Daily Diary

No. 33 Service Flying Training School,
Carberry, Manitoba

January 1942

This Transcription of the Operational Record Book of No. 33 Service Flying Training School that was Located at Carberry, Manitoba, Canada was created by the volunteers at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Manitoba. You can visit their website by clicking this heading.

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Carberry.

• 1.1.42. STRENGTH: Personnel.

	Officers	Other Ranks	Civilians
RAF	80	1041	–
Service Personnel other Than RAF
RCAF	7	97	–
RCASC	1	4	–
CDC	1	2	–
Civilians	–	–	9
Trainees
RAF	–	196	–

• STRENGTH: Aircraft.

	Servicable	Unservicable
Ansons	39	33

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Carberry.

• 1/1/42. The year 1942 opened with a flourish. No. 30 Course had graduated with the highest average of marks yet obtained – 84.34%. On this day their Flying Emblems were presented to them by the new Commanding Officer of No. 2 Manning Depot, Brandon, Wing Commander H.G. Reid, C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O. When the Wing Commander had pinned the precious wings to the tunic of the last graduate-pilot on parade, he shook hands with the six hundred and fourth successful candidate instructed by the Unit.
  On the same day, the eagerly-awaited Unit Crest arrived – the device being a buffalo in natural colours on a white ground, and the motto: ‘Unity is Strength’. This prized parchment from the College of Heralds bore the signature of His Majesty, to whom it had been submitted by the Chester Herald. The motto, together with the fact that the buffalo was similar to that used by the Province of Manitoba, reminded the Unit of its geographical position and military purpose.
  Squadron-Leader W.W. Loxton had now left the Unit, being posted to No. 31 A.N.S., Port Albert.
• 2/1/42. In bitter weather, the members of No. 30 Course departed – 47 bound for ‘Y’ Depot, Halifax, 16 for No. 31 G.R.S., Charlottetown, 5 for the C.F.S. Trenton, and 2 for No. 31 A.N.S. Port Albert. This Course had come under the new regulations affecting the granting of Commissions. Arranged in order of Merit by the Unit, the list was then submitted to Headquarters at Ottawa, which, without reference to the Air Ministry, was empowered to confer Commissions up to a maximum of one third of the names listed.
• 3/1/42. The presence in the United States of the Premier (now referred to by journalists as ‘Mr. England’) made the boundary between the Countries seem less difficult to cross; and, as if to meet the unspoken wishes of many personnel, a notice appeared to the effect that the only papers required to pass into the United States would be a document of identity and a letter by the Commanding Officer showing the status and purpose of the individual concerned. The attractions of that new Ally were probably increased by the facts that the Camp’s large stock of magazines consisted mainly of publications from over the Border, and

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Carberry.

• 3/1/42. (cont’d) that radio sets were easily able to take United States’ programmes.
  In the afternoon a Pupil-Pilot lost control of his Anson while taxying and struck a Hangar, causing serious damage to the airframe. He was reprimanded and fined.
  Squadron-Leader H.W.A. Chesterman was posted to No. 36 S.F.T.S., Penhold.
• 4/1/42. Those Fifty-per cent of the Station’s personnel who had enjoyed the second part of ‘Christmas Grant’ were now due to return. A special train had been chartered to run from Winnipeg to Carberry, but a few of the Units’ Officers and Airmen were on the regular train which left a little earlier. The special train, bent on delivering its valuable freight well on time, unfortunately overtook the more leisurely regular train and dealt it a buffet. Two airmen were knocked unconscious, and a number were slightly shaken. The chief subsequent inconvenience was that further progress was delayed for some hours of painfully cold conditions.
• 5/l/42. The weather was becoming colder and colder; and, dissatisfied with a mere 20 degrees below, seemed deadset on achieving a substantial 30 degrees – which indeed it did. A strong and icy blast increased discomfort tenfold, and the wisdom of the early instructions in preventing frostbite became fully justified and extremely valuable. Nevertheless, some ears were bitten and one nose. A top set of false teeth, lying mysteriously unclaimed for three days in the Guard-room, alone failed to chatter.
• 6/1/42. This weather was responsible for a further falling behind schedule of Courses 32 and 34. Due to the low temperature in the Ansons’ cockpits cross-country flights became injudicious, especially in view of a lack of Canadian flying clothing. Moreover Pupils found great difficulty in maintaining engine warmth when carrying out practice landings, with the result that airscrews frequently stopped while aircraft were on the landing field. Other difficulties arising from temperatures ranging from -15° to -30° included the collapse of undercarriage oleos, the cracking of perspex, the frosting of windows and the obstinacy of engines due to inadequate hangar accommodation.
• 7/1/42. All Air Force Stations and their adjacent areas were now declared Protected Areas under the Defence of Canada regulations and with this order went the loss of a great deal of photographic amusement which personnel had enjoyed in the days before Japan’s entry into the War.

