CHAPTER FIVE

WORLD WAR II
1939 - 1945

No 1 Coast Watch Unit RCAF was established in 1942 in the uninhabited west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands to provide visual surveillance. In 1943 when radar coverage permitted, the coast watchers were withdrawn. 1 CWU had eight detachments (each with a "woodsman", two radio operators and a man with "some cooking and camping ability") at Frederick Island, Hippa Island, Kindakun Island, Marble Island, Hibben Island, Tasoo Harbour, Barry Harbour and Big Bay.

In 1942 construction of a chain of radar stations for surveillance of the Pacific Coast began. By November 1943 it was in place. Initially the stations were called "Radio Detachments" and in 1943 the title "Radio Unit" was adopted. The term "RADAR" was not adopted by Canadians until late 1943. The chain ceased operations with war's end in mid 1945.

In February 1942 RCAF personnel went to the American Panama Canal Zone to install Canadian early warning radar sets and instruct the Americans in their use. The Canadian made sets were superior to those being manufactured by the United States and, hence, more effective.

On 6 April 1942 Headquarters, First Canadian Army came into existence at Headley Court, England. Colonel J.E. Genet was promoted to brigadier and became the Chief Signal Officer.

On 27 April 1942 a referendum on conscription was held in Canada. Conscription for home defence was favored in all provinces except Quebec.

In May 1942 HYDRA commenced operations at the "Camp X" site just outside Whitby, Ontario. This was a Canadian terminal for a 2.5 Kilowatt (soon upgraded to 10 Kilowatt) high frequency radio link to Britain. This station provided the essential and unbreakable link between the countries. Originally British Security Coordination, BSC, based in New York and run by Sir William Stevenson (the famous INTREPID), had used commercial underwater cables or the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) radio station in Maryland. On 19 November 1941 J.Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI (and a perennial thorn in the side of allied intelligence operations), denied BSC further use of FBI facilities after BSC refused an FBI request for their codes. The HYDRA at Camp X, a short commercial cable or courier trip from New York, became the alternate system. Initially the system used a British TYPEX cypher machine to provide security however, in 1943, ROCKEX, a highly modified version of a Western Union on line cypher machine, was introduced. Rockex derived its name from the famous New York Radio City Music Hall "Rockettes" dance troop rather than from the, more usual, mythology. Hydra was often used for the passage of ULTRA - highly classified information based upon interception of enemy communications and the breaking of their codes and cyphers. While not a Signals Intelligence, or SIGINT, station HYDRA was occasionally even employed to intercept enemy radio signals coming from occupied Europe. At war's end HYDRA evolved into the RCSIGS Oshawa Wireless Station and continued operation until the mid 1960s.

On 11 May 1942 Canada's Parliament passed legislation for full conscription for home defence.

In June 1942 2nd Canadian Corps Signals was formed in England. It became operational in January 1943.

In June 1942 the Northwest Communications System began when the United States Signal Corps arranged to have line communications parallel the Alaska Highway. On 1 May 1943 the system opened. It ran from Edmonton to Fairbanks Alaska, 3012 kilometres (1871 miles) of line. 95,000 poles and 23 repeater stations at 160 kilometres intervals were constructed. In mid 1945 the Canadian Army assumed responsibility for the Canadian portion of the Alaska Highway and the RCAF for the pole line. In mid 1946 the RCAF was directed to turn the pole line over to the Department of Transport which then contracted it to Canadian National Telegraphs. On 1 April 1947 CNT officially took over. 

The raid on Dieppe, originally designated OPERATION RUTTER, was originally planned in April 1942 and full scale rehearsals, YUKON I and YUKON II, were held by 2nd Canadian Division and its supporting armour, the Calgary Tank Regiment from 1 Army Tank Brigade in June 1942. According to Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Chief of Combined Operations, the performance of the force's communications on these exercises were of a higher standard of efficiency than that previously found in any British exercise. On 7 July 1942 OPERATION RUTTER was canceled. One week later the operation was reactivated as OPERATION JUBILEE.

