RCAF Station Guelph was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located in Guelph, Ontario on the campus of the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), and the Macdonald Institute. The station is usually known as No. 4 Wireless SchoolThe standard short form is No. 4 W.S., but it is also shortened as No. 4 WS or 4 WS. and was home to several schools as well as test facilities for air force kitchens.
The relationship between the Royal Canadian Air Force and the OAC began in January 1940 when the air force began to send airmen to the OAC to be trained as chefs. This instruction was provided on a contract basis, and the OAC remained under the control of the Province of Ontario. In May 1941, the RCAFRCAF is the standard short form for Royal Canadian Air Force. also shortened as R.C.A.F. took control of a large portion of the campus, and by July 1941 a standard RCAF air station was operating there with headquarters in Johnston Hall.
The largest school was the Wireless School, which trained airmen to be Wireless Operators. Many moved on to Bombing and Gunnery School to qualify as Wireless Air Gunners. These airmen served as aircrew on large Commonwealth aircraft in RAF Bomber Command, perhaps in No. 6 Group RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, and RAF Ferry Command. Those posted to Home Defence in Canada served in RCAF Eastern Air Command or RCAF Western Air Command. This list is not exhaustive. Some airwomen trained as Wireless Operators, Ground.
The second-largest school was the School of Cookery, which trained airmen and airwomen as chefs at air stations.
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was a temporary wartime measure scheduled to end on 29 March 1945. In March 1944, Air Minister Power announced that No. 4 Wireless School would close on 29 December 1944. The school actually closed on 12 January 1945, when an air force transition team took over, and on 22 February 1945 the RCAF formally withdrew and returned the campus to the OAC.
At least 8,000 airmen and airwomen were trained at RCAF Station Guelph.This number is problematic. It does not include trainees who attended No. 15 Pre-Aircrew Education Detachment, which is not described in the article. The number of Wireless Air Gunner trainees is given in two places. From the records in the Operations Record Book, a count of 4,000 can be derived. On the other hand, there is a typewritten note in the McLaughlin Archives, authored by Victor Nielsen, a WAG who trained at No. 4, saying that 5,800 WAGs were trained here.
Controversial beginning The establishment of the station caused a political controversy that was widely reported on in the Toronto and Guelph daily newspapers, and farm publications in Ontario. On 28 February 1941, the Premier of Ontario, Mr. Mitchell Hepburn, announced the gift of OAC to the federal government for the war effort. The City of Guelph, many farm groups, and others opposed this gift. These people did not want the Ontario Agriculture College closed down, and Mr. George Drew, the leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, took up their cause. A debate ensued and on 7 March 1941 the legislature voted for a compromise that would keep the OAC open for classes while permitting the RCAF to use the campus for No. 4 Wireless School. The RCAF would get the dormitories and instructors it wanted and the OAC and OVC could continue, although their students would have to live off-campus. Classes at the Macdonald Institute were completely cancelled.Lougheed, E. C. (2002).No. 4 Wireless School At Guelph, 1941-1945. Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph. RE1 UOG A1642. It was left to the people of Guelph to make this compromise work.
Construction began around 10 May 1941, and by 26 June 1941 100 Guelph men were working on the site. Building interiors were modified, a guardhouse was built on MacDonald St. near Gordon St., an Armaments building (25 yard shooting range) was erected on MacDonald St., and a barbed wire fence enclosed the RCAF portion of the campus. Eventually facilities for 1,500 RCAF personnel were made and included police and fire services, motor transport, hospital and post office. This is roughly the same size as most of the air stations built in Canada between 1940 and 1943.
The advance party of RCAF officers arrived on 7 June 1941 under the command of Wing Commander (W/C) A. H. K. Russell.
No. 4 Wireless School opens The first class of airmen began wireless studies on 7 July 1941. They numbered 200, including three Australians and one member of the Royal Air Force.
W/C Russell explained the operation of the school in an interview with the Toronto Daily Star. "During this period the men will receive lectures in mathematics, radio theory, hygiene, first aid, law and administration, armament, anti-gas work, signalling code and procedure, visual signalling with lamps and flags. They will also have a part of their time taken up with drill and games," he said. Russell neglected to mention topics like aircraft identification, aircraft radio equipment used by the RAF and RCAF, radio troubleshooting and repair, and that students were expected to learn skeet shooting, how to swim and how to right a capsized dinghy. The most important wireless signalling skill was proficiency in Morse Code; the airmen were expected to send and receive at 18 words per minute.
The day began with physical training, and they were also expected to perform duties such as cleaning dormitories and moving heating coal about the campus.
The official opening took place on Saturday, 9 August 1941. Air Commodore G. E. Brooks, O.B.E., Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Training Command, was the senior RCAF officer present. He inspected the school and the airmen. Other RCAF officers attended including the commanders of No. 5 SFTS Brantford, No. 6 SFTS Dunnville, and No. 14 SFTS Aylmer.SFTS is the standard short form for Service Flying Training School. also shortened as S.F.T.S. Civilian dignitaries present were the Hon. P. M. Dewan, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Lt-Col. George Drew, K.C., Ontario Conservative Leader, His Worship Mayor William G. Taylor of Guelph, Dr. G. I. Christie, president of the Ontario Agricultural College, and R. W. Gladstone, M.P., South Wellington.
