The following article is from RCAF Radar 1941-1945 (Royal Canadian Air Force Personnel on Radar in Canada During World War II) and is used with permission of the author, WW McLachlan
The Plymouth site was just off the main road from Yarmouth to Wedgeport. The station was not fenced in as was usual for radar sites, however the operational area was. At the end of a long lane was the Guard House which was manned 24 hours a day by very alert guards. Just beyond the guard house was the power house, this housed the three diesel electric units which supplied the stations electricity. Part of the operational building was used as the CO's office.
I arrived there from Toronto where I had taken Air Crew training, but was washed out due to eye problems, on the 25th of February 1944. The CO was RL Margeson with whom I had been at Louisbourg and Cape Bauld.
Plymouth was about 5 miles from our domestic station Yarmouth West Camp. This is where the Plymouth personnel lived, in half an H building. Each 8 hour shift the crews were transported to Plymouth and the crew being relieved were returned to Yarmouth. This transportation was accomplished in the back of a two-ton stake body truck, with side racks, even during inclement weather. Lunches were provided for each man to see him through the 8 hour shift. We were thus part of Yarmouth station, except for work.
There was always a large compliment of woodsmen, who had the job of cutting, trimming and piling a square mile of evergreen trees. This was necessary, as during damp condition, 'always', the transmitted energy would be absorbed by the trees. The station was a GCI type, and thus had two sets of dipoles, with a switching arrangement and was used to establish the height of aircraft. The woodsmen were surplus operators led by a surplus Cpl operator. These men didn't seem to mind their diversion from operation, as they seemed to like the outdoor work, as well as free time when the weather prevented them working outside. They worked an 8 hour shift cutting with axes as chain-saws were non-existent at that time.
The living quarters on Yarmouth station were monitored by Cpls W McLachlan and Bud ???. We had the cleanest quarters on the CO's weekly inspection. This was accomplished by each Cpl leading half the men in the cleanup. The bunks from one side of the barracks were moved to the other, thus leaving free space to scrub the floor, with hot soapy water. Squeegees were employed to push the soapy water, as well as the rinse water, out the end door. When half the barrack floor was washed, the bunks were all pushed to the clean side and the process duplicated on the remaining unclean floor. During this time a number of men were cleaning windows with bon-ami, which was a chore because of the small panes.
We had a bush fire, as one of the woodsmen decided to burn one of the piles. He had not prepared to extinguish it, if it got away, which it did. All hands spent the next 48 hours with back packs, shovels, rakes and finally a bull-dozer to contain and put it out. The airman involved spent the next two weeks cutting trees with a dull axe.
We took part in and enjoyed all station activities, such as bowling, floor hockey, card games which lasted all weekend as well as any sport available at the time. Plymouth personnel were highly regarded in these endeavours. A commando course was offered and yours truly became involved. This course was by no means a Mickey-Mouse experience. We had gas training, de-compression chamber experience, rifle drill, sten-gun drill, including dismantling and re-assembly, target practice with rifles and Thompson Sub-Machine guns. We learned how to pull the pins and throw hand grenades. During all this time we wore our hard-hats, carried our packs, climbing ropes over walls and the endless duck walk carrying all equipment and finally, the run, run, run, exercise; for extra exercise we played football. There were no rules thus as a consequence a number of hospital cases developed. In three weeks, six days a week, we were in great shape, except for the few who went to hospital.
When an American Blimp landed in Yarmouth, some of the surplus operators were engaged in it's tie-up. One fellow fell inside the blimp when a gust of wind pushed it to the mooring and its nose was torn. There was considerable excitement retrieving the airman and patching the blimp, however no serious damage was inflicted on the airman or the blimp.
During the fall I attended a IFF course in Scoudouc New Brunswick. While there I met Lloyd Gates, brother of my pal Bob, who was killed overseas about that time. Lloyd and I planned to go out for an evening, but when he didn't show up at the guard-house at 7:00 pm I searched for him. I finally discovered he had gone to hospital with a goodly number of airmen who had been poisoned that night at dinner. The rat poison apparently seeped into the meat served that night, no one died but many were quite ill.
I was promoted to Sergeant on the 1st of September and was involved in the closure of the station on October 31st 1944.
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