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Carberry.

• 8/l/42. At this time great interest was being shown by all ranks in the duration of the Tour of Duty in Canada. The original members of the Unit had been given to understand, early in 1941, that in all probability they would stand a fair chance of returning to the British Isles when they had completed eighteen months in Canada. On the other hand, visiting members of the recently founded Station at Weyburn, Saskatchewan, stated that the duration was to be two years. The solution of the mystery now appeared in D.R.O’s where it was announced that the duration would be eighteen months for those who had entered Canada before the 1st. October, 1941. It was indicated that every effort would be made, in the interests of health and efficiency, to ensure that the duration of the tour of duty would not be exceeded although, of course, no guarantee could be given.
  As personnel were instructed to fill in a form which included an opportunity of expressing their willingness to remain in Canada if asked to do so, there was much self-examination, and apparently a wide divergence of opinion. As examples; one L.A.C. stated bluntly that, whatever happened, he meant to live in Canada after the war; while a Sergeant, in unmeasured terms, said that he did not care if the boat sank, provided he had first caught one glimpse of the British Coast.
  Sixty-seven Pupil-Pilots (to constitute Course 36, the thirteenth group to be instructed) arrived on the Station three days overdue.
• 9/1/42. An invitation had been received from the Red Cress Association of Minneapolis, U.S.A., to send two Officers there for three days to attend various functions. A Squadron-Leader and a Pilot Officer were detailed for this delightful duty, and thoroughly enjoyed the excellent hospitality extended to them not only by the Red Cross Association, but by the “Bundles for Britain” Society, the North-West Air Lines, the local broadcasting Station and the Cinematograph Company responsible for showing “A Yankee in the R.A.F.”. The Squadron-Leader broadcast (from censored manuscript) on two occasions, and was called upon to speak when introduced by a Major-General to the guests at the Red Cross Ball. There were luncheons and dinners – and the Hotel at which they stayed categorically refused to present a bill. In fact it was made very clear by every imaginable kindness that the Royal Air Force stock, as it were, was well up in Minneapolis.
  On the Station, the Library was still further increased by no less than two hundred and fifty books.
• 10/1/42. After the rather crippling effect of the Christmas Grant periods on the Unit’s organized Sport, Games Committees re-gathered the reins and drove steadily forward. A Meeting of the Brandon

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Carberry.