9 August 1942 saw the first jamming by the Germans of "GEE", the radio beacon navigation aid for allied bombers.

19 August 1942 OPERATION JUBILEE - The Dieppe Raid. Wireless Sets Number 19 were installed on HMS Calpe (Major General Roberts, Commander 2nd Canadian Division), and on HMS Fernie (alternate headquarters Brigadier C.C. Mann). The attack went in at 0505 hours, 19 August 1942. The attack met with disaster. Of the almost 5,000 participants, 3,350 were either dead, wounded or prisoners of war. The RCCS suffered 36 casualties (22 from the two brigade Signal sections) out of the six officers and 72 men involved. Communications failure was a major factor in the failure of the raid, for example: despite the heroic efforts of Major G.M. Rolfe and his signalmen (of 1 Army Tank Brigade attached to the Calgary Tanks) who successfully passed many messages from their disabled scout car on the bullet swept beaches of Dieppe to the ships virtually, no information was correctly passed by his staff on to the tactical commander, Major General Roberts, of 2nd Canadian Division. The return trip plan called for radio silence therefore the first news of the raid's failure was carried to England by pigeon. The pigeon "Broadsword" was the third pigeon released (from HMS Fernie), the first two having been hit by German fire. Broadsword's handler was a signalman who had taken the three week RCAF pigeon handlers' course specially for this operation. Despite the terrible losses, Dieppe provided many lessons for D Day in 1944 and saved many future lives. (The list of Canadian Signals participants is found in annex B of this history)

With the early successes of Axis forces, the Japanese in the Far East during 1941 - 42 and the Germans at Dieppe in 1942, many Canadian servicemen found themselves as prisoners of war. Three Canadian prisoners of war who distinguished themselves while in captivity were:

• (then) Major G.M. Rolfe, DSO, MBE. This Signal Officer of 1 Armoured Tank Brigade Signals was captured at Dieppe where he earned his Distinguished Order and was made a Member of the British Empire for his subsequent activities in organizing escapes while a prisoner of the Germans;
• (then) Sergeant R.J. (Ron) Routledge, DCM captured at Hong Kong, who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his role as liaison between senior allied officers and allied agents who were organizing mass escapes of prisoners of war in the Chungking, China region. Apprehended by the Japanese, he refused to divulge the names of colleagues despite severe torture, starvation and beatings; and
• Flight Sergeant E.W. (Eddie) Goodchild, one of seven RCAF radar technicians seconded to the Royal Air Force, who was captured by the Japanese on 1 February 1943 during the fall of Singapore. Placed in charge of a work party of fellow prisoners he was ordered to punish a Lebanese prisoner for stealing some wood chips by administering a beating. He refused and was himself beaten savagely by five or six pairs of guards for over an hour while continuing to defy them. On 12 October 1944 (two weeks later) while enroute to Hareoka, Japan, F/Sgt Goodchild died of the injuries he had received during his beatings. His body was dropped into the sea. It is reported that, after this incident, Japanese guards ceased requiring allied prisoners to administer beatings to other prisoners. He was promoted to WO1 while in captivity but received no award for his heroism.

On 29 August 1942 the first 25 Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWAC) arrived in Kingston for radio operator training.

In September 1942 4th Canadian Armoured Division reached England after a period of many reorganizations unparalleled in Signals history. Mobilized in 1940 at Vimy it was dismembered to form other units, remobilized, moved to Debert in August 1941 and redesignated as armoured in February 1942. With the many organizational changes equipment was always in short supply while all training had to be conducted by unit personnel for lack of other instructors.

In 1942 distribution of an improved Canadian version of the wireless set number 19 began. The Canadian model (Wireless Set Number 19, Canadian Mark 3) was a vast improvement over the original British version. There is a rumor, unconfirmed, that German developed technological changes led to the Canadian improvements. Since it was provided to allied forces versions were produced with English, English-Russian and English-Russian-Chinese labeling. A higher power capability, utilizing a 100 watt linear amplifier, was also developed.

In 1942 Petty Officer Woodfield of HMCS King's College in Halifax convinced his superiors that the Royal Canadian Navy required messenger pigeons. He convinced pigeon fanciers to donate the birds at no cost and by 1943 he was in the RCN Communications Branch and in charge of a West Coast loft providing pigeons for ships on Pacific Coast patrol duty.

On 6 November 1942 Canadian Army Routine Order (CARO) 2524 authorized the Army Committee on RDF. On 28 November 1942 CARO 2628 amended the organization to add the Director of Signals who had been inadvertently left off the Committee.

