Daily Diary

No. 2 Bombing & Gunnery School,
Mossbank, Saskatchewan

October 1940

This Transcription of the Operational Record Book of No. 2 Bombing & Gunnery School that was Located at Mossbank, Saskatchewan, 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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• 7 October 1940
  • The following M.T. Vehicles driven to RCAF Station Mossbank from Moose Jaw: No’s 1076, 844, 846, 923, 1256, all RCAF. Two Officers arrived on station – Flt. Lt. Bedall and P.O. Starr. All personnel temporarily housed in one Barrack block.
• 8 October 1940
  • RCAF-714-MT Vehicle arrived. Arrangements made to Mess personnel by one of Camp contractors.
    All Equipment personnel put to work on sorting out equipment. General Duties cleaned up washrooms, put up beds, etc. No electric light to date.
• 9 October 1940
  • Two officers – F.O. Quinn and Ballinger arrived this Station. Barracks illuminated temporarily by a line run in by one of the camp contractors of the Poole Construction Company, Limited.
• 10 October 1940
  • Air Officer Commanding, No. 4 Training Command accompanied by Flt. Lt. Davidson and Mr. C.G. Power, Minister for Air, arrived by air to inspect station. Arrived 1000 hours, departing 1130 hours. Sqn. Ldr. W.A. Jones and Flying Officers Ransom and Booth reported for temporary duty, this date. The water supply for the station continues to be hauled in tanks. The consequences of normal consumption of this water are most distressing as it contains certain minerals which act as an acute purgative.

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• 10 October 1940 (continued)
  • A warning to all personnel on the station appeared in Daily Routine Orders this date cautioning all against even normal consumption.
• 11 October 1940
  • Wing Commander Ashton, A.J. visited and inspected this station, travelling by Motor Car.
• 12 October 1940
  • NIL
• 13 October 1940
  • NIL
• 14 October 1940
  • NIL
• 15 October 1940
  • NIL
• 16 October 1940
  • Wing Commander A.J. Ashton arrives at No. 2 B&G School, Mossbank, Sask., arriving from Regina, Sask. Strength Increase of ninety-four (94) Airmen, reporting today.
• 17 October 1940
  • Group Captain Howsam, G.R., accompanied by Group Captain Isitt and Wing Commander Seavill visited station. Arriving by air in “Dragon Fly”, No. 7624 at 1025 hours departing 1400 hours for Regina. Leading Aircraftman Ward formed part of Crew.
• 18 October 1940
  • Squadron Leader Jones, W.A. Taken On Strength – effective date 15-10-40.
• 19 October 1940
  • Fifteen Flying Officers Taken On Strength this date. The Sergeant’s quarters continue pro-tem as Officers Quarters.
• 20 October 1940
  • NIL
• 21 October 1940
  • All the Airmen and Civilians with the exception of N.C.O’s., continue to be messed at the cookhouse of the contractor constructing the station; vis, Poole Construction Company. The messing is done in shifts otherwise the total personnel could not be provided for in

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• 2l October 1940 (continued)
  • the limited accommodation available. N.C.O’s. and Officers are being messed at Suters cookhouse to the South of the Station.
• 22 October 1940
  • NIL
• 23 October 1940
  • All ranks warned in Daily Routine Orders, this date, to beware of deep trenches which traverse Station Area at various points. As the grounds are not yet illuminated and considerable distances have to be travelled after dark, particularly to and from the temporary messing quarters, a constant danger has been presented by these trenches.
• 24 October 1940
  • Captain Oberne, Principal Medical Officer, arrived by air in “Moth” No. 4127, piloted by Flt. Lt. Austin, at 1025 hours, returning to Regina, Sask., at 1400 hours. Three “Fairey Battle” Aircraft forming part of Establishment arrived at 1700, 1705 and 1710
    hours respectively, and being numbered respectively 1680, 1653 and 1664. Flown from Trenton, Ontario by F/O Lansford, F/O Joy and L.A.C. Mews. Personnel named left Mossbank by train at 1300 hours.
• 25 October 1940
  • Thirty Civilian personnel Taken On Strength as appears by Daily Routine Order, No. 10.
• 26 October 1940
  • NIL
    

