5 Radio Unit - Queensport, Nova Scotia

1945 - Extracts from Daily Diary - National Archives of Canada


DAILY DIARY
5 RADIO UNIT - QUEENSPORT, NOVA SCOTIA
(Cole Harbour, Guysborough County)
7 Feb 1945 to 30 June 1945

7 Feb 45

Weather clear and milder. Sun shining. Truck made routine run to Mulgrave to obtain rations. Preparation of monthly reports nearing completion. 19 tracks. Maximum range 110 miles and longest track 156 miles on S108.

8 Feb 45

Weather slightly overcast and cold. Stake truck made routine trip to Antigonish and brought in full load of freight. Panel proceeded to Monastery. F/O Jeffrey and party of two arrived on temporary duty to complete installation of RWG Gantry. One radar mechanic arrived on posting from Gander. Show tonight was "Pied Piper" a very good show. Wind rising late tonight. 18 Tracks. 116 miles maximum range on U113 with length of track 149 miles.

9 Feb 45

Snow storm started late last night, five foot drift exist around camp area. Unit snow plow followed by stake truck, left unit for Monastery, two men proceeding on posting and two arriving on posting. Took 10 hours to reach Monastery. Truck reached Guysborough on return trip and stayed overnight. Icing started tonight. Aerial bolted due to snowstorm and high wind.

10 Feb 45

Snow storm over, wind died down. Sun shining. Unit truck and snow plow start return from Monastery. Unit snow plow broke down at Upper Whitehead. Snow drifts from that point to Unit, too large to break through with stake truck. Unit still isolated. 10 miles of road still require plowing to clear roads. Notified Eastern Air Command of trouble and requested a replacement snow plow. Arranged for County snow plow to plow side road to Unit. Aerial unbolted 1030 hours. 11 Tracks. 59 miles maximum range on K139. Length of N146 track is 69 miles.

11 Feb 45

Sunday. Snow flurries this morning turned to rain in afternoon. County snow plow made attempts to clear roads but was unsuccessful. CO took TD14 tractor across "barrens' to plowed road at Queensport. Regular rations run out tonight. Stake truck proceeded from Guysborough to ration depot and then to Queensport to meet TD14 tractor. Truck was towed and pushed 6 miles across the "barrens' to camp. Took two hours to make the trip. Succeeding in reaching camp with rations. Truck reached camp for first time in three days. 15 Tracks. On U144 maximum range was 102 miles. Longest track 144 miles on K116.

12 Feb 45

Weather clear and cold. TD14 tractor proceeded along normal road clearing road through snow drifts, succeeded in clearing path wide enough for truck through all the drifts. Will widen out tomorrow. Dance held tonight in Hazel Hill, very successful. 42 Tracks. Maximum range 117 miles and longest track 156 miles on U110.


1 Jun 45

Weather bright and clear. S/L hambley and F/Sgt. Sayers returned to Sydney on morning run to Monastery. Off the air part of the day, phasing party still at work.

2 Jun 45

Weather bright and clear. Off the air part of the day, phasing party still working. Off part time for phasing. 9 Tracks. Maximum range 42 miles.

3 Jun 45

Weather bright and clear. Off the air part of the day, phasing party still on the site. Off for phasing part time. 9 tracks. Maximum range 58 miles. Longest track 87 miles.

4 Jun 45

Weather remains clear. Some time off the air for work by phasing party. Off the air 2 hours for phasing. 22 Tracks. Maximum range on S116 of 70 miles. Longest track 189 miles on S144. A/C missing during afternoon, no trace yet.

5 Jun 45

Weather remaining clear. Phasing party made final check, off the air a short time. No report on missing A/C. 10 Tracks. 48 miles maximum range.

6 Jun 45

Weather clear in early part of the day closing in with heavy fog in the evening. Phasing party left today. 4 Tracks. Rain and fog all day.

7 Jun 45

Weather poor, heavy rain with wind all day. 3 Tracks. Rain and fog. 27 miles range 23 miles long.

