A Trip to Canada

On 4th December Mr. J. W. W. Wood, from the British Oil and

Cake Mills, brought a film called "Cowmanship". The film, made in conjunction with the Royal College of Agriculture, Cirencester, stressed the need for helping the small farmer to obtain a high yield at a low cost per cow. The film showed two new ideas, namely "premilking", milking before the cow calves, and "steaming up", by which a cow is heavily fed with proteins. Ik' On 1 1 th December the Club held a Quiz on Farming when a team captained by D. C. Holmes beat a team captained by R. D. Wheatley by 29 points to 251. D.C.H.

(The writer, Ft./Sgt. J. B. Weightman, R.A.F. Section, C.C.F., was one of the first cadets to gain his Flying Badge and obtain a Civil Flying Licence. He was selected as a representative of this country in exchange flights with Canada in the Summer of 195:2. The following is an account of his experiences.)

A sight-seeing tour of over 12,000 miles to Canada leaves much to write about. As it all took place in 19 days, my impressions of that great country may be, perhaps, some way from the truth. However, no one can dispute my first one : Canada is a mighty big place. I am not unique in this, as they say that that is everyone's first impression on visiting the Dominion.

We were flown to Canada by the R.C.A.F. in a North Star aircraft, crossing the Atlantic on the Great Circle route via Iceland and Goose Bay, Labrador. For those who like facts and figures, it took 18k hours flying time from Northolt, London, to Dorval, Montreal, making 24-k hours altogether, counting stops.

We arrived at Goose Bay in the early hours of the morning and landed with the aid of a flare path. During our stay there of three hours we had our introduction to the most numerous inhabitants of Canada—mosquitoes. As it was just beginning to get light, our attackers were unseen, and I thought that my feeling of a lack of comfort was due to nothing more than tiredn.:ss and travel. When there was enough light to see what it was we all fled away from the huts and on to the tarmac where we stood in defensive groups, keeping the insects away with handkerchiefs.

After leaving Goose Bay the terrain over which we flew was the same for three hours. Labrador is a country of lake and forest. From the air there appears to be just as much water as land, all arranged in almost parallel lines. In some time past the land must have suffered considerable glacial action, as the lakes are scooped out of the rock, 39

having long straight chains of islands and sandy spits. Throughout this northern part of Canada the pine trees appear to grow feebly, as the cold Winters break their branches off short. When we arrived at Montreal we went straight to the R.C.A.F. Sta'ion Lachine, where we were billeted during our stay there. We soon got used to the idea of bacon with two eggs or geddle cake and maple syrup for breakfast, a plate full of meat for lunch every day, and plenty of milk and butter at all meals.

We learned that our itinerary was to be from Montreal to Calgary, Alberta, then Banff, National Park and holiday resort in the Rockies, and finally Vancouver, which was to be our main objective. We saw that we were but half-way there, as it is just as far across Canada as across the Atlantic.

While in Montreal we saw a Big League baseball match. Montreal Royals were playing Buffalo, and we were told that it should be pretty good. It was, after the first half-dozen or so innings, when we were figuring out what was happening. Each side has nine innings in a game; if there is no resu.t then, they go on having an innings each until it is not a draw when they have both played the same number of innings. That is what happened in the game we saw. The score was two apiece after the ninth innings, but in the tenth the Royals scored two more runs, and they strengthened their position at the top of League by a 4-2 victory.

We stayed a few days in Montreal seeing its beauty spats and getting used to the five hours we had gained, before we had any more thrust upon us, and then boarded our North Star, once again westward ho ! Some people may enjoy flying over Canada's prairies, but I am not one of them. As we could not get above the bumps, we rode them; but even though it was broncho bustin' season, I'm no cowboy. Half an hour away from our destination I was sick. At Calgary there was a temperature of 89°F. and a cowboy band on the tarmac to greet us. We spent the evening at the ranch of a Mr. Cross, a wealthy millionaire, who did us mighty proud with curried chicken, etc. Real western hospitality and cooking !