Hundreds of members of the public toured the dormitories, hospital and kitchens, and watched demonstrations of wireless signalling, first aid, and cooking.
By the time of the official opening the station strength stood at 900 airmen.
Wireless aircrew training process The training process for Wireless Operators and Wireless Air Gunners was divided into sections and could last as long as 45 weeks. In November 1942 the process was: Manning Depot - 5 weeks Tarmac Duty - 4–8 weeks Wireless School - 28 weeks (Wireless Operator)originally 18-20 weeks Bombing and Gunnery School - 4 weeks (Wireless Air Gunner)
Near the end of Wireless School traineestrainee is the term used by the air force in the 1940s to refer to their recruits moved out of the classroom and began to practise signalling in aircraft. This phase lasted several weeks and consisted of message transmission, signalling, and direction finding (DF) during local and cross-country flights. After 30 or so hours in the air, most of them in daylight, training was complete.
In spite of the best efforts of some people in Kitchener and Wellington County, no airfield was built for No. 4 WS. For several years trainees used the RCAF airfield at Burtch for their airborne practice.Burtch was the relief airfield for No. 5 Service Flying Training School, Brantford. By 2013, this airfield had been restored to farmland. In the beginning, they were bussed from Guelph to Burtch on a daily basis, but some time later a permanent camp was built there.
In 1944, airborne training was moved to the RCAF airfield at St. Catharines, Ontario.
First graduates The first class of Wireless Operators left No. 4 Wireless School and were enrolled at No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School. On 20 December 1941, they received their wings in a ceremony held in Hangar F at No. 1 B&GS. W/C Russell, Commanding Officer of No. 4 WS was invited to officiate at this ceremony.
Wireless trainees and their service
Volunteer airmen and airwomen arrived at No. 4 WS from many lands including Canada, Newfoundland, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the United States. They trained to be Wireless Operators (WOPs), and most moved on to Bombing & Gunnery School (B&GS) where they qualified as Wireless Air Gunners (WAGs). Some of the top trainees in each class elected to become Navigators and moved on to Air Observer School (AOS). Other top trainees were asked to become instructors. A few trainees became Wireless Operators, Ground (WOGs).Many of the Canadian volunteers were 17-20 years old and came from farms.
By the time the school closed, between 5,000 and 5,800 wireless operators had passed through its doors and of these, well over 1,000 died in service.
No. 4's most distinguished trainee may be the Honourable Lincoln Alexander, who graduated as a Wireless Operator, Ground and then became an instructor. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of No. 4 WS, he said, "I remember the friendship and the fun. It made me a man. It taught me what authority was all about. It taught me to respect others. I'm proud of my service."
Example: the crew of Canso 9816
No. 162 Squadron RCAF operated Canso aircraft on anti-submarine patrols from various locations including RAF Wick, Scotland. A Canso's crew of eight airmen included three WAGs. On 13 June 1944, Canso 9816 attacked and sank U-boat [U-715] 200 miles north of the Shetland Islands. The Canso was damaged during the attack, made a forced landing on the sea and was abandoned by the crew. They were rescued by flying boat eight hours after the forced landing, but three of their number perished before help arrived. The crew of Canso 9816 that day was:
Wing Commander (W/C) Cecil G. W. "Bill" Chapman (pilot, skipper, squadron commanding officer (CO)) Flying Officer (F/O) James M. McCrae (co-pilot) Flying Officer (F/O) Dave J. Waterbury (navigator) Warrant Officer 2 (WO2) Joseph J. C. Bergevin (wireless air gunner-wireless operator) Warrant Officer 2 (WO2) Frank K. Reed (wireless air gunner) Flight Sergeant (FSgt) Harry C. Leatherdale (flight engineer) Flight Sergeant (FSgt) Gerald F. Staples (wireless air gunner) Sergeant (Sgt) Robert F. Cromarty (flight engineer)
Reed, Leatherdale, and Staples died before rescue. Bergevin, Cromarty, and McCrae were decorated for this action.
RCAF School of Cookery The RCAF began sending airmen to the OAC in January 1940 to be trained as chefs.The OAC also trained chefs for the Canadian Army. The class size was 18, and the course lasted 4 or 5 weeks, with Professor Hugh D. Branion and Miss Jesse Lambden of the OAC in charge. In October 1940, the class size was enlarged to 36, with a new group arriving every 3 weeks, and the course was lengthened to 6 weeks. The standard training process for an air force chef was: No. 1 Manning Depot - 3 weeks drill, inoculation, etc. No. 1 Manning Depot - kitchens for 1 to 2 weeks Guelph School of Cookery - 6 weeks No. 1 Manning depot kitchens - 2 weeks The school also offered other courses like an 8-week course for Chef Hospital. The purpose of the school was to provide people who were skilled in preparing highly nutritious meals, making efficient use of rations, and who understood the RCAF diet. With the establishment of the air station in July 1941, the chefs courses became part of No. 4 Wireless School as the School of Cookery. The class size was increased to 100. At the same time Professor Branion joined the RCAF and became Flight Lieutenant (F/L) Branion, Officer Commanding.Graduates were posted to the training centres in Canada and other air stations.