Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1949-03-31, Page 119' ♦POP’S -s-1. Taxi Service Phone: ©rediton 18rll Exeter 357 Evening Service One garage will be open tn Exeter on Sundays and during the evenings thrpugjiput the week Open this Sunday and During the Evenings Throughout the Week NORTH END B-A Service Station r/otlAto- IN THE SADDLE Riding in Algonquin Park Trail riding'is fun in Algonquin Park. 2,170 square miles of un­ touched lake and woodland is set aside for holiday-making 4 to 6 hours drive from Ottawa, Hamilton or Toronto. For information write to Superinten­ dent, Algonquin Provincial Park, Algonqyin Park Station, Ont. Thousands of friendly visitors enjoy Ontario Holidays every year. Let’s give them a warm welcome! WANT TO COME BACK!” THE TIMES-ADVOeATE, EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 31, 1949 History of R.C.A.F. Station, Centralia The history of RCAF Station Centralia is a story in four chapters with a prologue. The prologue begins in Summerside* P.E.L, on January 6, 1941 when, in the middle of one of the worst winters the Dominion's smallest province h a 4 evel known, a new Service Flying Training School was opened .for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, The school, No. 9 SFTS, was u.nder the command of W/C (later Group Captain) E. G. Fullerton, a veteran mem­ ber of the R.C.A.F. who had won his wings dtfring the First World War. No. Under his icommand disbanded four and later. Despite the drifts that isolated for days at a time, ing qn Harvards 9 remained .until it was a half years huge snow- the station flying train- quickly got under way at Summerside and the first course of pilots grad­ uated ,and received .their wings on April 16, 19 41. Course after course followed until July 3, 1942 when the last wings parade was, held at (Summerside. VLEVS MAKE THEM Chapter 1 No.9 SETS (6 July1942-30 'june 1945) Meanwhile, as No. 9 SFTS was pouring its quotas of pilots into the swelling output of the BCATP, a new airfield was tak­ ing shape at Centralia, Ontario. Originally the plans had al­ located it as an RAF Service Flying Training School (No. 42) but like so many plans, in those early war years they were alter­ ed by circumstances. There was need for a General Reconnais­ sance School to train crews for coastal duties with Eastern Air Command and Summerside was picked as the most suitable site for it. No. 9 SFTS was therefore transferred westward to the new field at Centralia. An advance party left Summerside on June 8, 19 42, followed by the main party on July 6, the date on which Centralia was officially designated No. 9. SFTS. Con­ struction of the station was still in progress, however, and it was almost a month ■ before flying training could begin. Neverthe­ less personnel of No. 9 lost no time in establishing the most friendly relations with the local communities. . Huron County generously welcomed the men and women in blue by donating ? IS 0 0' to equip the School’s recreation hall, and No, 9 made itself “one of the family” by capturing the Huron County Softball Championship in,three keenly contested games with Crediton. A change in location also meant a change in function for* G/C Fullerton’s school. While at Summerside it had trained siugle-engined pilots; at .Cent­ ralia its role was to produce twin-engined pilots and sedate A n s o n s replaced the strident Harvards. On August 2, 1942, the .first trainees (Course 61) reported and training began at the new station, while workmen still laboured to put the final touches to ’runways, hangars and barracks. When everything was finally finished ‘(if work on air Business Directory DR. H. H. COWEN L.D.S., D.D.S. DENTAL SURGEON Main Street. Exeter Office 36 w Telephones Res. 36j dosed Wednesday Afternoon ELMER D. BELL, K.C. ♦ BARRISTER and ’SOLICITOR Successor to J. W. Morley EXETER. ONTARIO Page 11 DR. J. W. CORBETT D.D.S., L.D.S. DENTAL SURGEON Bell Building, Exeter Telephone 273 GLADMAN and COCHRANE BARRISTERS - SOLICITORS