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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1964-04-16, Page 37 Aerial View of RCAF Station, Clinton, today. Our Canadian Army Badges A South African animal and landscape commemorating ser- vice in the Boer War, 1899- 1902, are the chief inspiration- al devices found in the hat bad- ge of the Royal Canadian Dra- goons. The animal is the graceful, swift and agile springbok leap- ing over the veld (a field of un- cultivated grass land). The RCDs are based at Camp Gagetown, N. B. Winghaul Advance -Times, Thursday, April 16, 1964 -- Page 3 RCAF Station GuPlayed v Vital On April 1 the Royal Canadian .Air Force marked its 40th anni- versary, RCAF Station Clinton, now one of the largest and most important stations, in the RCAF, was not established until 194 but this seems a fitting time to give an outline of its history. in the Blitz days of 1941 aver 3,000 miles separated the embattled White (Tiffs of Dover from the cliffs on the Lake Huron east coast, but in that year the two became linked in a, manner which was to prove vital to the final victory in the Second World War. In peacetime both echoed to the sound of birds and waves but echoes of .a different type along the cliffs were to be the common denominator which tied the two pia. to the successful outcome of the war. These echoes were the inaudible relections of an infant tech- nique known at that time as "Radio Direction Finding" and later RADAR, In the quest for a training place remote from the actual battles, it was found that the cliffs on the Lake Huron shore and their surrounding terrain closely resembled those over which the aerial armadas fought in South-east England. Thus the first radar training establishment in North America, later known as RCAF Clinton, came into being in the early summer of 1941. Among the requirements were adequate power facilities, reas- onable proximity to good sources of supply. transporta- tion and preferably a not too prominent location. Last but .not least it was essential that it be near a large body of water to approximate condi- tions in besieged England. By June 30th an Air Force Station has arisen and only a silo remains to show where a farm once stood. This was the initial No. 31 Radio School and one of its most outstanding characteris- tics was secrecy. As soon as classroom buildings were erect- ed they were surrounded by electrically charged fencing, patrolled by armed guards. At that time "RDF" was one of the most carefully guarded secrets of the war. History has proved what a secret it was for surely, if the RAF Fighter Command was Britain's sword in those difficult days, radar was the shield with which the Nazi blows were parried. INDVOTED TO CANADA During the initial days of the Battle of Britain, on July 20th. '41, Wing Commander H. W. J. Cocks (RAF) became the first Commanding Officer of No. 31 Royal Air Force Radio School at Clinton. Oddly enough, al- though Britain's need for train- ed technicians in this field was so great, the first trainees to be put on course were men of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Soon after its inauguration, a steady flow of trained radar technicians was being graduated by the school, most of whom subsequently served with the RAF in all theatres. Due to the secrecy attached to the base and its work, it was after the end of the war before most people kneW just how Important the station was or its accom- plishments, However, after the war, the p)audits came thick and fast. Early in 1941, when the sta- tion was begun, Britain had sent an urgent message to Canada stating that recruiting of RDF mechanics in England had practically ceased and that by the end of that year a thous- and would be required from Canada, From July 20th, 1941, until the end of the war, nearly 9,000 radar technicians were turned out by the school. In a news release from the UK Air Ministry it was stated that it would not have been possible to meet the vital and increasing demands of radar in the latter part of 1940 and the following years without the knowledge that Canada was undertaking the recruiting of men to help handle this im- mense weapon. Often Canadians formed as much as half of the technician strength on the mobile radar units which were doing field you can heat water electrically SIX TIMES as fast as average use demands with the new ELECTRIC WATER HEATING APPLIANCE "Cascade 40" is flameless, clean, silent. And there is a ten year guarantee on the tank. APPROVED: The new "Cascade 40" Water Heating Appliance is an APPROVED PRODUCT developed through the combined research and resources of Ontario Hydro and electrical manufacturerS. FOR DETAILS CALL your hydro THE SILO—Famous RCAF Clinton land- tion was once lush farmland. mark. It is the sole reminder that the sta- —National Defence Photo. THIS AERIAL PHOTO was taken on the 27th of August, 1941, from an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet. The