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• 27 October 1940
  • Effective 2359 hours, this date, reversion to Standard Time became effective on this Station.
• 28 October 1940
  • Wing Commander Ashton, W.J. assumes Command of this Station under this date. Airmen’s Mess opened this morning. Presently being used by Civilian Personnel as well. N.C.O’s. Mess likewise opened. Being utilized by Officers as well, pro-tem. Rained all previous night and part of morning. Everything pretty well bogged down. Condition of roads in Station atrocious. All buildings on station littered with mud. The entire personnel of the Station excepting only Civilians, RCAMC, and RCASC were posted to four (4) Duty Watches this day established. Today marked the effective date of the opening of this station. No ceremony marked the occasion. The following wire was received by the Commanding Officer from the Hon. C.G. Power.
    • Ottawa, Ont., October 28th, 1940
      Commanding Officer,
      No. 2 B&G School, Mossbank, Sask.
      BEST WISHES TO YOU AND ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS AT YOUR SCHOOL ON THE
      OCCASION OF ITS OPENING DAY STOP I KNOW YOUR SCHOOL WILL BE A CREDIT
      TO THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN.
      (Signed) Charles G. Power
      

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• 28 October 1940 (con’t)
  • Telephone Switchboard put into operation this morning. Most of the offices are now equipped with Telephones. This is the first day that Intra-Station telephone communication has been possible. Runners have until now served as an expedient. Sixty Airmen Taken On Strength this date.
• 29 October 1940
  • Arrived at RCAF Station Mossbank, at 1225 hours from Jarvis, Ont., two “Fairey” Battle planes numbered 1665 and 1704. N.B.-F.O. W.P. Addington and passenger Sgt. T.H. O’Neil in plane No. 1665 and Sgt. Pilot S.C. Jewsbury in plane No. 1704. All left by rail from Mossbank at 1501 hours. There are now five (5) Aircraft on the Station. Arrived at RCAF Station, Mossbank, “Dragon Fly” No. 7265 piloted by Flt. Lt. G.S. Austin. Passengers Major N.S. Darley (Dental) and F.O. J.H. Fenton. Time is 1500 hours. Departed with same passengers and in addition F.O. J.M. Ballinger at 1715 hours to return to Regina, Saskatchewan. F.O. J.M. Ballinger departed as above en route to Winnipeg to ferry “Anson Bomber” to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
    

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• 29 October 1940 (continued)
  • Commanding Officer promulgated in today’s Daily Routine Order, No. 13 complete regulations governing use of Telephone; Switchboard and Communications.
• 30 October 1940
  • “Fairey” Battles, Numbered 1620, 1623 and 1652 and piloted by Pilots, F.O. Anderson, F.O. Brownridge and F.O. Rubinsky respectively arrived today at 1145 hours, the first two Aircraft from Camp Borden and the last mentioned from Trenton, Ontario. This results in a total of eight aircraft on the Station to date. Group Captain Howsam, accompanied by Flt. Lt. G.F. Stewart arrived by plane, No. 7264,
    “Dragon Fly”, piloted by Sgt. Briggs at 1215 hours. They remained to lunch, and then inspected the Station in company with the Commanding Officer and departed for Regina, Sask., at 1420 hours. “Dragon Fly” No. 7625 Piloted by F.O. Rhodes, passenger Father Cahill arrived from Regina, Sask., at 1445 hours, departing again at 1620 hours.
• 31 October 1940
  • Pay Parade held in Administration Building at 1300 hours. Officers of the Pay and Accounts Section at Command flew down from Regina (No. 4 Training Command) to enable this to be done. “Dragon Fly” No. 7624 piloted by Flt. Lt. Austin, passengers Squadron Leader Compton, F.O. Gregson all of Pay and Accounts Branch arrived at 1020 hours from Regina, to conduct Pay Parade, departing at 1600 hours for Regina, Sask.