EXETER, ONTARIO at Hensail, Friday 2 to 5 p.m. FRANK TAYLOR LICENSED AUCTIONEER For Huron and Middlesex farm sales a specialty Prices Reasonable and Satisfaction Guaranteed EXETER P.O. or RING 138 JOHN WARD Chiropractor and Optometrist MAIN STREET, EXETER Open Every Week Day Except Wednesday Phone 348 station eyer is finished) an of­ ficial o p e n i n g ceremony was held, on September 23, 1942, with A.V.M, C,Q, Johnson, MC, the Air officer Commanding No, J Training *. Command, cutting the symbolic'1 ribbon to declare the station “operational". Two months later,, on November ,20, there was another ceremony when forty-nine graduates of the first Anson c o u r s e (No. 61) stepped forward to receive tijelr pilots' wings. No. 9’s strongest claim to im* morality in the history of the R,C,A,F. rests probably upon the Stirring tunes and swinging kjlts of its famed Pipe, band- This band, which made its first .public appearance eqrly in 1943, owed its origin to the enthus­ iasm of the station commander, G/C Fullerton, and the generos­ ity of several London firms Which donated uniforms. For his pipe band, the only one in the Aii' Force, G/C Fullerton de­ signed a special RCAF tartan which was duly approved by Air Council and registered in the archives of the weaves of .Scott­ ish Clans. The establishment authorised for the band was 12 .pipers and seven d r u m m.e r s. With Glengarry .cap, plaid, spor­ ran and kilt .and tunic with special trimmings, the band led by its WD drum majorette created a sensation wherever it went. When, after the war end­ ed,'- the pipe band was broken up the Force lost one of its most colorful organizations. In December 1944 the Cent­ ralia School began publishing a station magazine ‘called “No. 9 Flyer”; eight issues appeared between December 19 44 and July 19 45,. By the .close of 19 44 the BCATP had produced such a reserve of trained ’aircrew that rapid reduction of, the vast training establishment was pos­ sible and on March' 31, 1945, the Plan was officially terminat-' ed. At Centralia the last wings parade was held on March 29, when 112 pilots (42 RCAF and 70 RAE.) of Course 121 and 122 graduated. A few weeks later G/C Fullerton was awarded the Air Force Cross in fitting trib­ ute to his outstanding service as commander of one of the major flying schools of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. After the last BCATP course graduated No, 9 continued in existance for ten weeks (2 April- 11 June) as a school to give special 6-weeks refresher cours­ es to pilots before they went to Operational Training Units. This ..training, however ceased, on 11. June and on the Jast day of the ■month No. 9 Training jSchool Chapter 2 No. 1 ACU (1 September 1945) Although the first chapter in the' history of Centralia closed on JunS .30, the second chapter had already opened. The wax’ in Europe was over; plans were be­ ing made for further R.C.A.F. participation in the .Pacific struggle. It was decided that all aircrew selected for “Phase 11” should pass through ^condition­ ing centre. Two centres .were formed, one in the west and the other in the east at Centralia. No. 1 Aircrew Conditioning /Unit was officially formed June 1, 1945 and commenced the first ■course seventeen days later with an initial intake of 104 trainees. Included in the four weeks syl­ labus were leadership training, tropical medicine, survival, geo­ graphy, and other courses to bring aircrews to a high level of physical fitness. Attached to No. 9 SFTS dur­ ing the first month, No. 1 AOU took over .Centralia station when the flying school disbanded at the end of June. G/C Fullerton remained as C.O. of the new unit. Non-flying training .