8 Jun 45

Slight rain and fog in the morning, clearing toward nightfall. 28 Tracks. Lancaster returning from overseas on afternoon watch. 66 Miles maximum range. 58 miles longest track. Clear and warm.

9 Jun 45

Weather bright with wind. 35 Tracks. 62 miles maximum range. 98 miles longest track. More Lancasters returning during day. Clear and warm.

10 Jun 45

Weather bright and windy. Prepared barrack equipment for return to Sydney. 28 Tracks. 62 miles maximum range. 84 miles longest track. More Lancasters. Weather clear and warm.

11 Jun 45

Weather bright. CO left for Sydney with MT driver at 0530 hours with barrack equipment on transport. 18 Tracks. One surface vessel plotted, range of 54 miles. Maximum range 54 miles. 87 Miles longest track. More Lancasters.

12 Jun 45

Weather rainy. 9 Tracks. 40 miles maximum range. 55 miles longest track.

13 Jun 45

Weather bright. CO arrived back from Sydney at 2100 hours. F/L Genest, RC Padre arrived in the afternoon. Dance was held on the station in the evening. 29 Tracks. 50 miles maximum range. 74 miles longest track. Lancasters again. Weather clear and hot.

14 Jun 45

Weather dull with fog. LAC's Bunn and Garnett arrived on temporary duty from Sydney, also Sgt McAskill. Signal arrived advising that unit is disbanding 20th June, 1945. 24 Tracks. Maximum range 54 miles. 68 miles longest track. Lancasters again. Weather clear and warm in evening.

15 Jun 45

Weather partly cloudy with showers. F/L Genest departed, also Sgt McAskill and LAC's Bunn and Garnett. 17 Tracks. 58 miles maxiumum range. 89 miles longest track.

16 Jun 45

Weather cool with scattered showers. Preparations for disbandment started. 26 Tracks. Maximum range of 72 miles. Longest track 58 miles.

17 Jun 45

Weather bright. Additional instructions concerning disbandment received. 14 Tracks. Maximum range of 40 miles. 62 miles is longest track.

18 Jun 45

Weather bright. Operations normal. 7 Tracks. Maximum range of 85 miles, and same track was 133 miles long (N123), best range on track so far.

19 Jun 45

Weather fair, slightly foggy. Sgt Stevenson arrived on temporary duty from No. 8 CMU to repair refrigerator. 3 Tracks. Range 33 miles. Length 38 miles.

20 Jun 45

Weather cloudy, rain and fog. Operations ceased at 2359 hours GMT. 6 Tracks. 32 Miles maximum range. 60 miles longest track. Station officially off the air 2359 GMT.

21 Jun 45

Weather rainy and foggy, cool. Dismantling of C1 Beacon started.

22 Jun 45

Weather cool with rain and fog. Work on C1 Beacon continuing. F/L Markham arrived on temporary duty from No. 1 TSU to complete dismantling of Beacon.

23 Jun 45

Weather foggy and cool. Lumber purchased to pack barrack and technical equipment.

24 Jun 45

Weather mild. Packing of C1 Beacon completed today.

25 Jun 45

Weather bright and warm.

26 Jun 45

Weather clear and mild. Equipment packed and loaded on transport for shipment.

27 Jun 45

Weather warm and bright. Transport left for Sydney. Technical equipment taken to railhead at Monastery. Received notice of posting of several personnel.

28 Jun 45

Weather warm. Transport returned from Sydney. Clean up of camp started after packing of unnecessary equipment.

29 Jun 45

Weather warm and bright. Camp very quiet. Sgt McDowell arrived on temporary duty from Easter Air Command Headquarters.

30 Jun 45

Weather warm and bright.

State of Health for Month of June, 1945.

The state of health for June was in general very good, no hospitalizations. A number of personnel on the station still require refraction tests.

Commanding Officer,
No. 5 Radio Unit, RCAF,
Cole Harbour, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.


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