Daily Diary

No. 33 Service Flying Training School,
Carberry, Manitoba

October 1943

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 
OCTOBER 1943.

• 1st – Today marked the beginning of Winter Sports Season, when a Station Bowling League was formed comprising 24 teams from all Sections of the Camp.
• 2nd – During the past week weather conditions have been ideal and flying training maintained at a high level.
• 3rd – A combined Commanding Officer’s and Church Parade was held today.
• 4th – The final of the Station Cricket Knock-out Competition was won tonight by Hut 13.
  The old-type internal telephone system was today replaced by a modern installation which provides for quicker and more satisfactory service. The change-over was completed during the night, and no disruption of service occurred.
• 5th – Tonight a most interesting soccer game was witnessed by a large number of Officers and airmen when ENGLAND and SCOTLAND met on WEMBLEY” pitch. Play was of a very high standard and, after a hard struggle, England beat Scotland by one goal to nil.
• 6th – A most enjoyable evening was passed by Officers and their friends in the Mess tonight at a farewell supper and dance given in honour of Group Captain T.B. BRUCE, MC prior to his departure to take up his new command at NORTH BATTLEFORD. During the course of the evening S/Ldr. E. CANTRELL, the P.M.C. presented (on behalf of the Officers) Group Captain BRUCE with a silver coffee tray.
  Lt. H. ORMISTON, R.C.A.S.C., proceeded on posting to No. 10 Dist. Coy. R.C.A.S.C., WINNIPEG.
• 7th – An informal rugby game was played tonight on the Station when the pupils of Course No. 80 challenged the Officers. A very pleasant game ensued; with the Officers winning 9 points to 3.
• 8th – Group Captain J.S.T. FALL, DSC AFC, today assumed command of the Station vice Group Captain T.B. BRUCE, MC, posted to NORTH BATTLEFORD.
• 9th – Flying training continued uninterruptedly during the week. Aircraft serviceability was 70%.

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CARBERRY
OCTOBER 1943

• 10th – Tonight great interest was shown in a soccer game between Maintenance Wing and Station Headquarters. The lads from S.H.Q. put up a fine show, but Maintenance Wing again proved their undoubted superiority by winning by three goals to two.
• 11th – Flying Officer C.N. LARKIN and Flying Officer R.R. CLARK proceeded on posting today to No. 1 F.I.S.
• 12th – A soccer team from A.4, BRANDON, visited the Station tonight and, although the lads from the Senior Service played well, they were beaten by seven goals to Nil.
• 13th – Once more “Wembley” Pitch was the scene of the main sporting attraction on the Unit today, when our Canadian brothers from No. 7 A.O.S. sent a team in a challenge match with the CARBERRY lads. In contrast to the game of the previous night, the Station team found that they had met their match and, after a strenuous game, the score was two goals to two.
• 14th – Course No. 84 graduated today. There was an intake of 59 pupils, 15 of whom were discontinued (ten for unsatisfactory progress, two for disciplinary reasons, two for medical reasons, and one who failed to pass ground examinations). The disposition of these was as follows:-
  To BRANDON: 7. To Course 86 (On Unit): 4. Retained on Unit pending
  To TORONTO: 2. Retained for Summary of evidence: 1. Reselection Board: 1.
  The 44 graduates received their wings from Group Captain J.S.T. FALL, DSC AFC, Officer Commanding; nine of them received commissions. The disposition of these graduates was as follows:-
  To Course No. 91 at No. 3 F.I.S., ARNPRIOR; 4.
  ” No. 91 at No. 2 F.I.S., PEARCE; 8.
  ” No.114 at No.31 G.R.S., CHARLOTTETOWN; 4.
  ” No. 115 at No.31 G.R.S., CHARLOTTETOWN; 10.
  ” No. 24 at No. 34 O.T.U., PENNFIELD RIDGE; 2.
  ” No. 1 at No. 32 O.T.U., PATRICIA BAY; 2.
  No. 31 P.D. MONCTON, N.B.; 14.
• 15th – Very little of note occurred on the Unit today. In a friendly match between the Officers and airmen at snooker played in the Y.M.C.A. canteen, the Officers were beaten by four sets to two.
• 16th – The following Officers arrived on the Unit today for inclusion in Course No. 92:- Flying Officers V.S. WALKER and S.R. DIXON from No. 31 E.F.T.S., and Flight Lieutenant R.T. DEW from No. 31 E.F.T.S.
• 17th – Course No. 92 commenced today with an intake of sixty-one pupils.

