Daily Diary

No. 33 Service Flying Training School,
Carberry, Manitoba

July 1941

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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(Note: This Image was moved from the end of the month to place in chronological order)

CARBERRY.
1 July 1941

STRENGTH: Personnel

	Officers	Other Ranks	Civilians
RAF	74	983	–
Service Personnel other Than RAF
14	59	RCAF	–
RCASC	1	4	–
CDC	1	2	–
Civilians	–	–	11
Trainees
RAF & RCAF	–	198	–

STRENGTH: AIRCRAFT.

	Serviceable	Unserviceable
Ansons	42	26

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CARBERRY.
1 July 1941
(continued)

• So far as Flying Instruction permitted, Dominion Day was not allowed to pass without some recognition. The Station Commander represented the Royal Air Force at the official Opening of the Provincial Exhibition at Brandon – the Amusement Park of which proved to be a new and refreshing relaxation to all ranks for the week. The Officers’ Cricket Team again cheerfully submitted to defeat at Winnipeg, and several Airmen took part, with fair success, in the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association’s Sports in Polo Park, where the Unit’s massive Tug of War was not opposed.
  But for these events the day might have been a sombre one, owing to the funeral of the two deceased Pupil Pilots of the R.CA.F. As the parents had requested that the remains be given private burial at their respective home towns, the coffins were placed – with the usual service, and military honours – on a West-bound train at Brandon. No. 2 Manning Depot, Brandon, again helped the Station with its arrangements, and provided an escort.

2 July 1941

• The Graduate Pilots of No. 15 Course now were qualified to receive Flying Badges. In this Course there were two representatives of Great Britain, two of the United States, and fifty-one of Canada, and – as the Station Commander commented in his address – it was fitting that this Course should be presented with ‘Wings’ by an Air Officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force – Group Captain G.A. Mercer, Officer Commanding the R.CA.F. Station at MacDonald. Arrangements for the ceremony followed the normal plan. Many visitors were present. More flowers were in bloom, and the Officers’ Mess and the Recreation Hall were lively with refreshments.
  In the evening, thirty-three airmen of the R.CA.F. left the Camp for Edmonton.

3 July 1941

• On the day following the Presentation of Flying Emblems, the Graduate Pilots left the Station, sixteen bound for Charlottetown and forty-one for Halifax.
  In the evening there was cause for amusement and for annoyance. On the one hand, the Station’s two representative ‘Soccer’ Teams met each other for the second time in the Brandon Military League, and, as a result, neither eleven could claim to be unbeaten, since

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CARBERRY.
3 July 1941

• (Cont’d) each team had now beaten the other. But, apart from these ‘Civil Wars’ they presented an unyielding front to all outside attacks.
  On the other hand, a Pupil Pilot in trying to make a one-engine approach at Petrel, overshot and ran into a ditch – with the result that his Anson was unserviceable for four days.

4 July 1941

• The Station, still restless with postings and attachments, gained thirty-four A.C.2’s of the R.C.A.F. from No. 2 A Manning Depot, Red Deer, and thirty-five A.C.2’s of the R.C.A.F. from No. 2 Manning Depot, Brandon, but lost forty A.C.2’s who ceased to be on temporary duty and returned to the Manning Depot at Brandon.
  Accustomed by now, however, to the comings and goings of R.C.A.F. detachments and Trainees, the stable personnel of the Station pursued their abnormal work and play with the apathy of Winter completely thrown off. A healthy greed for sunshine caused certain areas of the Camp to resemble a nudist colony, and in the various sports the motto ‘Where there’s a will there’s a way’ was amply illustrated. To travel over thirty miles for a swim at Brandon became a mere incident. Better still, the Airmen discovered that by travelling South from the Camp for a mere fourteen miles through a game reserve they could wallow in the Assiniboine, sun-bathe, and picnic amongst the silver birches and mosquitoes. The Airmen had acquired some sort of control over the many taxi-drivers lurking hear the Camp Entrances and, for a comparatively modest sum, they had themselves conveyed to and from this ‘home-made’ resort. The P.S.I. followed up this private initiative by supplying transport for as many as forty Airmen nightly. Moreover, the arrangements for the Holiday Camp at Clear Lake were practically completed, and the canvas put in charge of a convalescent from the Station Hospital until a Corporals’ Roster was completed. By such measures, and by individual and collective efforts, the past tendency of a very week minority towards ‘moaning at the bar’ was rendered ridiculous.