The next day we went by bus to Banff. What truly wonderful scenery there is in the Rockies. We spent the night at the Army Cadet camp at Banff, which is a kind of reward camp for first class cadets, sheltering beneath a mighty mountain called "Cascade". During the time spent there we went up a mountain by ski chair, swam in the hot sulphur springs at a temperature of 86°F. through a thunderstorm, and saw brown bears at home from a distance of a couple of yards. The Albertan Provincial Committee of the Canadian Air Cadet League gave us lunch at the Banff Springs Hotel, the largest and best hotel of this great tourist centre, to give us something extra to write home about.

From Banff we caught the noon train bound for Vancouver. I learned much of Canadian trains just from this one trip. When the C.P.R. engineers cut that track through the Rockies they did a marvellous job. It climbs up and through the mountains, timbered over in places as protection against winter avalanches, and the snow at that season seldom holds a train up more than two days over the 600 mile stretch through the Rockies. It must get pretty cold in the Canadian Winter, and they realised that in designing the coaches. The ventilators are small and let very little air in, and the windows are double with only the inner one opening. It must be nice and cosy in those carriages in the Winter, but in the August heat they are unbearable until the cool of the night. They do do something about the heat, however. They sling under the carriages large ice-boxes which are kept loaded with great quantities of ice. Most of us spent our time on the train in the observation car which was about a quarter of an hour's walk down the train. The real difference between our railways and the Canadian Pacific was in the dining-car. I never heard or received anything like simple courtesy from any of the dining-car attendants. Still, I don't suppose we can ever have everything. We spent a comfortable night on the train, myself in a lower berth, but we were all glad when we arrived in Vancouver and freed ourselves from the motion of the train.

We spent a week in Vancouver, and our daily sorties were from the R.C.A.F. camp on Sea Island, just outside the City. We went to a lumber mill at New Westminster, where the day before the temperature had been 112°F. in the shade, and it can't have been much cooler when we were there; we went round the Imperial plant of the British Columbia Packers, Ltd., and followed salmon along the conveyor belt from the trawler's hold to the packing of the tins, and were given a lunch of roast salmon; we went by crash launch to Powell River, the 80 miles being covered in three hours, where we looked round the pulp and paper mill (a photograph of one of its gigantic newsprint machines is in a geography textbook current at School); in fact we saw an example of every industry in British Colombia.

Our stay in Vancouver had its social side, too. The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club were kind enough to invite us to their annual regatta. We were all accommodated on the various clas es of boats, and spent the afternoon acquiring a rudimentary knowledge of how to man an ocean-going yacht—and an overdose of sunshine. None of us had our backs again exposed to the sun for more that a few minutes for the rest of our stay ! There was a garden party for us, too. We were taken to see "Finian's Rainbow" at the Theatre Under The Stars in Stanley Park, and had to stand up to let the rest of the audience see us, as they had been told that we were visiting cadets from the Old Countries. As a matter of fact, the party consisted of 22 cadets from 41

England, three from Scotland (they wouldn't allow us just to say that there were 25 from the U.K.), and two each from Norway, Sweden. Denmark and Holland, all of whom spoke Eng'ish very well.

One day we went by Dakota to Victoria, capital of British Colombia, on Vancouver Island. We went sight-seeing around Victoria, were given a luncheon by the Kinsmen Club, and had tea with the Lieutenant Governor and his wife at Government House. To round off our stay in B.C. we had weiner roast at the house of Air Vice Marshal and Mrs. Nairn, who had some pipers of the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders to entertain us, playing hidden in the dark among the trees. The pipers gave us one of the finest examples of how to do the Sword Dance that any of us had ever seen, the Scots cadets included.

Every one of us was very sorry to have to say goodbye to Vancouver and its fine, generous inhabitants. There is a friendliness offered by the casual stranger met in the street that is never encountered in this country. They all seem so eager to help you in every way that you cannot be anything but deeply impressed. Our return trip across Canada was much smoother, but unnapp ly there was a thick layer of cloud over British Columbia and we only saw one solitary Rocky piercing it. The journey was broken for three hours at Winnipeg and we were given a meal in the officers' mess. It was dinner to them, but was actually our lunch. Back once again in Montreal we had our final send-off party. Mr. C. Douglas Taylor, Honorary President of the Air Cadet League of Canada, who ware our hosts with the R.C.A.F. throughout the tour, invited us up to his house in the Laurentians. Unfortunately it rained all day, but that did not prevent some of us from learning how to water ski or shoot clay pigeons. We were given many presents (and speeches) and returned to Montreal to be homeward bound.

