DAILY DIARY
44 RADIO UNIT - FOGO ISLAND, NEWFOUNDLAND
March 1, 1945 to November 12, 1945
1 Mar 45
Message for LAC Mullin that his wife taken to hospital in serious condition. Message to Torbay recommending compassionate leave.
2 Mar 45
Canso A/C made low circuit over station and lake in morning. Norseman 491 arrived with meat, refrigerator parts, mail, and other freight. Returned about 18:00 hours with SMO, S/L Pilkey, F/L Price, Capt. Mallem, Dental Officer, and refrigeration crew.
3 Mar 45
Complete inspection of station facilities made by visiting officers. SMO checked men physically and dental officer made survey of dental work needed. Six men recommended for posting on medical or psychological grounds. One refrigerator repaired, others require more parts. Officers and crew departed. LAC Mullin taken to Gander enroute home. Cpl. McGowan on T/D to Torbay for eye test and glasses.
4 - 13 Mar 45
Diary destroyed by fire 13 March. Norseman a/c made frequent trips with rations, clothing, medical supplies, etc., during this period. Radar HV transformer insulator broke down, overloading Diesel circuit breakers. Preliminary repair attempts failed. Wired for new part 6 March. Transportation problem delayed delivery of replacement.
13 Mar 45
Fire destroyed Admin. Bldg. All W/T equipment destroyed. Safe and records largely saved. Message sent to Gander and Torbay over hastily repaired civilian line. Arranged to have Fogo operator remain on duty until midnight to pass reply message. Sgt. Boas and F/O Rogers took quarters in Sr. NCO Barracks. Mechanics constructed improvised transmitter and attempted to reach Gander. Lack of means of setting on frequency caused attempt to fail. Water service restored by closing shutoff valve in ruins of Admin. Bldg.
14 Mar 45
Setup listening watch on airman's commercial receiver on B13 frequency. Received messages by broadcast method. Sent detail of W/T damage using civilian telegraph. Began cleaning and conditioning small shack as temporary office and W/T room. Refilled water extinguishers and dried fire hoses. AT3 and GR10 arrived via Norseman 789 at 1600 hours. Installation began immediately in barrack barber shop. A/C returned 1730 hours with F/L Matthews, Fire Marshal, and F/O Howell, DAPM, Torbay Station, to conduct investigation into causes of fire. Aerial erected and AT3 serviceable at 22:30 hours.
15 Mar 45
Statement procured from F/O Rogers, Sgt. Riddel, Sgt. Boas, Cpl. Hyland, taken by F/L Matthews regarding fire and subsequent action taken. DAPM and Fire Marshall departed for Gander via A/C. Work proceeding on temporary W/T and office space in vacant workshop shack.
12 Apr 45
Radar still off air for windage (50 MPH). Six months ago O/C and F/S Doucette arrived Fogo Island to prepare taking over from American Army.
13 Apr 45
Three loads of coal brought over ice, but threatened breakup of ice caused abandoning this method of transportation. News of death of President Roosevelt received in early morning. Message inquiring re. mail delivery sent to Torbay. Weather mild and sea calm. Boat launched and garbage disposed of in ocean. Landing facilities for boat are very unsatisfactory. Civilian boat brought man suffering from dislocated shoulder, collar bone, and elbow, from Indian Island. Sgt. Boas reset the joints and patient received immediate relief from pain. Arm was already functioning normally when patient left.
14 Apr 45
Made one trip to Tilting for coal using barge, any rough sea would have made this trip very hazard. Larger motorboat definitely needed to tow barge. Rain in afternoon and evening. Heavy gale during night made radar shutdown necessary. Meeting of Sr. NCO's re. general station organization. Power breakdown during evening - circuit breaker opened. Shortly after breaker closed refrigerator relay coil in Mess Hall found to be overheated and burning. Prompt action by night guard and Sgt. Boas prevented fire. No CO2 extinguishers here yet. Faulty relay removed and manual operation of refrigeration plant switch was substituted.
1 May 45
Weather clearing. Message sent requesting info re possibility of delivery of mail and meat. Reply that weather still u/s. General camp cleanup organized. Sgt. Boas treated civilian for badly severed finger, wounded by axe. 10 stitches required to hold end in place. Mechanics constructed rope ladder to gain access to face of aerial array to chip ice from feeders and dipoles. Off air 1800 to 2225 for ice removal. Message from EAC stating our discharge applications, due 28 April, not received. Our M114 28 April repeated for their info. Radar fully operational and functioning well. IFF also working well.
2 May 45
Floe ice jammed in from shore to horizon. Seals observed about noon. Civilian and station personnel went hunting. Men from station got 5 pelts - 3 were given to civilians and 2 retained for use of men. Radar working well. At 2215 CW interference was noted at 295 degrees. Plots sent as arranged, to indicate bearing only. Message in cypher to Group. Interference disappeared about 2257 still at same bearing. Weather overcast all day. 18 a/c tracks plotted. Max. range 105 miles, longest track 150 miles.
3 May 45
Several men planned seal hunt, but wind has shifted and ice now considered unsafe. Interference appeared again at 80 degrees, very faint between 0915Z and 0930Z. Plots passed as arranged to indicate bearing. Weather overcast so prospects of a/c delivery of mail, meat, cigarettes etc., not good. Radar traffic light. Longest track plotted 210 miles. Max range 120 miles.
