Clear, with slight wind.
20 Apr 44
Weather - Fair with light wind. Operating conditions very good. A range of 145 miles is obtained confirmed by Filter room as a test flight continuous IFF. No height reading obtained as the height chart provides for ranges up0 to 60 miles away.
21 Apr 44
Weather - Fair with light wind. Detachment off the air for 1 1/4 hours from 15:30 to 16:45 hours with a fault in the PPI unit. Focus control potentiometer was found to be U/S.
22 Apr 44
Weather - Fair with light wind. Detachment off the air for 1/2 hour to replace centrifugal switch in starting mechanism of transmitter blower motor; the customary difficulty was encountered removing the poriton of the actual time off the air.
23 Apr 44
Weather - Fair with light wind. Five security guards recommended for remuster to service police by the Command Trade Test Board and to be attached to Yarmouth Station for a month to take a SP course. Replacements will be provided by the DAPM's department for that period.
24 Apr 44
Weather - Foggy, clearing in the afternoon. Bush work is in danger of being considerably reduced due to lack of axe handles. Authority for purchase of additional handles has not yet come through from EAC.
25 Apr 44
Weather - Cloudy with intermittent showers. F/L Margeson departs for Halifax on temporary duty for the purpose of technical consultation.
26 Apr 44
Weather - Cloudy, clearing in the afternoon.
27 Apr 44
Weather - Clear, becoming cloudy in afternoon. Corporal Bail posted to No 19 R Detachment.
28 Apr 44
Weather - Fine with moderate wind. F/L Margeson returns from TD at EAC. Detachment off the air for several hours.
1 Jul 44
Weather - Fine, warm, light winds. Sgt. Dubord returned from Station Defense Course and 6 days leave. F/M set burnt out another tube today.
2 Jul 44
Weather - Fine and warm. New system of watches for operating personnel put into effect.
3 Jul 44
Weather - Fine and warm. Chlorinator has been installed on our water system. Target practise carried out under instructions of Cpl Orton (SG) SP.
4 Jul 44
Weather - Fine and warm. Crew from No 8 CMU arrived to erect IFF Tower.
5 Jul 44
Weather - Cloudy to Overcast until 0830. Foggy rest of the day. Possible flying hours 8. Crew completed erection of IFF tower. The cement base angle irons were found to be 4' out of alignment with tower base, which makes it impossible to fasten the tower to the base. It is now only a matter of waiting for the Trade Winds to give us a Leaning Tower of Pisamouth.
6 Jul 44
Weather - Fair during early part of forenoon turning to overcast with ceiling of approx. 500 feet at 1000 hrs. Cleared at mid-afternoon for remainder of the day. At approximately 1000 hrs. a Swordfish aircraft of No. 1 NAGS Yarmouth flew across the area of this Detachment at a very low altitude. The aircraft flew inside the fenced area at the north end at a height lower than the top dipoles with the wing tip only a few yards below the aerial. Although the ceiling was low and the weather was closing in at the time it did not justify such a feat of Barnstorming. Due to the above incident it is felt by the operators of this unit that this Detachment should enter in the records of the "Order of Greater Radarians" as having the world's record of shortest range. Yarmouth Station Duty Watch system started. This unit is elected to supply four men daily.
7 Jul 44
Weather - Fine and warm. Off the air for 17 min. between 1520 - 1537 hrs. AWT due to U/S 2V3G in PPI 6000V power supply. Eight operators leaving on posting to No 16 Detachment. Six operators leaving on posting to No 1 Detachment.
8 Jul 44
Weather - Fine and warm. WO2 Smith of No 8 CMU arrived from Tusket on inspection of Diesel Plants.
22 Sep 44
Weather - Dense fog, electrical storm early in morning, followed by rain to clear and warm. Work being done on F/M. Tusket was contacted in afternoon but not enough volume on transmission to enable us to pass plots. This work being done by F/O Rogers and F/S Woods. F/L Margeson back from leave.
23 Sep 44
Weather - Clear and warm. F/M set fully serviceable. F/L Margeson & F/O Rogers pay Tusket a visit in connection with F/M communication.
24 Sep 44
Weather - Clear and warm.
25 Sep 44
Weather - Clear and warm becoming cooler toward evening.
26 Sep 44
Weather - Clear and warm, visibility unlimited. Fire occurred in pump house after it had been freshly painted, apparently caused by spark from pump igniting fumes. It was extinguished by station personnel with practically no damage done.
27 Sep 44
Weather - Clear and warm, visibility unlimited. R153182 Cpl. Raynard, TG arrived on posting from No 5 ED Moncton. Sgt L Swertson, R155508 and LAC Rowe, CJ R118866 arrived for purpose of diesel overhaul.
28 Sep 44
Weather - Warm, sky overcast with low ceiling. Governor General arrived at Yarmouth Station for tour of inspection, but did not proceed to No 21 Detachment. Off the air when 218 rectifier in Tx went U/S and filter condenser in Thyratron power supply shorted.
29 Sep 44
Weather - Dull and overcast with rain during the morning, clearing with good visibility at noon for the rest of the day. Off the air for 21 minutes when filter condenser in Thyratron power supply shorted.
30 Sep 44
Weather - Clear and warm with unlimited visibility. US blimp came over to land at Yarmouth Station. Sgt Dubord, EA R83507 was injured while helping to moore it and was taken to hospital. Unit officially disbanded as of today.
(RL Margeson) Flight Lieutenant,
Officer Commanding,
No 21 Radar Detachment, Plymouth, NS.
Statement of strength - 1 Officer, 41 Other Ranks.
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Updated: April 8, 2003