Remembering Wings & Wheels 2, June 20 & 21, 2009!
Dedicated to the Memory of Kaitlin Vanderhoek!
RCAF Stn Clinton
Faced in 1941 with the bleary prospect of Nazi invasion, the RAF searched for a secure location in Canada to move their Top Secret Radio Direction Finding school (the acronym RADAR had not yet been invented). Clinton was chosen because it was remote and near a large body of water thereby replicating the English countryside.
On 20 July, 1941, the RAF opened No. 31 Radio School, beginning training one month later for 57 US naval and army officers and a few RAF trainees. The first RCAF personnel arrived in September. Subjects included theory, operation and maintenance of a large number of early warning, shipborne and airborne radars.
In 1942, the name finally changed to No. 31 Radio Direction Finding School, and training for the US military personnel increased. By 31 July, 1943, the RCAF commitment to supply 5000 graduates to the RAF had been fulfilled, so the school was handed over to the RCAF becoming No.5 Radio School.
At war's end, the school was renamed No.1 Radar and Communications School. A large modernization program during the period 1951-1954 included the new building 84 that was capable of handling 2000 students on a daily basis. The emphasis remained on electronics training in various configurations. The school moved to Kingston on 31 August 1971.
Copyright Paul Ozorak
(from the Spooner Memorial at 427
Wing, Air
Force Association of Canada)
