DAILY DIARY
42 RADIO UNIT - CAPE SPEAR, NEWFOUNDLAND
April 1, 1945 to July 3, 1945
1 Apr 45
Heavy fog and rain. Transmitter arcing became heavy today. Off the air for 2 hrs. 30 mins. to open oscillator compartment to tighten loose connections probably left loose during quarterly overhaul. Religious services held on station . Station dance held in evening with 10 WD's from No 1 Group and 6 Wrens.
2 Apr 45
Bright with heavy gale. On restricted operation due to high wind for a total of 10 hrs. during the day. When on restricted operation, station is fully manned but aerial is kept on fixed bearing. HT is sometimes reduced 20% as it was today to prevent arcing caused by flapping transmission lines in wind, but station is nevertheless immediately available. Collected rations from St. John's.
3 Apr 45
Dull and windy. Operations very busy today. More than 200 plots were produced during the night (before 0800 hrs), and 250 before 1200 hours. Traffic mostly hospital planes from overseas.
4 Apr 45
Fair and windy. Collected spare parts for u/s equipment from No 14 RU, Flat Rock. A few of the valves used in the RF stages of the new receiver aren't available there, so will have to try No 1 TSU. Also received new stove from RCAF Station, Torbay to replace one of ours that is burned out. New stove taken on charge and old stove (American Equipment ) is kept here u/s until the policy is changed or American service take unit over from RCAF That is the present policy for u/s American equipment. Collected rations in St. John's.
5 Apr 45
Clear and windy. AOC No 1 Group, A/C Wait, FG visited unit.
6 Apr 45
Clear and windy. F/L Killin, AF, Personnel Counsellor at RCAF Station, Torbay, visited unit. Received last load of 40 tons coal from local contract at St. John's.
1 Jun 45
Light fog, activity slight, (18 tracks in 24 hour). Two airmen returned from annual leave.
2 Jun 45
Dull, clearing up during afternoon. One WOG posted in as replacement for anther discharged on quota for "more than three years service". One airman returned from leave. Rations drawn.
3 Jun 45
Bright and sunny. Religious held on Unit. Softball game with the Army Unit during afternoon. Scores: 12 - 13 for the Army. Activity slight.
4 Jun 45
Dull and windy. Census taken of personnel who wish to volunteer for Service in the Pacific Theatre. Five volunteers on this Unit. Also received instructions for "point system" of priority for future demobilization. Aerial activity slight (16 tracks in 24 hours).
5 Jun 45
Dull and windy, later turned to fog. Unit censorship abolished eff 1st June; instructions received today. Aerial activity slight (18 tracks in 24 hours). Rations collected in St. John's. Softball game with the Army during the evening, score 11 - 27 for the Air Force!
6 Jun 45
Thick fog. Aerial activity very slight. One Radar Operator proceeded on leave. One small cooling fan in main Radar Transmitter compartment burned out. (There is no provision for oiling the bearings on this fan and bearing wear soon causes rotor eccentricity which overloads motor.) Transmitter may be operated without this fan for a few days.
7 Jun 45
Fog and heavy rain. Aerial activity very slight. Collected new fan motor from No 14 RU Also collected rations. Dental parade (4 airmen) at RCAF Torbay during the afternoon. Purchased 500 lbs of ice from St. John's for ice box (local purchase on RCAF Torbay).
8 Jun 45
Fog and rain. Operations slight (18 tracks in 24 hours). Operated on stand-by power plant for one hour during morning (as routine).
9 Jun 45
Dull, clearing during the afternoon. Operation more busy (41 tracks). Collected rations. Received 12 ticket from RCAF Station Torbay for personnel at this Unit to attend a USO show at Torbay this evening featuring Frank Sinatra.
10 Jun 45
Bright and sunny! Rations included turkey for supper. Religious service held on Unit. Operations normal with 54 tracks. Played the Army team on the camp at softball - 3 - 15 for the Army.
11 Jun 45
Fair and clear. Aerial activity lower today (30 tracks in 24 hours). One airman gone on leave. Three others returned. The leave turnover has been slowed down recently due to the recent long lapse of bad weather and consequent small amount of flying. Personnel seem to be more restless than in the past recently. Rations collected.
12 Jun 45
Fair and clear in the morning becoming dull during the afternoon, and foggy in the evening. Operations slight (26 tracks). Rations collected.
13 Jun 45
Bright and windy. Operations more busy today with 45 tracks. Collected money for mid-month pay parade from RCAF Torbay.
14 Jun 45
Bright and sunny. Operation down to 26 tracks. Pay parade held during afternoon. Softball game with the Army during evening; 2 - 15 for the Army. One airman broke small finger in catching a ball. Nursing Orderly looking after him for the evening. Rations collected.
15 Jun 45
Dull and warm. One airman taken to hospital in St. John's for X-ray of finger. One bone in back of hand was broken. A cast was put on and airman returned to Unit. Four airmen proceeded on annual leave. Eastern Air Command signal 0-398 dated 14 June authorizes disband of Unit eff 2359Z hrs on the 20 June.
16 Jun 45
Fair with occasional shower. Operations slight. Fort dance at Salvation Army canteen during evening. Nursing Sisters from a hospital in St. John's were brought to Fort. Collected rations.
