Grostenquin, France
Support Photographs


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  1. Back row (L-R) LAC Levesque, AC1 Belanger, unknown and LAC Claude Bernier (in front) celebrating New Years Eve - 31 December 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  2. The Gros Tenquin Ditch Diggers - December 1953.
    This photo was taken at a Christmas party in the "Little Theatre". (L-R) Bill Gaston (guitar), Doug ? (harmonica), Gord Foster (mandolin), Pierre Joviollet (guitar).
    Courtesy Bill Gaston.

  3. The Station "Glee Club" - December 1953.
    Courtesy Flo Kerr (now Brewer).

  4. Rejeanne Bernier arrives from Canada at Orly airport in Paris - 15 November 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  5. Cross Country Team in Luxembourg. (L-R) Dennis Law, unknown, unknown, Murray Smith - November 1953.
    Courtesy Maurice Seymour.

  6. Celebrating our "Victory" (we finished last). F/O "Blackjack" Doyle front left - November 1953.
    Courtesy Maurice Seymour.

  7. The celebrations continue - November 1953.
    Courtesy Maurice Seymour.

  8. LAC Claude Bernier receiving a wedding gift - October 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  9. Unidentified personnel going to Saarbrucken for the weekend - October 1953.
    Courtesy Gerry Cann.

  10. 1 Air Division Instrument Flight Course #1 - 14 September 1953.
    Back row (L-R) Ralph Annis, Arch Debenham, Sherm Hannah, Howie Rowe, Gerry King and Gerry Gan\gne. Front row (L-R) Bill Peterson, WH "Scotty" MacKay, Ralph Heard, WAC Wilson, Bill Paisley and Ken Lett.
    Courtesy Ralph Heard.

  11. A 2 Wing Honour Guard party - September 1953.
    (L-R) Unknown, unknown, AC1 Pat Morrissey, AC1 Johnny Vigneault.
    Courtesy Johnny Vigneault.

  12. A USAF B-26 visiting Grostenquin - September 1953.
    Courtesy Johnny Vigneault.

  13. 2 (F) Wing Grostenquin France pennant - September 1953.
    Courtesy Brian Milne.

  14. Top view of a Grostenquin souvenir ashtray - September 1953.
    Courtesy Brian Milne.

  15. The Nadeaus wagon was broguht from Canada. Pierre is last and Jean-Guy is in front of him. This photo was taken on what was to be the first permanent mobile home park by the water tower - September 1953.
    Courtesy Jacques Nadeau.

  16. 2 (F) Wing Eagles baseball team (with their new uniforms) - September 1953.
    Back row (L-R) - Unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, Front row (L-R) - Unknown, unknown, unknown, Alex Johnson, unknown, unknown, Bruce Fortune.
    Courtesy Alex Johnson.

  17. 2 (F) Wing Eagles baseball team (before the uniforms arrived) - August 1953.
    Back row (L-R) - Hank Tatarchuk, Jack Donald, LAC Johnson, Roger Neron. Middle row (L-R) - LAC Boston, Ken O'Brien, Bruce Fortune, LAC Kirby, Cpl Williams, Cpl Messier. Front row (L-R) - LAC Sorel, LAC La Branche, unknown.
    Courtesy Hank Tatarchuck.

  18. The station sign as seen on the access road - August 1953.
    Courtesy Paul Landry.

  19. Gordon Delaney standing by the station sign on the access road - August 1953.
    Courtesy Gordon Delaney.

  20. The parking area during an open house - August 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  21. Visitors taking in the exhibits on the ramp area - August 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  22. Air display at the open house - August 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  23. If this picture were clear enough, you would see 15 RCAF Sabres taking off from Volkel - 19 July 1953.
    Courtesy DND PL80349.

  24. Sabres from 2 and 3 Wings mix it up right over the airfield - July 1953.
    Courtesy Bob Hallowell.

  25. Another photo of contrails over the station - July 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  26. Twenty-four F-86 aircraft in formation flight over the station - July 1953.
    Courtesy Ren L'Ecuyer.

  27. Sixteen 430 Squadron F-86 Sabres in formation flight over the station - July 1953.
    Courtesy Roy Norman.

  28. Panoramic view of the airfield as seen from the control tower - July 1953.
    Courtesy Ron Rockey.

  29. Panoramic view of the airfield as seen from the control tower. Fire Hall (with double bay doors) in foreground center - July 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  30. Slightly different angle of the previous photo - July 1953.
    Courtesy Ray Walker.

  31. Panoramic view of the airfield as seen from the control tower. Back of Wing Operations building in foreground and assorted barrack blocks in remaining area - July 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  32. Slightly different angle of the previous photo - July 1953.
    Courtesy Ray Walker.

  33. Assorted detail and photos of "Operation Coronet" - July 1953.
    Courtesy Assorted Sources.

  34. Materiel being moved from a hangar - July 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  35. Funeral of F/O JG Cloutier of 421 Squadron at Chambieres Military Cemetery in Metz - 11 June 1953.
    Courtesy National Archives of Canada.

  36. Miss Canada visits 2 Wing - 8 June 1953.
    Courtesy Assorted Sources.

  37. 2 Wing personnel presnted with the Queen's Coronation Medal. LAW FE Kerr, Med A (front row 1st left) - 2 June 1953.
    The rest of the story.
    Courtesy Flo Kerr (now Brewer).

  38. (L-R) Matron Bransager and Audrey Blackmer enjoying a day off at a local Bistro - June 1953.
    Courtesy Flo Kerr (now Brewer).