During the time we spent in Canada we did have a chance to see a little of the U.S.A. As we needed visas for entry we tried to ge t them, but they would not give us any (I guess we hadn't been screened). However, we had reached the border before learning that we had failed to get them. Having got so far, our guide was not to be outdone, so we went off the main road to a small one-man customs barrier, and the U.S. man very kindly let us through to say we had been in the States. We returned after spending three hours in the U.S.A. and thanked the customs man profusely. He risked his j maybe, but he said he didn't want us to go away disappointed.

We left 'Canada with dream-like memories, fully aware of all it could offer us should we return. But I, myself, will die happy if I

never see or taste another hot-dog or coke again.

The first intake of Scouts to the Recruits, under the new training scheme, entered the C.C.F. this term. They did a condensed course and passed out with last term's Recruits at the end of term. It is greatly to their credit that all ex-scouts were in the top two-thirds in the final order of merit. Cadet Megginson was first, followed by an ex-scout, Cadet Worsley. It is interesting to note that the proportions in the new Basic Section next term will be much the same as before, with only a slight decrease in the R.N. Squad and an increase in the Army Squad.

The Armourers visited us in the first week and gave a satisfactory report. The assistance of a retired Army Pensioner to help Armourer Sgt. Wilson with the work in the Armoury has proved very welcome.

The N.C.O. Training Cadre was restarted this term on a broader scale. Potential N.C.O.s from all three Sections joined and carried out a comprehensive training programme. Some did extremely well and received responsible posts after the final examination. Cpl. Potter, especially, is to be congratulated on his result. It is significant to note that a keen cadet in one of the specialist sections like the Signals can obtain an executive post in one of the Service Sections. It was also noticeable that those who had attended camp passed out high on the list.

On Tuesday, 21st October, the C.C.F. was invited to attend the Trafalgar Day Celebrations at H.M.S. Ceres at Wetherby. It was most unfortunate that the ceremony was somewhat marred by the poor weather, but the rain cleared at the close and the visiting Admiral came round and had a word with us. After a picnic lunch by the Memorial to the "Battle of Marston Moor" we started the second part of the day's activities, the re-enacting of the Battle over the ground where it was fought some three hundred years ago. The T.E.W.T. started on the high ridge overlocking the whole moor and then proceeded to Willstrop Wood. Near the wood the T.E.W.T. developed into an exercise—the chase of Rupert's forces over the river at Poppleton. As a departure from the usual account we include extracts from the O.C.'s report that appeared on Orders the day afterwards. The Exercise.

It is difficult to assess the success of one side or the other in an exercise covering such a wide area, but the general opinion of umpires is that as many of Rupert's men escaped as were captured.

From information collected from umpires, O.C. would like to draw particular attention to the following :- '1. The oustanding success was the efficient work of the R.N.

Section, under P.O. Shaw, in getting to the area on time, and organising the crossing so smoothly.

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2. The Signal Platoon proved most useful to the umpires over the considerable distances. 3. The Recruits, well led by the Cadre N.C.O.s, displayed great keenness and physical endurance. They covered a far greater mileage than any other Section and finished in excellent order. The following squads are particularly to be congratulated,

Potter, Sparham, Crowe, Wilkinson and Shanks. 4. The Army Basic Section, though rather slow, did manage to cross the River Nidd with ropes. The river was quite vide, fast-flowing and deep. The best crossings were made by Rice,

Dodsworth, and Moore, E. I. 5. Ft./Sgt. Weightman organised a tactically sound ambush, which would have worked 100% but for the rapid appreciation of a difficult situation by P.O. Shaw and S.S.M. Smith, C. K. 6. Of the "back room boys" of H.Q., who always work very hard on these occasions, mention should be made of the work of the new Armourer, Sgt. Wilson. 7. The return trip of the whaler was well handled by

Leading Seaman Humble and his crew.

In the first week of November six new No.8 022 rifles arrived. These rifles will mean considerable changes in the shooting as they are so much heavier to handle than the Mos3bergs. It will be interesting to see how many are able to qualify for First Class Shots under the new conditions. It looks as though we shall soon return to the day when a "first class shot" was really something to achieve; recently few have failed to get one. It is doubtful whether many will reach the Marksman's standard.