In 1942 A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Advanced Training Centre, Radar Wing was conducting army radar training at Debert, Nova Scotia. The term radar appeared to be already in common, if not official, use. S5 Canadian Ordnance Corps Training Centre at Camp Barriefield had commenced training army technicians in radar maintenance. This school evolved into the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) School when that Corp was formed. The RCEME School trained army radar technicians until 1969 when all radar training was amalgamated at the new integrated school at Kingston.

In January 1943 No 1 Canadian Line of Communications Signals began to assemble at Patcheson Park near Leatherhead, England, rapidly becoming a formation of some 1,200 personnel.

On 11 January 1943 a new engineering branch of the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC) was formed. The new RCOC(E) then evolved into the Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers which was authorized on 24 February 1944.

On 23 February 1943 Naval Radio Station (NRS) Massett (note original spelling with two "t"s) opened. The station was soon recognised as the most effective of five west coast relay stations for ship communications. It used call sign "CZT". RCAF Unit 9 CMU soon arrived at the site and the better RCAF amenities immediately improved life for the naval contingent.

In March 1943, at RCAF request, the Army provided ten GL Mark III (anti-aircraft artillery control) radar sets for deployment at ten mile intervals from Matane to Gaspé and created No 1 Radar Direction Finding Operating Unit, Royal Canadian Artillery to man them. These sets could detect submarines at a range of 25 kilometres. The first two were operational in June 1943 and six by July 1943.

In 1943 the Australian Government purchased 86 anti aircraft radar equipments (AA Number 3 Mark 1 (APF) and AA Number 4 Mark 1) from Canada. At the time a request was also made for sufficient radar technical personnel to maintain the equipment and to instruct at the Radar Wing of the Australian School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, New South Wales. The Minister of National Defence, Ralston, granted the request (Order In Council Number PC 3464 29 April 1943). The resulting detachment was formed at Ottawa in June 1944.

In May 1943 experimental Microwave Early Warning/Ground control Intercept (10.7 cm wavelength)MEW sets were rushed into production. Eight sets were ordered by the RCAF to cover Cabot Strait, Strait of Belle Isle and the Gaspé Passage. The first experimental station was erected near Fox River (Gaspé) in 1943. When the operational sets were installed in 1944-45 submarine tactics had rendered them useless and the chain was not completed.

In July 1943 2nd Army Tank Brigade Signals moved to England. For a short while personnel of this unit were detached to form 3rd Army Tank Brigade Signals. However, after several months, the 3rd was disbanded.

In June 1943 NRS Gloucester opened as an operational direction finding station. In 1948 it became the RCN school for "communicators supplementary", later "radiomen special". In 1950 the station was commissioned as HMCS Gloucester. In 1971 the training function was moved to Kingston and the station then closed in 1972.

On 21 June 1943 the allied "Committee on RDF" was renamed the "Committee on Radar" and on 23 August 1943 the American term "RADAR" (RAdio Direction And Ranging) was adopted in place of "Radio Direction Finding".

On 28 June 1943 1st Canadian Division departed Greenock in the United Kingdom to join Force 545 in OPERATION HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily.

On 10 July 1943 OPERATION HUSKY - 1st Canadian Division and 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade landed at Pachino, Sicily, as part of the 8th Army under General Montgomery. A proper communications system wasn't in place until 12 July and the entire campaign was plagued by poor communications caused by the rough terrain and the lack of spares. Mules became the "de rigueur" transportation for many radios.

On 16 July 1943 1st Canadian Division captured Caltagirone and advanced on Piazza Armerina against heavy opposition.

On 20 July 1943 Canadians advanced to Leonforte, Sicily.

On 31 July 1943 No. 31 RDF School, RAF at Clinton officially became No. 5 Radio School RCAF. It was actually handed over to the RCAF, Wing Commander Patrick, RCAF commanding, on 15 October 1943.

On 2 August 1943 Canadians took Regalbuto, Sicily.

On 16 August 1943 83 signalmen of Pacific Command Signals landed at Kiska Island in the Aleutians as part of a joint Canadian/ American force to repel the Japanese who had invaded the Islands in June 1942. While the previous American assault on Attu had involved bitter fighting, Kiska had already been evacuated by the Japanese. This was the first time Canadians operated under American command. The force returned home in January 1944.

Sicily was secured by 17 August 1943.

On 19 August 1943 Italy made discrete diplomatic approaches toward the allies to negotiate a surrender. Extreme care was taken to ensure that Germany did not find out.