(lect­ ures and conditioning) continued until September 15 when, as a result of the termination of hostilities with Japan, the need for the training ended and ACU was disbanded. Service Flying was disbanded. ARTHUR FRASER ALVIN WALPER LICENSED AUCTIONEER - Specializing In - Farm & Purebred Livestock Sales “Service That Satisfies” Phone 57r2 R. 1 DASHWOOD Income Tax Reports, Bookkeeping Service, etc. Ann St., EXETER, Phono 355w WM. H. SMITH LICENSE^ AUCTIONEER For Huron and Middlesex Special training assures youSpecial training assures you of your property’s true value on sale day. Graduate of American . Auction College Terms Reasonable and Satisfaction Guaranteed Credlton P.O. or Phone 43-2 1 1 L E. F> CORBETT LICENSED AUCTIONEER ■ Terms Reasonable Satisfaction Guaranteed EXETER. BAL 1 Phono Zurich 92r7 USBORNE and HIBBERT MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY Head Office, Exeter, Ontario President Angus Sinclair, R.R. 1, Mitchell Vice-President Milton McCurdy, R.R. 1, Kirkton Directors William H. Coates, Exeter Martin Feeney, Dublin John Hackney, R.R. 1, Kirkton William A. Hamilton, Gromatty Agents T. G. Ballantyne, Woodham Alvin L. Harris, Mitchell Thomas Soott, Croinhrty Secretary-Treasurer Arthur Fraser, Exeter Solicitors Gladman & Cochrane, Exeter to complete the Job of storing the aircraft. For the rest of the year Cent­ ralia .remained in this dormant state—-“inactivated" was the service w'ord—waiting until the Force h a 4 shaken down its peace-time organization and training requirements would necessitate its “reactivation”, Early in, .1947 life on the Station began to stir again; per­ sonnel were posted in to build ■up its strength rapidly, and air­ craft emerged .from storage. The cause of this burst of activity was found lat No, 1 Radar and Communications School at Clint­ on where the influx on radio operators , and technicians ’ for training. bad exceeded .the school’s capacity. To handle the overflow Centralia was “react­ ivated” on a .temporary hasis on January 6, 1947. functional control manding officer Centralia .provided ion, administration facilities for the F/L Edwards remained in charge at Centralia until Mar, 24, 1947 when W/C D, ,E. Galloway re­ placed him. A week later the station embarked upon a new career as one of the major train­ ing centres in the peace-time R.C.A.F. Chapter 4 Centralia Station April 1 1.947— On ‘April 1, 1947 Centralia was elevated to the official status of an R.C.A.F. Station under the command of . G/C Lister. In addition to Station Headquarters, Centralia n o w comprised No. 2 Radar and Com­ munications iSchool, Radai* and Communication , School Flight, and No. 1 Instrument .Flying School, all «a>f which had the same “official birthday”-—April 1. ■No. 2’ R & CS was the' new designation for the training organization that had been set Under the of the com- No.l R&CS, accoinmodat- and training radio mechs. July 1945—15 No. 1 1945- No. 1 w Chapter 3 No. 1 FTS (16 September 31 March 1947) Upon the dissolution of ACU Centralia was reorganized as No. 1 Flying Training (School in the peace-time set-up of the RCAF. W/C ,0. W. Burgess,DFC arrived to succeed G/C Fullerton as commanding officer; he in turn handed over command to G/C N. iS. A. Anderson, AFC oh November 9, 1945. During the first four months of the School’s life comparitively .little' flying training was done. The emphasis was on demobiliz­ ation and reduction to peace­ time establishments; there \y.as little requirement for training. On January 8, 1946, however, a flying course finally began, Using Harvards, A n s o n s, Beechcraft aild Cornells. But it was no sooner started, than It ended, for on January 30 a signal was re­ ceived to Stop all flying; the aircraft were <put .into lung term storage and the station was re­ duced to a care and maintenance basis. With this drastic Change hi the situation G/C Anderson left Centralia on February 16, 1946, handing over command of. the School to F/L J. F. Edwards, DFC and Bar, DEM, By the end of May IMG only a skeleton staff remained, .a “Rear Patty” up in January 1947 to assist No. 1 R &; OS at Clinton. .It- was in­ tended a as temporary unit only, and when , the overflow from Clinton ceased No. 2 was dis­ banded on March 13, 1348, The Radar and Communicat­ ion School Flight was .formed, under F/L E. Mahoney as