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CARBERRY 
OCTOBER 1943

• 18th – Today, in accordance with Amendment List No. 1 to Organization Memorandum No. 72, the Senior Course, No. 86, moved to R.l at PETREL, to complete the last four weeks of their training.
• 19th – Today, in the culminating game of the soccer season, CARBERRY sent a team to ESTEVAN to meet that Station in the Semi-final of the Saskatchewan and Manitoba Championship. After a hard and thrilling game CARBERRY beat ESTEVAN by three goals to one.
• 20th – The Station Bowling League opened tonight when eight teams played off their matches at the Bowladrome, CARBERRY. Group Captain J.S.T. FALL, DSC AFC, today proceeded to WINNIPEG on temporary duty to attend a conference composed of all Commanding Officers in No. 2 Training Command, returning to duty on the 23rd.
• 21st – In one of the last soccer games of the season. Maintenance Wing tonight met Headquarters team on “Wembley” pitch. From the start play was fast and furious, and the match ended by Headquarters team giving Maintenance Wing their first defeat in many months by winning two goals to nil.
• 22nd – A minor accident occurred during night-flying exercises, when a pupil on solo night practice overshot the runway and ran into a ditch. The pupil was only slightly injured.
• 23rd – Good weather continued again during the week and flying training was uninterrupted.
• 24th – This morning a flight of Battles’ out on exercises from MACD0NALD airport were forced to land at CARBERRY as weather had clamped down over their own Station. The pilots were entertained to lunch in the Mess and in the course of the afternoon were able to take off again, as weather had improved.
• 25th – Two minor accidents occurred on the Station today. An instructor, whilst doing single-engine forced landings, removed the horn fuse and failed to lower the undercarriage for landing. Only slight, damage was done to the aircraft and no injuries were suffered by the crew. The second accident occurred when aircraft No. F.P. 902 was taxying on the main tarmac and collided with aircraft No 8648. No injuries were suffered by personnel.
  26th Steps have now been taken to start the Station Ice Hockey League, and the CARBERRY ice-rink has been booked for two nights per week for the exclusive use of R.A.F. personnel.

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CARBERRY
OCTOBER 1943

• 27th – A minor accident occurred today when the undercarriage of an aircraft folded up on landing due to a technical fault. The aircraft was seriously damaged, but the pilot was uninjured.
• 28th – During an I.F. Cross-country and Nav. Test flight with a pupil, and instructor found the cloudbase too low, and decided to force-land in a relief field. No damage or injuries were sustained.
• 29th – What is likely to be the last rugger match of the season was played tonight when a visiting team from ESTEVAN met the Station team. The local lads had definitely the best of the game and, although ESTEVAN put up a hard struggle, they were beaten by twelve points to nil.
• 30th – Ideal flying weather with excellent visibility. Recorded average of serviceability of aircraft is 62.7% for the four courses 86, 88, 90 and 92.
• 31st – Teletype instructions were received at this Unit today to maintain a wireless watch covering two YORKTON aircraft which were unable to land on their own ‘drome because of heavy snow and bad visibility. Wireless operators in the Unit receiving station opened watch at once, and finally intercepted R/T and W/T messages indicating that the aircraft concerned eventually were able to land at DAFOE, 270 miles from their Station. It subsequently transpired that our operators were the only ones to intercept these transmissions.
  The Station Magazine for the month of NOVEMBER, 1943, was on sale today.

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CARBERRY
OCTOBER 1943

• 31st – TOTAL FLYING HOURS FOR MONTH OF AUGUST, 1943: – 8698.15.

  STRENGTH – PERSONNEL.

	Officers	Other Ranks	Civilians
RAF	115	851	–
RCAF	5	68	–
RNZAF	3	–	–
RAAF	–	–	–
RCADC (CDC)	1	2	–
RCASC	1	2	–
CPC	–	3
Civilians	2	–	64
Trainees
RAF	14	190	–
RCAF	–	7	–
RNZAF	–	–	–
RAAF	–	2	–

‘B’ AIRCRAFT STRENGTH

		Number
Anson II		118
	– Servicable	80
	– Unservicable	32
	– Not Available	6

• (J.S.T. FALL G/C.,
  OC., No. 33 S.F.T.S.