In 3 September 1943, 1st Canadian Division landed at Reggio, Italy. 1st Canadian Tank Brigade was also employed in Italy. Communications were stretched with some divisional radio links of up to 220 miles. With over 1000 radios in use by Canadians a Wireless Security Section was formed to ensure security and order.

On 3 September 1943 General Castellano signed the Italian surrender at Cassibili Sicily. This was not announced until 8 September when the actual surrender of forces began. German reaction was swift and they rapidly took over the country. On 12 September Mussolini, who had been deposed and arrested on 25 July was rescued by the Germans.

In October 1943 1st Canadian Corps and in November 1943 5th Armoured Division, less much of their equipment (which arrived late), landed in Italy. This consolidation of much of the Canadian Army in Italy was done at the request of the Government of Canada. As with Canadians in England, the Corps was dependent upon the British for resupply and support. Equipment the British initially provided for 5th Armoured Division proved to be the dregs of British left overs from the earlier North Africa campaign, trucks arrived worn out, without major components such as engines and often virtually useless. Disagreements over equipment condition raged between 5th Armoured Division personnel and the British suppliers as late as 1993 when a major confrontation took place among visiting veterans at the C & E Museum in Kingston.

On 13 October 1943 Italy declared war on Germany, its former ally.

On 15 October 1943, 31 RAF Radio School at Clinton, previously slated for hand over to the RCAF, was finally transferred and became Number 5 RCAF Radio School. During the war it graduated 2345 Americans and 6500 Canadians.

On 15 October 1943 Canadians took Vinchiaturo Italy.

On 28 December 1943 Canadians captured Ortona, Italy.

By 1944 Royal Canadian Artillery coast defence batteries in the Maritimes had been equipped with sufficient radar resources to permit the RCAF to withdraw its supporting detachments from 117 (Coast Artillery Co-operation) Squadron and assign them to other duties. The radar sets were artillery operated and maintained by Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps radar mechanics who were soon to be transferred into the new Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. RCCS personnel did not have radar duties in Canada.

In 1944 No 1 Canadian Air Support Signal Unit (1 ASSU) was formed from personnel previously employed in air-ground-air roles in 1 Canadian Corps Signals. In OPERATION VERITABLE in February 1945 the unit was involved in an important role, coordinating air strikes on land targets which were blocking the army advance.

In 1944 "CANO CODE" operators arrived at NRS Massett to commence "secret duties" (involving the interception of Japanese radio communications). Japanese communicators, working in a language which did not lend itself easily to morse code, used a phonetic system called "KATAKANA" involving some 71 morse symbols versus our standard 26 letters. Messages were sent in plain text or encoded and often standard abbreviations or letter groups were substituted for common names. Reliance upon plain text, same or similar codes for periods in excess of six months often simplified the "cracking" of messages. Sending speeds of 40 to 50 words per minute, on the other hand, were common among Japanese operators, creating the occasional dilemma for intercept operators who could not request a "say again"! 

On 24 February 1944 the Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (CEME) were authorized effective 1 February 1944 "from personnel holding specific trades within the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps" (RCOC). RCOC maintenance personnel had been previously grouped into RCOC(E), an Engineering Branch, on 11 January 1943. The CEME designation followed the example of the British Army which had formed the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 1942. Formal transfer of units to the new Corps did not occur until 15 May 1944 and this later date is generally recognised and celebrated as the Corps birthday rather than the date of authorization. On 20 May 1944 CEME was redesignated Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) after King George VI had granted CEME the title "Royal". RCEME personnel provided light and heavy aid detachments, recovery units, field workshops and base workshops for the Canadian Army at home and overseas. They also provided the radar technicians serving with Royal Canadian Artillery radar units.

In April 1944 Special Training School 103, the famous Camp X spy school ceased operations. HYDRA, the radio station, continued to function on the site.

On 1 May 1944 the Canadian Signals Research and Development Establishment, an outgrowth of the Signals Inspection and Test Department, was formed and occupied a new building in the National Research Council Annex near Ottawa.

On 15 May 1944 1 Canadian Corps was put into the line to exploit the collapse of the Gustav Line in Italy. They then advanced toward Pontecorvo in the Liri Valley. By 20 May they were assaulting the Senger Line which they broke on 23 May.