• 10/1/42 cont’d and District Services Athletic Association drew up programmes for inter-unit matches in Hockey, Boxing, and Basket-Ball, and discussed arrangements for Swimming, Volley Ball, and Table-tennis. On the Station, boxing training was resumed, the ice-rinks were in use despite the penetrating cold winds and basket-ball games were in progress. It was also pleasant to note that, after six weeks’ trial of leaving
  Badminton racquets unprotectedly available day and night, no instance of loss or damage had occurred. Flight Lieutenant T.E. Sanders was posted to Headquarters, Ferry Command.
• 11/1/42. The outstanding event of this Sunday was the visit of a Concert Party from Winnipeg. It consisted of amateur talent on vaudeville lines and attracted an audience of about seven hundred Officers, Airmen and wives. The airmen were in very high spirits, and the evening was full of song, dance and laughter.
• 12/1/42 A point was now made of the necessity of giving Airmen every encouragement to study in their spare time with a view to remustering; and the wheels were set in motion to collect statistics so that the appropriate text-books and, so far as possible, classes might be provided. In various ways, many of the Airmen had already made it clear that they would neglect no opportunity of acquiring a larger knowledge of the work on which they were engaged or for which they considered themselves more suitable.
• 13/1/42. Sixty-two Airmen who had very profitably spent their waiting-period in the Station until such time as their new Camp at Weyburn should be able to receive them were issued with their railway- warrants. A pleasant light was shed on their stay with the Unit by the freely expressed unwillingness of many to leave. This may have been partly due to the tales told to them by members of the Unit’s First Echelon about the hazards and discomforts of a Station in its first month or two after birth. But it was certainly the case that some of the visitors compared the life on the Station very favourably with that on some Stations at Home – forgetful, perhaps, that on the Prairie it was essential that a Unit should rely mainly on its own efforts for recreation and amusement, and that the demand created the supply.
• 14/1/42. On the evening of this day, for instance, the studious could attend the popular Mathematics Class, the sporting could take part in (or watch) the first inter-Unit Ice-Hockey Match between the Station and No. 2 Manning Depot, R.C.A.F., the card-players could take part in a Whist Drive with their lady-guests, and those who wished to sit down, relax, and be entertained could repair to the Recreation Hall where the Second Celebrity Concert offered a programme of dignified, varied and (in some cases) original items.
• 15/1/42. Seventeen Pupil-Pilots of Course No. 36 were transferred to No. 39 S.F.T.S., Swift Current owing to the fact that the Course was carrying that number in excess of the usual Course-strength. Two Flying Instructors – Flight Lieutenants F.W. Snell, D.F.C. and R.E. Weston were posted to No. 39 S.F.T.S., Swift Current.

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Carberry.

• 16/1/42. The Pupil-Pilots achieved the highest number of flying hours on one day yet recorded on
  the Station – three hundred and fifty-one hours and forty-five minutes. A complete change had taken place in the weather and the Canadians could offer no explanation or precedent for the beautiful Spring weather. It was a grand opportunity, however, and it was accepted with enthusiasm.
• 17/1/42. The Athletic Association of Brandon Service Units was now functioning vigorously, and its Committee’s theories were being translated into practice with every sign of zest. Personnel had thus an additional incentive to keep fit – the daily Physical Training classes forming the basis for a very healthy Unit, with merely a very few reporting sick. A further spur to the maintenance of efficiency was the news that during the last four days no less than one thousand three hundred flying hours had been recorded.
• 18/1/42. The Station had now had plenty of time to settle down to its usual habits of work and play after the Christmas and New Year breaks, and the customary 48 hours’ passes per fortnight were resumed. Night-flying and the absence from Camp of about 50% of personnel, however, did not appear to affect the attendance at yet another performance by a Concert Party that had journeyed all the way from Winnipeg for the purpose. The Senior N.C.O’s undertook the entertaining of the Party and there was plenty of fun, before and after the show, in their Mess.
• 19/1/42. Among the many items engaging the attention of those present at the Station Commanders’ Conference was the position of Petrel in the general scheme of things. The buildings there had been increased, there was a permanent guard, and an Officer was detailed to be in charge of the Sub-station. Its main purpose – beyond its customary use as an emergency Landing-Ground – seemed now to be to relieve the congestion on the landing field of the Parent-Station – especially in view of the proposed plan to increase the number of Flights from six to eight, and also to increase the number of weeks of training allotted to the Courses, from twelve to sixteen. This longer training to be given to the Courses was presumably intended to make for a greater thoroughness: for it was made clear that the instruction was not to be allowed to impinge on the O.T.U. syllabus.
• 20/1/42. With the weather still behaving in an almost scandalously benevolent manner, and the zeal of personnel vastly refreshed by the arrival of ten more Ansons, the highest total for aircraft hours was now reached. The number of hours was three hundred and forty-two and Maintenance was still in top form.