officer commanding, to do the necessary flying for radio train­ ees at the twp Schools at Clint* oju and .Centralia. The Flight was inoperative from April 1, 1947 to July 25, 1947, however, as suitable aircraft were not avail- able. Finally Dakota trainers were received and opertions be­ gan. On January 19, 19 48, F/L W, M., French succeeded F/L - - In to 2, W. M. Mahoney ini command; he turn handed- over command S/L J. C 1948. . No. School Deseronto, on . April 2, After the end of the war it was moved to Trenton, on September 30, 19 45, where it remained until reorganized and relocated at Centralia on April 1, 1947. At the time of the .transfer it was under the command of W/C D. E. Galloway, who was suc­ ceeded on January 12, JL948 by W/C J. H. Roberts, When Clinton Station was formed on April 1, 19 47, the designation No. 1, Flying Train­ ing School lapsed. Although the name had been in use from 16 September Hovey on July 1 Instrument Flying originated at .Mohawk, on , April 2, 1943. Oldest Resident Of Hensall Dies Funeral services for Hensail’s oldest resident, Mrs. Catherine Baker, 96, were conducted Sat* urday afternoon, in Bonthron’s funeral home by Rev, p, a- Ferguson, and interment .was made in Hensail Union Ceme­ tery, t Mrs, Baker died Thursday after an illness ,of two weeks at the home of her daughter, Mrs; John Pfaff, The former Catherine Helen Gates, she was born at Kitchen­ er, and resided in Crqubrook, Goderichf Exeter and Hensall, On November 25 she celebrat­ ed her ninety-sixth birthday and spent the day receiving many callers. ,She was very bright and •active, and took a keen interest In. c u r r»e n t events, loved the radio, loved to have friends drop in and visit her, and braided many lovely mats. She was beloved by everyone With .whom she came in 'Contact and her passing will be mourned by a wide circle of friends. Surviving are two sons, Leo, Windsor; William, Goderich; .one daughter, Mrs. John ’Pfaff, Hen­ sall; eighteen grandchildren, and fifteen great grandchildren. Her husband died in 1904. 'M-m «—• -TT a-9 **w- r™?? '9 HESS .1 I KMT Wcfoh and Clock Repairing Zurich Since 1867 * Still going strong. We Do AR Our Repairing «■’ '9 Are You BUILDING? If So, You’ll Need GRAVEL, SAND OR FILL Contact us for all your concrete requirements. LANES GRAVELLED - Anytime pr Anywhere W. C. MacDonald : —— Contractor — PHONE 404J EXETER >K ■ FARMERS ATTENTION .... 19 45s to 31 March it had not in fact been a flying training, school except for the brief period. 8-30 January 1946. On September 15, 1947 No. 1 FTS was re-born at Centralia with a small staff, a handful of trainees and ten Harvards. S/L (later W/C) E. R. Johnson ar­ rived to .take command a week later. G/C Lister remained in com­ mand of Centralia, Station for eighteen months and then, Qn October 1, 194S, was succeeded by W/C W. C. Van Camp, DFC. f We Are Open To Contract Malting Barley and will supply the seed for same. — We have a good market for this barley — Growers Interested, Please Call Or Write W. G. Thompson GRAIN ELEVATORS - HENSALL, ONT. Day Phone No. 32 Night Phone No. 2 r-VS I? £ . <■ s gi CANADIAN INDUSTRIES LIMITED THE DOCTOR is the one man who sees below the surface, who knows from first-hand experience what Chemistry means to health and to our general well-being. Aside from its great work in water purifica­ tion through chlorine and in disease pre­ vention through pest destruction, it helps the medical man in countless other ways. Chemistry produces light-conducting "Lucite” to be fashioned into instruments for internal examinations; X-Ray film, and chemi­ cals for developing it; skin-grafting cement; sutures of nylon monofilament; cellulose sponges; anaesthetics and many other medical and sur­ gical aids. Yes, Chemistry is with us everywhere, ever socking and finding-new methods and mate rials. The C-I-L oval is the symbol of au organization devoted to serving Canadians through chemistry *-R «, to a oi Xc chetm- CC J oi C°Ut9C* aB at0’ A to aeveW «'s y o£ a°°