4 May 45
Weather CAVU at last. Hudson A/C arrived, dropped 1 bag mail, 2 cases cigarettes, 2 boxes of meat. Real steaks for supper! Plotted 20 tracks - longest 245 miles.
5 May 45
Chlorination system repaired with odds and ends of copper, glass, and rubber tubing found about station. Operation satisfactory with 22 radar tracks plotted.
1 Jun 45
Two camp pets faced firing squad for molesting civilian sheep. Drastic action was necessary to prevent international complications. To date no Clerk Admin has arrived to replace LAC Cohen, so OC very busy on monthly correspondence. Weather bad as per usual. Little flying activty. Spurious echo at 92 miles, MV4249 at 1020Z.
2 Jun 45
Constable Harvey of Fogo arrived with warrant for R273626 LAC Wardinger to appear for preliminary hearing at Joe Batt's Arm, before Magistrate Abbott on a charge of "having sexual intercourse with Lena Newman, and having got her with child". OC accompanied the accused to the hearing, which consisted of the formal statement of the charge under oath, by Lena Newman. Her testimony was taken down by the magistrate and signed by her. In the evidence it was established that the accused had, prior to intercourse, made it clear that he did not intend marriage. It was not necessary for the accused to plead. He merely had to sign a bond, guaranteeing his return when required, subsequent to birth of child, for final hearing and affiliation of child.
3 Jun 45
SS Glencoe arrived late in day. Sea too rough to launch our small boat, so we missed getting our mail out. Message received that Clerk Admin has been posted this unit, but evidently lost en route. Very fast track plotted. Plots (true) were MB 1906 AT08.39Z to MB8868 at 0847Z. At 1223Z track was picked up showing very broad IFF (LU9623 to MM4837. No explanation or instructions from filter. At approx. 1700Z another broad IFF track MQ4999 to LU9971.
4 Jun 45
Hauling oil to tanks on hill. Working on aerial mast for GT14. Weather overcast - naturally. Polling in Ontario Election closed and ballotbox sealed as instructed. Supplies prepared for return to Torbay. Message sent to Torbay re delayed mail service and difficulty concerning instruction that ballot box must reach Torbay by 9 June.
8 Aug 45
Wednesday. M444 reported unserviceable and proceeding Lewisporte. Only 4 tracks plotted. Weather clear and warm. Truck went to Joe Batt's Arm for Trafford's luggage. Roads very bad - truck bogged down. Necessary to walk to camp for timbers and 10 or 12 assistants to extricate vehicle. Hole left in road resembling atomic bomb crater! Trafford (YMCA) set up craft display and men were given assistance with their projects. Wide interest in the display promises to be big help in morale repair.
9 Aug 45
Thursday. SS Glencoe arrived very early with mail. Signal from Torbay indicated demobilization priority rating for C.27595 F/O Rogers, OG is 23. This is incorrect as it omits 11 months service as an airman prior to appointment to commissioned rank. Radar reception good except for local interference from turning gear. Willard Trafford held a bingo party for men in evening. Craft shop is very popular and many men are engaged on variety of projects.
10 Aug 45
Friday. Only 4 radar tracks plotted. News of Japanese peace offers.
11 Aug 45
Day of Allied confirmation of peace offers and announcement of conditional acceptance. Sgt. Boas called to deliver a baby in Tilting at 2 AM. Met difficulties and sent to camp for assistance at 6 AM. CO and Mr. Trafford (YMCA) acted as assistant midwifes. Forceps required. Both mother and baby survived and doing well. M444 arrived early. Mr. Trafford and R143872 Sgt. Bradley departed 1230Z via M444, Bradley on posting to Discharge Center. OC inspected camp and found things satisfactory in view of reduced number of personnel left on station. Replacement postings away behind discharges.
12 Aug 45
News of Japanese conditional peace offer. Wild rejoicing. Light radar activity. Craft shop very active and having beneficial effect on general morale.
13 Aug 45
Premature announcement that Japan accept Allied counter proposals was heard, and promptly denied. Everyone tense, awaiting official announcement of peace.
1 Nov 45
Weather fair. Quiet day on camp. Pay parade only thing important.
2 Nov 45
Weather snow. Cleaning our buildings progressing satisfactorily.
3 Nov 45
Weather clear and warm. Message received that Americans leaving for Fogo.
4 Nov 45
Weather clear. Couple airmen attended mass in Tilting.
5 Nov 45
Weather cloudy. Message received that American weathered in at Westleyville. Will proceed as soon as possible.
6 Nov 45
Weather cloudy with snow at nite. Not much doing on camp.
7 Nov 45
Weather very rough. Still waiting for Americans.
8 Nov 45
Weather fair. Americans arrived 1400 hrs. from Westleyville.
9 Nov 45 Weather perfect. Inventory check started. Progressing well. 10 Nov 45 Weather good. Received axle and mail via T-4. Inventory completed. 11 Nov 45 Weather fair. Work packing equipment started. 12 Nov 45 Weather fair. All equipment packed and started loaded 1200 hrs. All RCAF activities cease. Proceeding early in morning to Torbay. All disbandment action taken (W Harrington) F/O, About This Page This page is located at http://www.pinetreeline.org/rds/detail/rds44-5.html Updated: June 14, 2004
OC No. 44 RU, RCAF,
Fogo Island, Nfld.