remnants of the original farm buildings may be seen by a sharp eye. --National Defence Photo. training in England before embarking for abroad. Win - gate's Chindits in Burma and the RAF Wing in Russia were just two of the spots embracing the whole world in which Clinton graduates saw service. CHANGE; OF COMMAND From the time of its opening until 1943, Clinton was under RAF direction, but at that time It was decided that it would be taken over completely by the RCAF. In the process, the station was redesignated No. 5 RCAF Radio School with Wing Commander (later Group Cap- tain) K, R. Patrick as its first Canadian Commander. Distinguished people visiting the station included Sir Robert Watson -Watt who is credited with the invention of radar. At the close of the Second World War the future of Clin- ton was obscure for a time. RCAF electronics men were convinced that the tremendous advances made during the war required a permanent RCAF training establishment, It was something of a shock when a message was received from Air Force Headquarters on September 4th, 1945, order- ing the station to prepare to disband. The reactions, led by W/C Patrick, was swift and hurried conference held through Air Force echelons and finally in the Defence Committee of the Cabinet. As a result, a second message was received on Sep- tember 20th which stated that an RCAF signals school would form on a peacetime basis at Clinton. This decision proved wise with the development of the complex radar defence system initiated and built in the 1950s. Shortly after its establish- ment as a regular peacetime station, the training phases were again redesignated and No. 1 Radar and Communications School came into being. This designation still exists on the prinicpal unit at RCAF Station Clinton. EXPANSION TO MEET NEW THREAT In the spring of 1946 re- cruiting for the RCAF was re- sumed and several seniors NCOs were sent to Clinton for a course in pedagogy prior to activating the facilities of R&C9. Training in the electronics field has expanded continuously since that time. The outbreak of the Korean war in the summer of 1950 meant serious thought of Canadian Defence policy and to satisfy a growing demand for trained technicians a large building program was initiated at Clinton, New buildings were construct- ed for accommodation and training. The present Radar and Communication School building was completed in 1953, at a cost of over $2 million, and has a total floor area of 314 acres. A total of 28 new buildings were constructed during the years 1950-54 to satisfy both immediate and future require - menta, With the development of the thereto -nuclear threat, It be- came evident that Canada and the United States must work closely together in the air de- fence of North America and in 1957 the announcement was made of a new integrated de- fence command NORAD, to pro- vide operation control over the air defence forces of the two countries. The manning requirements for the three bases once again brought pressure to bear on Clinton and until recently the station was accommodating over 1400 trainees at one time, who were taking various courses in radar and communications. The resources were taxed to a point where same radar stu- dents were being trained in three six -hour shifts throughout the day, Eighty three trainees were graduated in 1963 having completed various courses in radar lasting approximately forty weeks. TRAINING TODAY Many training courses In other Air Force trades have come and gone from Clinton— Guided Missiles, Aeronautical Engineering, Telecommunica- tions and Armament to men- tion a few. Presently situated on the station are three important schools namely the School of Food Services, Whioh will short- ly be celebrating its tenth an- niversary and the School of Instructional Technique, a relative newcomer which moved from Trenton in 1962. These two schools together graduated 720 personnel last year. The largest resident school is Radar and Communications School. To run a station with as large a student population turnover at Clinton requires a total of about 850 staff em- ployed in such fields as ,Supply, Construction Engineering, Medicine, Administration, Mo- bile Support as well as Instruc- tion at the various schools. Station Clinton is a ground training station and as such does not lead the glamorous existence of a flying unit echo- ing to the sound of screaming jets, but it does make a train- ing contribution of which Canadians can be justly proud, EUCHRE PARTY AT NURSES' RESIDENCE euchre party, sponsored by the Personnel Committee was held at the nurses' residence last Thursday evening withnine tables in play. The high lady was Mrs. Sa- rah Anstett; high lady playing as a man, Mrs. George Day; high man, Clarence Frihurger; low lady, Mr O. Haselgrove; low man, Donald Carter; and the door prize was won by Mrs. Gordon Walker. 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