32 Radio Unit - Port Aux Basque, Nfld

1944 - Extracts from Daily Diary - National Archives of Canada

DAILY DIARY
32 RADIO UNIT - PORT AUX BASQUE, NFLD
April 21, 1944 to October 3, 1944

21 Apr 44

Fair and clear, light north-west winds. Mail from St. John's and Canada arrived. All sections busy cleaning up camp. WO2 Henley, RG Signals representative of Command Trade Test Board arrived by S/V at 2000 hours. Trade-tested signals personnel. Movie held in airmen's Mess Hall at 2000 hours.

22 Apr 44

Continuing fair, not much change in temperature. Boat and train schedule much improved as a result of fine weather. Ice in Gulf fast disappearing. WO2 Henley, RG departed at 0130 hours on completion of temporary duty.

23 Apr 44

Two airmen departed at 0900 hours by railway speeder for No 4 WRD Cape Ray to trade-test signals personnel. Weather clear and mild.

24 Apr 44

Cooler, some fog, light variable winds. Sixth Victory Loan drive commenced. Objective $3,500.00. Two airmen returned from No 4 WRD by rail at 1800 hours on completion of temporary duty.

25 Apr 44

Stormy with snow, strong easterly winds. F/L GK Cranna, OC No 32 Detachment departed at 2000 hours by S/V on posting to Canada. P/O HJ Lowden appointed Acting OC effective 22nd April. Gantry lashed down at 1800 hours due to high winds. Subscriptions to Victory Loan sales total $3,600.00 at end of second day of sales.

26 Apr 44

Light north winds, fair and cool. New AT3 transmitters hauled from railway station and place in transmitter building. Gantry unlashed at 1018 hours and normal operations resumed.

27 Apr 44

Light north-east wind. Cloudy, not much change in temperature. Two diesel fitters from No. 8 CMU arrived at 1800 hours for yearly inspection of diesel motors. Breakdown of Radar Equipment ocurred at 1022 hours. Off air 16 minutes replacing main HT. rectifier valve. Movie held in Airmen's Mess Hall at 2000 hours entitled "Klondkie Kate".

28 Apr 44

Light north east wind, fair and mild. Erection of fence around camp progressing favourably. Frame work completed around domestic site and approximately one third completed around operational area. Station dance held at 2100 hours in Airmen's Recreation Hall. Victory Loan sales to date $6,700.00

1 May 44

Cloudy, wind northwest. J29326 F/O DG Sheridan arrived by S/V on temporary duty from RCAF Stn Sydney at 1730 hours. Movies held in airmen's mess at 2000 hrs. Barrack room inspection carried out at 1800 hours.

2 May 44

Fair and cool, light west wind. J29326 F/O DG Sheridan departed at 0900 hrs by railway speeder for No 4 WRD carrying secret documents. Returned at 1800 hrs, departed again at 2000 hrs by S/V for RCAF Stn Sydney on completion of temporary duty. Gantry lashed down at 2145 hours due to high wind, unlashed and normal operation resumed at 2245 hours. Notified by No 1 Group Headquarters to discontinue use of landline due to interference from railway company phone line. Rations hauled from Port Aux Basques railway station to camp site.

3 May 44

Fair and mild, light variable winds. Quarterly overhaul party consisting of four airmen from No 4 Repair Depot arrived by rail at 0400 hrs. Went off air at 1300 hrs to commence quarterly overhaul. Four airmen departed by railway speeder for No 4 WRD to repair power lines and replace roof on building at MEW site at No 77 Detachment.

4 May 44

Cloudy and mild, light southerly wind. All Radar personnel not required for quarterly overhaul employed on cleaning up camp. Inspection of NCO and airmen's Barracks carried out at 1830 hrs.

5 May 44

Fair and warm, light variable wind. Cleanup of camp progressing favourably, all sections busy. Quarterly overhaul party commenced installation of screen modification to Gantry. Movie held in airmen's Mess Hall at 2000 hrs.

6 May 44

Slightly overcast, moderate with wind. Three copies of official photographs of station building received from EAC Headquarters. One copy attached hereto as Appendix "A".

7 May 44

Fair and mild, light easterly to southerly winds. Two airmen arrived on posting from EAC Headquarters. Two airmen arrived on temporary duty from No 8 CMU Tuft's Cove. Third edition of station publication "The Sentinel" printed and ready for distribution. Attached hereto as Appendix "B".

1 Oct 44

Partly cloudy with moderate north winds. The boat bringing the rations from Sydney also brought back Sgt Morgan, GI and LAC Paradis, JM reporting off leave. A general station meeting was held to form a "Classical Music Appreciation" group; it was decided that the records would be donated for the initial concert by interested personnel and then, a $10.00 monthly allotment would be asked for at the next NPF meeting to keep adding classical records. The printing of the new issue of "The Sentinel" was completed and made ready for sale.

2 Oct 44

Rain and fog with moderate north-east wind. The rations were hauled up to the Unit and then the hauling of the winter's supply of coal continued. Ceiling of the airmen's barracks was repaired. Received a supply of framed pictures, ashtrays, and tools for a hobby shop from the YMCA Services in Sydney. The tools will be made available to all personnel interested in handicraft. Arrangements were completed for the forwarding of 50 tons of coal to Cape Ray Units. R104461 Cpl Langille, AB was posted to No 2 Radar Unit and he departed by S/V on leave prior to reporting to his new Unit. Copies of "The Sentinel" were put on sale. An inspection of the airmen's barracks was carried out at 1830 hours. Movie entitled "Coney Island" was shown in the lounge at 1900 hours.

3 Oct 44

Rain with strong north, to north-east gale doing plenty of damage. The following are the result of the wind's effects:

  1. Wooden IFF Tower blown over, snapping off at about 2 feet above the ground, and then smashed to kindling.
  2. Concertina type fence blown over in several sections with cracked posts and tangled wire.
  3. Roof of ammunition dump was blown away; finally recovered and bolted down.
  4. W/T receiver aerial mast was blown over.
  5. High tension power line was loosened; repairs made immediately.
  6. Board walk in different places was blown away.
  7. The pole carrying siren and fire alarm lines was loosened and set at a dangerous angle; it was straightened during the storm with rope pulled by a truck - the truck was left in place to act as a guying anchor.
  8. Storm windows were blown away from several of the buildings.
  9. Roofing was blown off in strips from the storage shed.
  10. Transmitter aerials for the day frequencies were blown down.
Movement outside was restricted by the bad weather; and so yesterday's movie was shown again in the afternoon. In the evening the SS Burgeo returned to dock; she couldn't make it across the Straits to N Sydney. The gale held all night. A Station Bingo was held in the Recreation Hall at 1900 hours. During the day, the Radar Turntable and array had been bolted and lashed down; this did not hold the first time and the array broke loose. It took ten men to lash it down the second time, and the lashings held. One of the cement bases of the gantry cracked along one side for a distance of about a foot. No real damage was done.

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