The Basic Section qualifying examination proved to be most useful, the standard in all Sections was high and promises well for the future, but there is still considerable work to be done before the main examinations take place at the end of next term.

On 2nd December Group Captain Greenaway, New Zealand Air Force, Second-in-Command at No. 64 Group H.Q., paid us another informal visit. It was an opportunity for him to address the newly formed flight in the R.A.F. Section.

Throughout the term there have been the usual Ceremonial Fall-ins with the Duty Bugler. C S.M. Wyatt-Gunning has insisted on a high standard throughout, and he will be greatly missed.

R.N. SECTION

The two main events of the term were the Field Day and th e intake of new members from the Basic Section.

On Trafalgar Day the C.C.F. was invited to attend the annuali parade at H.M.S. Ceres, Wetherby, and the Naval Section, especially,

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was proud to be present at this parade. Afterwards, a snack lunch was taken at Marston Moor before the Section returned to York to man the whaler for the main task of the day. The object was to pull the boat up to Overton and transport troops across the river. Prior to Field Day there had been a feeling amongst quite a large percentage of the Section that too much was required of them. However, although wearied by the time the whaler was secured in its berth again, the crews responded well to the hard work and completed it splendidly. It was largely through their efforts that the Field Day was such a success.

Shortly after Field Day it was decided that the whaler required a refit, not so much because it had been damaged on Field Day, but through general wear. When the time arrived to pull the boat to Naburn, it was found that the river was rising rapidly and the operation would have been rather hazardous. However, conditions improved the following week and the crew, by some hard pulling, arrived on schedule. Major Crews and Lieutenant Waine kindly met the crew at Naburn and brought it back to School.

Near the end of term the R.N. Basic Section took the examination, which it has been found advisable to hold before any member of the C.C.F. becomes a rating in the Naval Section, even though he may have passed Cert. "A", Part I. Through the example set by their N.C.O.s, Leading 'Seaman Ibberson and Leading 'Seaman Simpson, great spirit has arisen in the Basic Section and there were very few failures in the examination. It is to be hoped that all the new members of the Naval Section will continue to work hard in the C.C.F., for it is only by hard work that examinations are passed, as well as making what to some is a very distasteful afternoon into an enjoyable part of School life.

P.O. Shaw, by his own personal smartness and enthusiasm, has set a very good example to the whole Section, while Leading Seaman Quarmby has carried out some good work with the Recruits. A.B. Leonard has put in much extra time in the R.N. Stores, which he continues to run most efficiently.

Finally, D. J. Bird is to be warmly congratulated on gaining entry into the Executive Branch of the R.N. Members of the R.N. Section will also be pleased to hear that J. M. Smithson, who left School in 1951, has recently gained a Commission in the R.N.V.R., and is now serving out in the Mediterranean in the minesweeper H.M.S. Plucky. R.N. CAMP, 1952

Owing to the anti-mump precautions a rather depleted R.N. Section arrived at Portland for the camp which was held in H.M.S. Implacable, a fleet carrier. This ship, together with the Indefatigable, which was visited last year, forms the training squadron. Implacable is the flagship of the squadron and wore the flag of Vice-Admiral Stevens.

A very full programme had been arranged which emphasised the practical aspect of the training. On the first afternoon we were shown the engine rooms by a Leading Stoker, who was obviously master of his job. First we visited the boiler regulating equipment. We then descended a rather warm ladder into the boiler room, where, although only one boiler was in operation, the temperature was unpleasantly high. We ended our visit to the engine rooms with a visit to the propeller inspection shaft. On the following morning we embarked in Headingham Castle, a frigate, and spent the entire day at sea; we saw how a ship is organised for seagoing. Everyone became a member of a seaboat's crew which was piped away whilst the ship was under way. The trip included a visit to the wheelhouse, emergency steering and the engine rooms.

Practical experience in steering was gained in an M.F.V. outside the harbour when each cadet took a trick on the wheel on two separate occasions. On one of these trips we saw the new antisubmarine weapon, the squid, being fired from a new Daring class destroyer.