5 July 1941

• On this day the fifteen United States Officers of the R.C.A.F., destined to act as Staff-
  Pilots, concluded their training at the Station, were presented by the Station Commander with Flying Badges, and left the Camp on posting. They were not sorry to leave so quiet a district; but they had enjoyed their contact with the R.A.F., and took away with them cheerful memories and the unusual aroma of Camel cigarettes.
  During the morning three hard-top tennis Courts (the gift of the Contractor who had built the run-ways) were laid with extraordinary speed, but – if gifts may be criticized – a certain disregard of precision. And, during the evening, there were two flying accidents

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CARBERRY.
5 July 1941

• (Cont’d) reflecting the same characteristics. One Pupil Pilot overshot the landing field and ran through two fences, causing damage to his Anson that required three days to repair. And another, embarrassed by the failure of one engine while his Anson was over the landing field, dived, and overshot with serious results to his aircraft, which was, however, repaired on the Station

6 July 1941

• In addition to the various religious exercises of the morning, a Domestic
  Evening completed the Sabbath atmosphere of the day.

7 July 1941

• This was a date, of special interest by reason of the visit of the Chief Liaison Officer, Air Vice Marshal L.D.D. McKean, O.B.E. Accompanied by Group Captain Bonham Carter, the Chief Liaison Officer arrived by air during the morning, conferred with the Station Commander, and made a tour of inspection of the Camp. At its conclusion, he addressed the Airmen on the Parade Ground and dealt primarily with the matters which they had regarded with misgiving – such as rates of pay, pension deductions etc. He spoke firmly but encouragingly, reminded them that, after all, there was a war in progress, and congratulated them on their gardening skill. He then addressed the Senior N.C.O’s, and completed his visit by an address to the Officers followed by lunch. A notice by the Commanding Officer complimenting all ranks on their behaviour indicated that the Inspecting Officer had not been displeased with what he had seen.
  Minor damage to the tail-plane of a Pupil Pilot’s Anson was caused through the swinging of the aircraft too near to an air-compressor.

8 July 1941

• It was now clear that the growing tendency of Airmen towards matrimony was shared by the Officers – especially those of Canadian birth. The acquisition of suitable Quarters in Carberry was engaging attention.
  An ever-increasing enthusiasm for Sports was also noticeable in the very successful institution of a special Tuesday Night Games Night in the Drill Hall.

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CARBERRY.
9 July 1941

• The windows of the drill hall were now fully protected and the way was clear for the use of the new indoor Tennis Court which would be out of the sun in Summer, and clear of the snow and mud during the remainder of the year. During the evening an Airmen’s
  Dance was held in the Recreation Hall – now resplendent in a fresh and challenging colour scheme. Dancing partners to match two hundred Airmen arrived from Brandon and Carberry, and – with the expert stimulation of the Station Dance Orchestra – things were kept lively until midnight. The girls were by now quite accustomed to the English style of dancing, and any semblance of jitterbugging was regarded as demodé.

10 July 1941

• The first step towards the formation of a Small Bore Rifle Club was taken – a Club likely to be very popular, not only among at the numerous Airmen who had already armed themselves for attacks on the miserable rodents of the neighbourhood, but also by those who had not yet become embittered by falling into gopher-holes when attempting a running catch in the long-field.
  The ubiquitous, and entirely obligatory, Fire Precautions now embraced the bad habit of smoking in bed, which was prohibited. Furthermore, it was directed that all waste material constituting a fire-risk was to be removed from such offices as were accustomed to close down for the night.
  At this time the Station’s two emergency landing-grounds were both prominent in conversation: Petrel, because it was found necessary to boil all drinking and cooking water; and Oberon, because No. 12 S.F.T.S. of Brandon, had asked (with a congenial answer) permission to use it occasionally for Night Flying. It was also perceived that there were bigger things in store for Petrel.

11 July 1941

• The Station was visited by the Deputy High Commissioner for Great Britain, Sir Patrick Duff. Sir Patrick after inspecting the various Sections expressed his satisfaction with what he had seen. During the evening a Flying Instructor, by dint of swinging his aircraft into an air-compressor, so damaged the tail-plane and starboard main-plane of his Anson that seven days passed before Maintenance Wing could clear it as serviceable.

12 July 1941

• Although the Camp had somehow acquired the ‘Press’ title of ‘Little Britain’, no insular instinct was at all perceptible. An Association Football Match was played against Western United’ in Winnipeg, the Station Team being guests of the War Veterans’ Club. The football was first-class, there was a large crowd, and the Winnipeg ‘Press’ subsequently devoted much space to an enthusiastic report of the game. The ‘Boys from Carberry’ had instantly built-up an excellent reputation for clean-cut sportsmanship; and it was quite usual

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CARBERRY
12 July 1941

• (Cont’d) for them to have the sporting backing (very audible) of the Canadian crowds. This reputation for knowing how to behave – even after accepting too readily, hospitality too lavish – would also appear to have been sustained by individuals and groups on leave, there being no reason to discount the evidence volunteered by hotel-Proprietors, railway-guards, shop-keepers, and various civic authorities.