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Carberry.

• 20/1/42 cont’d. With Night-Flying very audibly going as strongly as was now normal, the available
  Corporals entertained the available Senior N.C.O’s to a Social Evening in the Corporals’ Club. As the affair richly proceeded on its way, night-flying became loss and less audible.
• 21/1/42. Not to be out-done, the Airmen issued about two-hundred invitations to the girls of Brandon and Carberry and enjoyed one of the best dances that had been held in the Recreation Hall. Halfway through, a further twenty-five Airmen took the floor. These were the Ice-Hockey Teams of the Unit and No. 2 Manning Depot who had been playing a League Match in the indoor-rink at Carberry.
  At a P.S.I. Meeting, the Balance Sheet for the third of a year was examined and seen to be satisfactory. The Fund was on an even keel, and expenditure had clearly been in accordance with the wishes of Airmen – economical, without being cheese-paring in any direction. It was reported that an Orderly Officer who was out to extract some sort of complaint from Airmen in their Mess, reached the last diner without collecting a single adverse comment. The following conversation then ensued: “Have you any complaint – and do not hesitate to make one! ” – “No complaint at all. Sir.” “Well, then, have you any constructive suggestion to make to improve the messing?” “Nothing at all, Sir.” – “But, can’t you think, of anything at all of a helpful nature?” “Well, Sir! Possibly a little drop of whiskey in the tea?” The Orderly Officer withdrew, defeated.
  Flight Lieutenant G.B. Treasure was posted to No. 41 S.F.T.S. Weyburn.
• 22/1/42. A heartening notice appeared in D.R.O’s about the recent ‘records’ in daily totals for Pupils’ flying hours and aircraft hours, with the additional information that for the Quarter ending on the 3lst. December, 1941, this Station had achieved, with 20,388 flying hours, first place among all the Service Flying Training Schools in the Command. The Unit was congratulated on its hard work and good spirit.
  This notice appeared in time to enable personnel to enjoy their evening amusements the more. The Ice-Hockey Team went off to give battle to the civilian Team of MacGregor: the Basket-Ball Team played a League Match against No. 12 S.F.T.S. in the Drill Shed: the Boxing Team worked hard at its training; and no less than three hundred and seventy Officers and Airmen watched the excellent propaganda film “Underground” shown in the Recreation Hall, and established a ‘record’ attendance. The Unit’s luck was in, for the civilian organiser of the supply of films chanced to be paying one of his infrequent visits. He was so pleased with the popularity of the cinema – show that he decided to present new and stronger arcs and a larger beaded-perforated screen.
• 23/1/42. This extraordinary weather obviously could not last much longer. But, to show that the grand opportunity had been eagerly grasped, statistics were produced to show that this flying week was outstanding in the history of the Unit. Course No. 32 had cleared a deficiency of 330 hours; Course No.34, 159 hours: and Course No. 36, 194 hours. During the last ten days a daily average of 313 hours had been achieved, and a glow of satisfaction penetrated to those whose work seemed most remote from the business of Flying.

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Carberry.