17 Jun 45
Bright with light wind. Religious service held on Unit. Operations slight.
18 Jun 45
Cloudy with rain. Operations slight. Collected rations. Instructions received from RCAF Torbay to return to Torbay stores all RCAF equipment on issue to this unit.
19 Jun 45
Dull with mist. Operations slight (26 tracks in 24 hrs.) Saw Fort Pepperrell signal officer with No 1 Group Radar Officer and RCAF Torbay equipment officer. Tentative arrangements were made for handing over to American Service all American issue equipment. Minutes of meeting attached as appendix "A".
20 Jun 45
Thick fog. Operations slight. Closed Unit at 2359 hrs. GMT (2130 hrs local time). Collected rations. Had farewell party on the Fort during the evening, and many good wishes were wished.
21 Jun 45
Thick fog. Lowered aerial gantry and dismantled aerial during morning. Lowered counter weights and wind baffle during afternoon. Data transmitter and turning motor also removed from tower. Repair shed cleared of all equipment ready for dismantling. Lt Flores, US Army Engineers and 18 men arrived 1630 hours to dismantle technical buildings. F/O Heron, No 1 Group collected all large tubes and CRT's and some test equipment to be kept by RCAF for spares for other Radio Units.
22 Jun 45
Dull and misty. Sent 8 Radar Operators to RCAF Torbay for disposal. Dismantled stand-by Diesels and switchboards during morning and all Radar equipment during afternoon. Watt-hour meter also disconnected. Reading at time was 5026. American crew took repair shack apart. Also removed Diesels. A bulldozer was used to level off the ground by the Diesel house and a trailer was placed next to the hut and the engines were rolled on the trailer. Checking of the small tool kits and tubes begun. As a kit is checked it is taken away by American personnel.
23 Jun 45
Dull. F/O Egg was posted to No 40 RU. He left Unit today. More equipment was checked and taken away by American personnel. The Wireless Telegraphy watch was closed 1200 hours. American Engineers crew left 1600 hours. Collected rations.
24 Jun 45
Dull and windy. Religious Service held on the Station. Played softball game with the Army; 2 - 7 for the Army.
25 Jun 45
Dull and windy. American Engineers crew arrived 1000 hours. They are continuing to dismantle the technical site and crating technical equipment. Part of the wood from the repair shack and the Diesel house is used for making crates. Rations drawn.
26 Jun 45
Dull, clearing during the afternoon. An oil tender from RCAF Torbay came to collect fuel oil left in the storage tanks. One load of 800 gals was taken today. Finished checking tools and spare kits. US Engineers burnt wood and tar paper left over from buildings dismantled on technical site.
27 Jun 45
Fair. American personnel took away remaining tool kits and spare kits, also remainder of technical Radar equipment. The tower and the oil storage tank are all that is left on the technical site. RCAF personnel took one load of quartermaster equipment to Fort Pepperrell during afternoon. The truck was loaded again during the evening with more quartermaster equipment ready to take away early in the morning.
28 Jun 45 Fair and clear. One load of quartermaster equipment taken to Fort Pepperrell during morning. Four airmen sent to RCAF Torbay for disposal. Three others returned from leave. US Army Engineers spent most of the afternoon dynamiting the cement foundation of the Diesel shack. Two trucks came from Fort Pepperrell and were loaded with desks and stoves. Our own truck was loaded again during the evening ready to take away another load of equipment in the morning. Rations were drawn. 29 Jun 45 Fine rain and fog. Truck went to Fort Pepperrell during the morning with load of equipment. RCAF Torbay sent two trucks to take away stock of coal. Six tons were loaded. We also loaded and delivered to St. John's all Salvation Army furniture (easy chair, radio, games, etc.) during afternoon. American Engineers used crane to remove tower from technical building. The rest of the structure was then dismantled, after which the cement foundation was dynamited. There are few marks left of a Radar site here now. The 3000 gals oil storage tank was taken away yesterday afternoon. There are now 18 US Army Engineers on the station and 12 RCAF personnel. Evening very cold in barracks with stoves gone. Rations drawn. 30 Jun 45 Heavy fog cleared to sunny day during afternoon. RCAF took another load of leftover pieces to Fort Pepperrell during the afternoon. American Engineers cleared technical site. All structural steel pieces of hut and tower were loaded and taken away. All American personnel left during afternoon. Arrangements were made with Fort Pepperrell to hand over kitchen utensils, water heaters, and fire fighting equipment next Tuesday, 3 July. RCAF took away three more loads of coal. 1 Jul 45 Fair. Religious service held on station. Spent most of the day sorting out kitchen utensils and making vouchers for remaining RCAF issue equipment. 2 Jul 45 Dull. All personnel proceeded to RCAF Torbay for disposal. Also took in remaining RCAF equipment and all papers and documents. 3 Jul 45 Remainder of equipment handed over to US Army personnel. Health of personnel was good throughout the month. There was one hospitalization for 15 days for one airman with infected mouth and throat. (E DUBREUIL)F/L About This Page This page is located at http://www.pinetreeline.org/rds/detail/rds42-5.html Updated: June 14, 2004
Officer Commanding
No 42 RU, Cape Spear,Newfoundland