13 July 1941

• The usual four Services were held – three for members of the Church of England and one for the Roman Catholics. Airmen were also to be found in the various Choirs and congregations of the Carberry Chapels. The now customary Sunday Evening Social was held, also, in Camp. And despite the fact that, apart from the morning Church Parade, Sunday continued to be a ‘normal working’ day, so deeply ingrained would appear to be the British instinctive attitude towards the Sabbath that the atmosphere was never that of a normal working day, albeit the output of work was normal.

14 July 1941

• The roads of the Camp were now receiving special treatment, partly for better surfacing and partly for dust abatement. The Station’s efforts to grow grass on all bare soil in the Camp had now proved to be so successful that it became urgently necessary to acquire lawn mowers to deal with it. Certain parts of the Camp were so admirably laid out with lawns and flower-beds that it was clear that the voluntary hands included the expert touch. A valuable addition to the Officers’ Quarters was presented very generously by Messrs. Carter, Hall who had constructed the Station. This gift took the form of a verandah, bright and spacious, built out from the games room and overlooking the site for an Officers’ Tennis Court and an Ice-Rink.

15 July 1941

• Chiefly as a gesture to acknowledge the kindness of Carberry in allowing the Unit to use the Agricultral Society’s Fair Ground as a Sports Ground without charge, the Station gave various exhibition matches on this the first day of the fair. Beginning with a Softball match versus No. 2 Manning Depot, then followed a Cricket match versus the returned Airmen from

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CARBERRY.
15 July 1941

• (Cont’d) No. 8 Repair Depot. Two teams from the Station then gave an exhibition of Rugby Football, and two Association Football matches were played – one against an Army Team from Shilo Camp and another against a civilian team from Brandon. These games attracted much attention. The Station followed up this effort by assisting the open-air dancing (on the newly paved main street of Carberry) with its Dance Orchestra.

16 July 1941

• The Station was now in the grip of a heat-wave which might easily have reduced work and play, and frayed tempers. No such result ensued. Confirming the point of the phrase ‘mad dogs and Englishmen’, the number of games increased. Nor did the Station become unduly agitated over what many considered to be a legitimate cause for complaint – namely, that by passing from R.A.F. to R.C.A.F. regulations its leave was materially curtailed, while at the same time it was (for obvious reasons) unable to enjoy the special railway-fare concessions offered to Airmen who desired to visit their homes.

17 July 1941

• Good relations with the personnel of the R.C.A.F. were not allowed to be impaired by envy however, For instance; when, on the evening of this day, No. 2 Manning Depot held its Official Opening of its new open-air recreation centre, No. 33 S.F.T.S. not only supplied three concert items and an umpire for its boxing contests, but also a Master of Ceremonies.
  Moreover the Unit was greatly heartened by a visit from Captain H. Balfour, Under Secretary of State for Air, escorted by Air Vice-Marshal L.D.D. McKean, O.B.E., by Group Captain Bonham-Carter, and by a civilian gentleman instantly recognised by Station sportsmen as Mr. W.W. Wakefield; Captain Balfour, in two addresses – one to the Airmen, and the other to the Officers – spoke about the value of the Empire Training Plan, the consequent and absolute necessity of the tour of duty in Canada, the intention of the Air Ministry to give any available opportunity to Airmen’s wives to travel to Canada to redress the balance as between them and Officers’ wives, and the latest news about the war situation.
  This visit had probably a far-reaching effect on the Station’s morale. Aware already that it was certainly doing a real job of work, it was now assured that in writing home, it need not feel so apologetic for living in security. In laying his hands on that sensitive spot, Captain Balfour soothed a pugging nerve that had undoubtedly been responsible for nine-tenths of any mental maladies which may have shown themselves in actions, speech, letter-writing, or even ‘bloody thoughts’.

18 July 1941

• A great deal of enthusiasm was being shown by Canadians for the Station’s two representative Football Teams, and when the teams were for the third time drawn to play against each other it was requested that the battle be fought in Brandon. The match was given strong Press and Radio

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CARBERRY.
18 July 1941

• (cont’d) publicity, and it became almost a burning question as to which team was the better. Before a very large crowd, these teams fought each other to a draw – and practically to a standstill.

19 July 1941

• Experiments were carried out to discover to what extent the use of France signs would help pilots during Night-Flying. The signs proved to be very satisfactory for taxying purposes. The landing-field, completely mown, was looking very tidy: and steps were taken to increase the area of parking spaces, to sweep and oil the tarmac, and to deposit a dust-preventing chemical on the ground adjoining the hangars. Aircraft were being supplied with rations, thermos-flasks, and first-aid kit – and in relation to the latter, representations were being made seeking to change the decision that morphia must not be included. There was also the beginning of increased activity at Petrel, which was now to assume the higher status of ‘Sub-Station’.

