RCAF Station Paulson
General Information
Base / Station: Paulson
Province: Manitoba
Dates of Operation: 1941 – 1945
Units:
- No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School
- No.5 Personnel Holding Unit (-1942-04-05)
Unit Duties / Information:
On June 23, 1941, No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School was opened at Paulson. This schools was responsible for training Air Observers (navigators/ bomb aimers and wireless operators) in the art of air to air firing. The navigator/ bombaimer would also train in bomb aiming and release procedures. Although considered obsolete by the outset of the war, the Farey Battle was used for all aspects of training for the first year of operations. Finally, in 1942, these aircraft were replaced by the Anson, Bolingbroke, and Lysander. The Anson was used for bombing training, the Bolingbroke for gunnery training, and the Lysander was used to tow the drogues used in the air to air training.
Women’s Division personnel were posted to the station effective 29 Jun 1942.
Image from the
RCAF Pilots Manual of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases
circa 1942.
Station Concert Troop:
- Paulson on Parade
Source the Dauphin Rail Museum.
Aircraft Flown:
- Farey Battle (41-42),
- Anson (42-45),
- Bolingbroke (42- 45), and
- Lysander (42-45)
Financial Impact:
$2,061,256 (total cost of BCATP construction to 15 Mar 1942)
Commanding Officers: –
- Wing Commander R.A. Cameron ( – 1941-08-16 –
- Wing Commander W.I. Riddell (1941-08-16 -) –
- Wing Commander R.F. Gibb (1941-12-31 -) –
- Group Captain W.E. Dipple (1942-01-06 -)
Rail Spur: The Station was serviced by a Canadian National Rail Spur (see attached photo)
Date / Reason for closure:
February 2, 1945 No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School was closed due to the surplus of trained air observers and the nearing of the end to the war. Also influencing the decision to close Paulson was the fact that the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan agreement was to expire at the end of March 1945 and the RCAF was going through an accelerated phase-out of bases in the Plan.
Site Evolution
- Post war several buildings from the former SFTS were moved to Dauphin and used for various purposes. The following information was provided by Al Gray, “two other huts were moved to the east end of town from No. 7 BGS and used for businesses… the buildings still exist… and the chapel from No. 7 was moved to Dauphin and has been and continues to serve the community as the Masonic Temple.” (See photo below)
- The Publication On Track…the Pilot’s Air Travel Guide (First Annual Edition – 1978) lists the Aerodrome as “Paulson – Lat:51 08N – Long:99 52W – Abandoned – 62NE, E-17”
Current Status:
abandoned airfield, condition unknown
Site Plan – March 1942
Location – Google Map
Station Magazine
“The Paulson Post”
Photo Gallery
School Daily Diary – Links – No. 7 Bombing & Gunnery School
The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Manitoba has created a transcription of this Daily Diary.
Their web site is AirMuseum.ca
Fatalities
This list was compiled from the entries in the Daily diaries of No. 7 Bombing & Gunnery School and other sources. The list may not include all fatalities of personnel who died while stationed at RCAF Station Paulson. From my reading so far there were 23 deaths of service personnel that were stationed at Paulson.
9 November 1941
24 December 1941
2 September 1942
- Sergeant Clement Peter Pruvot Lowe
- Sergeant Alan Ogden
- Leading Aircraftman Donald Watt Duncan
- Leading Aircraftman Kenneth Albert Lambert
18 September 1942
- Leading Aircraftman Wesley Gilmour
- Sergeant John Howard Montgomery McNeil
- Leading Aircraftman Francis William Alexander Musto
15 March 1943
30 June 1943
27 July 1943
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class Russel David Mathers
- Leading Aircraftman Paul Arthur Trudel
- Pilot Officer Richard Donald Esselmont
- Leading Aircraftman Neil MacMillan Glenday
26 February 1944
- Leading Aircraftman Roy Herbert Pickering
- Pilot Officer William Thomas Wiggins
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class Stanley David Gaunce
- Sergeant Roy Eugene Pickard
- Leading Aircraftman James Alexander Kinloch
- Leading Aircraftman Thomas Muir Reid
14 April 1944
Aircraft List
Lysander:
2389
Battle:
1898
1962
Courts Marshal
The following personnel were recommended for courts marshal and a file was created on the Charged Offence, not all Offences were tried. This list is not complete but I will be working my way through the reels in the upcoming months.
- Sergeant Kenneth Frank Sidaway (RNZAF – 42721)
- was charged with flying and negligence related charges.
- Trail Date – 25 January 1944
- This file is 88 pages.
- Was found guilty of 1 or more charges and was sentenced to a severe reprimand and fine of $50.
Course List
No 7 Bombing & Gunnery School
For More information – External Links
- Wikipedia
- MilitaryBruce.com – Canadian Military History by Bruce Forsyth
- Manitoba Historical Society
- https://athabaskang07.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/paulson-manitoba-4-june-1942/?fbclid=IwAR3dTppoz3etUT9wmQn5xo5Hm98xh6QTFHZtY4I9LD8mP-eTpVt4OXfoIQ8
- Aerodrome disposal files :
OMG. I have just found this site and am not sure how but thank goodness.
My father trained as an air gunner in Manitoba but not sure where as I’m just finding all of this out.
Is this a public site or do you have to join to see it, I found it but don’t remember if I had to join it or I’m on because of Canadian Military Photos lost and found.
A totally public site. You likely found it via a facebook link as I am quite active on a lot of Canadian Military and Aviation related groups. Thank you for comment.
Very interesting site! As a bit of a history buff wrt the BCATP in Manitoba this is a page I shall bookmark!
Thank you for reaching out… expect more to come.