  39. This was before we could purchase cars - June 1953.
    Courtesy Larry Bodnar.

  40. Sabre contrails over Grostenquin - June 1953.
    Courtesy Roy Norman.

  41. F-86 Sabre jets parked on the ramp in front of the Control Tower - June 1953.
    Courtesy National Archives of Canada.

  42. By this time, some clean up had been done, wild grass was growing, and the grounds were "mud free" enough to play ball - June 1953.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  43. Time for a stroll in the sun - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  44. RCAF personnel gathering on the ramp - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  45. The hangar line at 2 Wing - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  46. Formation flypast - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  47. Formation flypast - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  48. Formation flypast - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  49. Formation flypast - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  50. Formation flypast - June 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  51. Gerry Couillard and Antoinette "Tony" Feldman - 1 May 1953.
    Courtesy Johnny Vigneault.

  52. (L-R) Nina Nabunski-Zaitzeff (deceased) and Johnny Vigneault - 1 May 1953.
    As 1 May is a French National holiday corresponding to Labour Day in Canada, it was felt that in view of the anti-NATO elements in the area, that the unit be CC'd from 0001 hours 1 May to 0800 hours 2 May. To provide suitable entertainment for the station personnel under this directive, a successful Station Dance was held in No. 4 Hangar for all personnel. Music was supplied by an orchestra from the 17th Entertainment Group, US Army, Verdun. This is where I met Nina, soon to become my companion for life.
    Courtesy Johnny Vigneault.

  53. Wide angle view of some of the buildings on the station - May 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  54. Closer image of the buildings on the station - May 1953.
    Courtesy Leslie Raymond Taylor (deceased).

  55. 430 Squadron F-86 Sabre in the Maintenance hangar - May 1953.
    Courtesy Roy Norman.

  56. (L-R) Claude Bernier and LAC Bob Powell - May 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  57. Control tower in the background. Elevated pipes were everywhere - May 1953.
    Courtesy Roy Norman.

  58. Chick Martin with a US 3rd Army helmet I found along the perimeter fence - May 1953.
    Courtesy Gerry Cann.

  59. Beechcraft crash details - 7 April 1953.
    Courtesy Assorted Sources.

  60. Travel by motorcycle (L-R) LAC Powell, LAC Vienot and LAC Bernier. Unknown standing in the rear - April 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  61. Work party volunteers cleaning up - April 1953.
    Courtesy Gordon Delaney.

  62. Work party volunteers cleaning up - April 1953.
    Courtesy Gordon Delaney.

  63. Johnny Vigneault at the controls of the manual DF Unit - April 1953.
    You can see a black wheel at microphone height which was used to turn the antennas while reading azimuth angle indication on the upper cylindrical band marked with 360 degrees.
    Courtesy Johnny Vigneault.

  64. A/V/M FR Miller visits the station - 7 March 1953.
    Courtesy Assorted Sources.

  65. USAF aircraft on a low approach at 2 Wing - March 1953.
    Courtesy Alex Johnson.

  66. (L-R) Claude Bernier, LAC Fink - March 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  67. An unidentified French janitor taking the "salute" - March 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  68. LAC Guillemette working with the Hydraulic Press - March 1953.
    Courtesy Claude Bernier.

  69. The ultimate in landscaping - March 1953.
    Courtesy Alan Richards.

  70. Quonset storage huts at 2 Wing - February 1953.
    I am in the window of the hut on the left.
    Courtesy Alan Richards.

  71. Fuel being pumped direct from the tank car to a transport tender to a refuelling tender. The French would let us carry only 1900 gallons at a time - February 1953.
    Courtesy Gerry Cann.

  72. Gas dump #1 site - February 1953.
    Courtesy Gerry Cann.

  73. Gas dump beind #1 building at Supply, Note the pumps - February 1953.
    Courtesy Gerry Cann.

  74. Gas dump for JP4 fuel. Filling a tender was a slow process with this home made pumping station which I helped design and operated - February 1953.
    Courtesy Gerry Cann.

  75. Resulting damage to a partially erected building was caused by a wind storm - February 1953.
    Courtesy Ron Rockey.

  76. A "boxing match" at the Annual Smoker - January 1953.
    Courtesy Tom Wylie.

  77. A "boxing match" at the Annual Smoker - January 1953.
    Courtesy Tom Wylie.

  78. The station under a blanket of snow - January 1953.
    Courtesy Hank Tatarchuck.

  79. The main road at the airfield after a heavy snowfall - January 1953.
    The steam pipes provided heat to the buildings.
    Courtesy Ron Rockey.

  80. Ray Johnston was the "Heat Chief" - January 1953.
    He was put in charge of heating the station due to the failure of the Heating Plant which had a system of overhead heating pipes. Ray is shown here with a typical pick up truck in front of a row of barracks. Read Ray's story for extra detail.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  81. Ray Johnston's "Heat Crew" unloading a Herman Nelson - January 1953.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  82. Ray Johnston checking out a Herman Nelson at one of the barracks. Note the heat pipes through holes in the door - January 1953.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  83. Panoramic view of the hangar line as seen from the taxiway - January 1953.
    We can see three hanagrs, the control tower attached to #2 hangar, an Expeditor and some Sabres on the tarmac.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  84. A view of the back of the hangars - January 1953.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  85. Hangars were still under construction - January 1953.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  86. Elevated hot water pipe system tentatively set up for the winter of 1952-1953 at Grostenquin - January 1953.
    The system never worked and we had to revert to heating the barracks with Herman-Nelsons. You can see workers in the center of this photo installing the system.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.

  87. A larger view of the overhead pipe system - January 1953.
    Courtesy Jean-Guy Choquette.


Photographic Credits

All photos are used with permission.

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Updated: February 17, 2005