20 July 1941

• While in Winnipeg, on leave, a Flight Mechanic – L.A.C. H.J. Killner – died from drowning, or from shock sustained by diving into cold water after playing some games of tennis in very hot weather.

21 July 1941

• The Station was reminded that there was no reason why personnel should run the risk of serious financial loss which might result from carrying unnecessary large sums of money in their pockets. The Bank of Montreal was prepared to give banking facilities for quite small sums provided that a reasonably large number applied for them.

22 July 1941

• So intense was the heat at this time that the Airmen were informed that they had permission to move their bedding at nights into either the Recreation Hall or the Drill Hill – buildings that were provided with the means of circulating air. This heat did not prevent the Sergeants’ Mess from issuing Cricket challenges to all and sundry.

23 July 1941

• The funeral of L.A.C. H.J. Killner took place in Elmwood, Winnipeg. The Protestant Chaplain of No. 2 Training Command officiated at the Service, the burial party consisted of Airmen from No. 7 Equipment Depot, R.C.A.F., and the Commanding Officer,

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CARBERRY.
23 July 1941

• (cont’d) accompanied by the Station Chaplain, and Station Assistant Adjutant, were present as mourners.

24 July 1941

• A sharp thunder-shower caused so sudden a change in the surface of the vital road running from Camp to Carberry (and thence to the freedom of pass or leave) that its condition in the Autumn was looked forwarded to with fear. ‘Old timers’ of seven months’ experience described to ‘greenhorn’ Airmen the state to which the road could easily degenerate, and doubled the depths of the ruts in confident prophecy of future records.
  Even in the great heat of summer, the rigours of Winter were visualised, and preparations to meet them were begun. This forethought was concerned not only with the many social and recreational diversions to be available when movement outside Camp would be more restricted it concerned primarily the measures needed to combat cold weather in connection with flying.
  With but two Courses to deal with, Flying Instruction abated its hot pace to a more normal one – but maintenance, still hampered by lack of spare parts, was still heavily engaged.

25 July 1941

• The Senior Medical Officer reported the health of the Station as being very good, and the Welfare Officer was able to report similarly on its spirits. Indeed, there was so much evidence of tireless effort to provide the Station with as many decencies and comforts as could be justifiably achieved, that it was generally felt that the present would have been an unhappy affair had the pioneer efforts been less arduous.

26 July 1941

• Nor was this a day that allowed melancholy. While the Station machine was left running smoothly, it was found possible for many of the personnel to enjoy a day in Winnipeg where the Station ‘War Canoe Crew’ was to take part in a widely advertised item in the programme of the Winnipeg Canoe Club’s Regatta, and the Station Association Football Team was to play against the ‘crack’ Western Club in Winnipeg.
  Before the War Canoe Race proved that the Unit was more accomplished with the breast-stroke than with the paddle, the Station Commander, at the express wish of the Rear-Commodore, took the War Salute of the five crews engaged. Australians, New Zealand, Canada, and Great Britain were represented in the various crews.

27 July 1941

• On this Sunday, after the usual religious observances in Camp, the Station was visited by a Winnipeg cricket team who were refreshed after their journey, defeated in the field, taken on tour round the Camp, and sent home happy.

28 July 1941

• Two inaugural meetings ushered in two more Clubs designed to lighten the confined

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CARBERRY.
28 July 1941

• (cont’d) leisure of the approaching Winter – a Dramatic Society, and a Classical Music Society. At the same time arrangements were being made to give Airmen opportunities of studying Mathematics and Modern Languages at a higher stage than that covered by the Correspondence Courses.

29 July 1941

• In lighter rein, inaugural meetings of a Golf Club and of a Small Bore Rifle Club were held. Invitations to play matches already awaited the Golfers, and a Range was nearing completion in the Drill Hall for the marksmen.

30 July 1941

• With plentiful opportunities of employing their leisure, refreshed either by recent leave or the early prospect of it, and with the rich Canadian hospitality as strong as ever, the personnel of the Station turned, without loss of good humour, to the task of dealing with English Income Tax.

31 July 1941

• The Unit was visited by Wing Commander Pleasance, Wing Commander Britten and Wing Commander Lunn.
  

STRENGTH – PERSONNEL.

	Officers	Other Ranks	Civilians
RAF	78	983	–
Service Personnel other Than RAF
RCAF	2	82	–
RCASC	1	4	–
CDC	1	2	–
Civilians	–	–	11
Trainees
RAF & RCAF	–	131	–

STRENGTH – AIRCRAFT.

	Serviceable	Unserviceable
Ansons	26	46

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H.E. Walker
Group Captain, Commanding,
No. 33 S.F.T.S., R.A.F.

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duplicate of 1520 (Note: Page 1520 moved to beginning of month)