DAILY DIARY
29 RADIO DETACHMENT - GOOSE BAY, LABRADOR
July 20, 1943 to December 6, 1943
20 Jul 43
F/O WS Martin reported from #4 RD, Brooklyn to take over as Radio Officer. Main gantry was up and buildings practically completed.
21 Jul 43
Diesels being installed by Contractor and on July 22nd electricians began wiring up Power House.
23 Jul 43
Carpenters started work on Antenna Switching as none prefabricated supplied with unit.
25 Jul 43
5 Radio Mechanics reported from #1 Y Depot, Halifax.
26 Jul 43
Radio equipment moved out from hangar to Detachment and radio mechanics placed on guard duty as no guards are available from main station.
27 Jul 43
Power House installation completed with Diesels operating. Operations building ready for installation crew.
31 Jul 43
Cpl Corner, Radio Mechanic, arrived today.
1 Aug 43
Steel workers completed tower with the installation of reflecting screens and aerials.
3 Aug 43
15 Operators including 2 NCO's reported today via service aircraft from Moncton. As no operating is to be done, operators were placed on guard duty. Mechanics now taking over beacon from Cpl Walker and LAC Filion: this NCO and airman had been handling this equipment for six months prior to this date.
7 Aug 43
F/S Tilbury and a party of four mechanics arrived from No 1 MU, Scoudouc, to start installaton of equipment.
8 Aug 43
Installation commenced. Power connected to transmitter, receiver and thryratron units and feeders to aerials were strung up.
9 Aug 43
Work continuing on aerial feeders and wiring of turning unit, etc. Transmitter allowed to run for some hours and two transformers were found to be overheating. This feature was to be expected as transmitter was last of old type and these part have burnt out on all old stations.
10 Aug 43
Guards arrived on posting from Lachine, Que.
13 Aug 43
Installation completed with the exception of matching and placing of aerials and tuning of transmitter unit. This latter not being possible before new transformers arrive.
14 Aug 43
Matching and phasing of aerials was done by F/O Bradley from No 1 MU, Scoudouc.
16 Aug 43
New transformers arrived from Scoudouc and were installed. Temporary transmitter tuned roughly and temporary apparatus tried. From rough observations it appears that a considerable amount of PE's will be shown on our PPI and H/R screens.
17 Aug 43
Continued adjustment of transmitter and aerials.
18 Aug 43
Equipment gives good response on first aircraft picked up at a range of 20 miles, approx. 1800 GMT.
19 Aug 43
Tuning of equipment progressing favourably while mechanics and operators are placed on regular shifts. Two more aircraft are observed today. It is expected that installation crew will be ready to leave in four or five days.
21 Aug 43
Installation completed and party ready to proceed to Scoudouc. Equipment seems to be in good working order but better results will yield when calibration flights take place.
23 Aug 43
Installation crew left today for Scoudouc.
25 Aug 43
After overhauling diesels, Cpl Breau, diesel fitter returned to Scoudouc. One of our radio mechanics who had previous experience with motors has been placed in charge of power house.
28 Aug 43
It was necessary to remove and replace all piping of fuel oil tank as check valve had stuck.
1 Dec 43
Incoming aircraft was picked up and we were asked to give a homing on this plane. After trying for two hours to land, this American Canso was forced to return to starting point due to heavy snow storm. Cooperation from our detachment was highly praised by RAFTC who had also requested homing on this aircraft. F/O Hobbs of #3 Service Audit Group made his tour of inspection at the detachment. Maintenance time worked: one hour. Cpl Walker J promoted today to the rank of Sgt (paid) and is now NCO in charge of the technical staff.
2 Dec 43
Alarm was received by the Commanding Officer of the Station stating possibility of enemy attack. S/L Canning and F/O Martin with full crew kept watch for 24 hours. Heavy overcast. Aircraft 50 minutes overdue was picked up at 73 miles and brought in safely. It is found that being in constant touch with Tower, a homing can be given easily to the aircraft if it were in distress.
3 Dec 43
Any unusual aircraft, ie, not being in the regular traffic routes, are carefuly tracked and information is always phoned in to Tower. This latter phones in all flight plans of incoming and outgoing aircraft while Sector keeps us informed with the weather reports. The reports previously mentioned are printed on our State Board and any particular point can be discussed at hand. The Commanding Officer advised us at 1300 hours GMT that alert was over. Weather: Clear and cold. Very heavy traffic for UK. 61 tracks plotted today with 45 for 1-5 hour shift. Longest continuous track: 109 miles.
4 Dec 43
Weather: Clear and cold. Practise interceptions were carried out: one in the morning by S/L Canning and one in the afternoon by Sgt Tressam. These were done with the help of 130 Squadron. Both operations were successful. Information passed to Tower on incoming aircraft from UK. Usual maintenance time worked in evening.
5 Dec 43
During early morning watch, we were in touch with the American Tower with regard to outgoing planes to UK. Some of these planes return to base for miscellaneous reasons. The Tower, just as a matter of interest, tells us why these planes come back, putting a little more zest to our work. Location found on overdue aircraft which landed 1 1/2 hour after estimated time of arrival.
6 Dec 43
Weather: Snow. F/L Gordon and Hutchison from EAC arrived today for Radar Inspection. Plots given to Control Tower on two aircraft from Moncton. Routine maintenance of one hour in evening.
This page is located at
http://www.pinetreeline.org/rds/detail/rds29-1.html
Updated: April 8, 2003