• 24/1/42. It was now possible to collate the results of the invitation to those whose Service in the Dominion was approaching fourteen months to state whether or not they desired to return Home. The percentage of those who answered affirmatively turned out to be 66. The Camp was now so fully organised and smoothly running, and so many friendships had been contracted with warm-hearted Canadians, that surprise was expressed in some quarters at the large percentage of those wishing to return. Those most widely and closely in touch with personnel’s opinion, however, offered as a reason that many members of the Unit – although appreciating all the efforts that had been made for their comfort – still had the idea of ‘guns, not butter’ unsettling them. And the Prairie certainly seemed incongruously peaceful. Another parallel and contributory cause was the large number of married personnel who, when given the official opportunity, wished to rejoin their wives and share the greater inconveniences and hazards of life in Great Britain.
• 25/1/42. Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club and produced by a Mr. G.C. Court of Winnipeg, an exceptionally fine Concert Party journeyed one hundred and ten odd miles to provide the Unit with an evening of high enjoyment. An audience of over six hundred and fifty gave the visiting Artists a great reception.
  Squadron Leader W.S. Barton, D.F.C. was posted to No. 1 ‘Y’ Depot, Halifax.
• 26/1/42. Still in happy vein there were meetings of the Dramatic Society and the Small Bore Rifle Club, a rehearsal of the Station’s ‘Rip-Chords’ Concert Party, Boxing; Basket-Ball matches; an Ice-Hockey match, the first period of Instruction in Figure Skating and Pair Dancing at Carberry for Airmen and their Partners, and participation by the Unit’s Swimming Teams in a Gala at the Sherbrooke Pool in Winnipeg. The Station had entered teams for two of three events open to the Services, and won them both against strong opposition. This repetition of an earlier Swimming success received enthusiastic comment in the Press.
  In the evening, however, an interruption of the Camp Cinema show by a call to all Medical Orderlies to report at once to the Station Hospital suggested that a bad accident had taken place. It was soon known that a telephone message from a MacGregor farmer had sent the Station Commander and the appropriate Station services swiftly to the spot where a Lockheed on duty with the Ferry Command had crashed with the loss of seven R.C.A.F. and R.A.F. Officers and Airmen belonging to other Units.
• 27/1/42. Wing Commander T.C. Dickens, Officer Commanding Maintenance Wing, was appointed

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Carberry.

• 27/1/42. cont’d. President of the resulting Court of Enquiry, with one Member from Command and one from No. 8 Repair Depot, Winnipeg.
• 28/1/42. With the weather steadily deteriorating it was now realised that the Station’s great ambition to be able to say that all three Courses in training were ahead of schedule was eluding it just when it appeared to be within grasp.
  As some compensation a new Course, No. 38, arrived looking more fit and lively than had been the case for some months with arriving Pupil-Pilots.
  In the evening the Unit’s Ice-Hockey Team played away against No. 12 S.F.T.S. in Brandon.
• 29/1/42. The “Wings Parade” at which Course No. 32 received Flying Emblems was of special significance as the first year of flying training was now completed. Air Vice Marshal E.W. Havers, C.B.E. Director-General of Equipment, Air Ministry, was to have made the presentation but was prevented by service reasons. The Station-Commander thereupon granted the privilege to the Wing Commander who had carried out the duties of Chief Instructor since training had begun at the end of January, 1941 – Wing- Commander J. Cox, D.F.C.
  In his address, the Wing Commander referred to the fact that the Course had concluded its training with an average of 89.5 hours. It included a Graduate who had surpassed all previous pupils in ground examination results. There were two Special Distinctions and seven Distinguished Passes. The Wing Commander devoted a generous portion of his address to the text; Get to know your Ground Crews and the men responsible for making the aircraft safe to fly, and give them a helping hand whenever possible.
  There were, subsequently, the usual cheerful gatherings in Recreation Hall and Officers’ Mess for dancing and refreshments – and, much later, a festive “Passing-out Party” was given by the Graduates in the Small Canteen and Y.M.C.A. rolled into one.
• 30/1/42. No. 32 Course left the Station. Ten Pilot-Officers and six Sergeants for No. 31 G.R.S. Charlottetown: two Pilot-Officers, and six Sergeants for No. 31 A.N.S. Port Albert, Ontario and eight Pilot-Officers and twenty-nine Sergeants for No. 1 ‘Y’ Depot, Halifax.
  In one ‘Flying Year’ six hundred and seventy Graduate Pilots had been produced by the Unit.

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Carberry.

• 31.1.42 . STRENGTH: Personnel.

	Officers	Other Ranks	Civilians
RAF	81	940	–
Service Personnel other Than RAF
RCAF	7	94	–
CDC	1	2	–
RCASC	1	4	–
Civilians	–	–	9
Trainees
RAF	–	169	–

• STRENGTH: Aircraft.

	Serviceable	Unservicable
Ansons	60	13

• Group Captain, Commanding,
  No.33 S.F.T.S., R .A .F .
  Carberry – Manitoba.