As Captain Robertshaw was a sailing enthusiast, a great deal of sailing was arranged and enjoyed immensely. One afternoon the Captain, Mr. Waine, another officer, Humble, Bird, and Macdonald took a whaler away and sailed into Weymouth and up the Wey. As we sailed past a fisherman, seated on a bollard, he called to our Captain (Captain of a 30,000 ton aircraft carrier !) : "Hi, Jack, watch yourself when the mail boat arrives !" On the return journey, as the wind freshened, we took in a reef, but even so waves were breaking over the gunwale as we came alongside the ship. On another occasion all the cadets went away in a cutter and two whalers and picnicked on the beach near Weymouth, after an enjoyable swim.

A final interesting afternoon was spent in the p'otting rooms in "the island", where we saw the plots and the radar. We were shown actual plots of the last exercise Implacable took part in.

The factors which made the camp so enjoyable were the wellplanned programme, the sailing, and, believe it or not, P.T. on the flight deck to the accompaniment of the Marine band. We are all indebted to Capt. Robertshaw and Lt. Evans for arranging so full and enjoyable a programme, and to Sub-Lt. Waine for his help and enthusiasm. D.T.B. and T.G.H. THE ARMY CAMP, 1952

The Army contingent of the C.C.F. will remember 1952 as the year when Cadet Gray, by contracting mumps, changed the course of its history for a whole week. For the annual camp was held, not on Fylingdales Moor with other schools, but in isolation in Farnley Park, Otley.

Gray developed mumps on the last day of term. It was reported to higher authority and permission to join the Fylingdale's camp was withdrawn. What were we to do? Could we send the cadets home? Could we find another site? Could we recast all our plans at the eleventh hour? Perhaps we felt some irritation with Cadet Gray as we faced these questions. Yet, very soon, as the difficulties were resolved, as we adjusted ourselves to new prospects, and when finally the change proved to have been perhaps in many ways a very happy one, we felt more warmly disposed towards him. In fact, by the end of the week, some of us felt he had rendered us a signal service.

Gray, however, had merely touched off the new train of events and then retired quietly to the Sanatorium. Major Crews was the active force who created new order out of chaos. No sooner had the Army pronounced its verdict, then he busied himself making those personal contacts by which the lofty decisions of remote authority are usually undermined or circumvented. When he retired to bed in the early hours of the morning he had already some prospect of finding another camp By noon the following day he had already visited Farnley Park Camp, arranged for our reception, ordered transport and obtained the "unexpired portion" from the School kitchen. As a result of this activity the contingent arrived at its new destination at the very time when, had nothing intervened, it would have arrived at its original one. It was accompanied by Lieut. Jeffs and those Naval personnel who, because they had not had mumps, were not allowed to go to the Naval camp, and by F.O. Harris, R.A.F., who now joined us to supervise the Signals training.

In such circumstances as these it is natural for the ordinary soldier or cadet to feel some bewilderment. "Order, counter-order, disorder' s , mutters the barrack-room demegogue. "Why aren't we going? Where are we going? Why are we going at all?" If such feelings arose they did not last long. When we arrived doubt gave way to amazement and delight. For here was no tented camp, no palliasses to fill, no metal plates, no prospect of sleepless nights spent in diverting streams from one's kit and bedding, no mere flopping, canvas N.A.A.F.I., but solid huts, spring beds, shining crockery, and a vast canteen with stage and concert hall complete. Three cheers for Mr. Shinwell ! Bravo, Billy Butlin !

Then, of course, there was a training programme to prepare. We had to reconnoitre our training areas and to discover the nearest rifle range. Major Crews again proved equal to these problems, and the training in no way fell below that of previous years. Indeed, in many respects it was more interesting and enjoyable. The mere fact of being thrown on our own resources was stimulating. Of course we missed the set demonstrations we should have had at Fylingdales, but we were able to improvise some of our own. We found and utilised good training ground on Otley Chevin; we had the usual night exercise

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near Almscliffe Crag (with the inevitable rain); and we had a full day on the rifle range on the moors above Menston. The culmination of our training on the final day was Operation Traitor, the main object of which was to smoke out a former member of the staff who had recently transferred his allegiance elswhere and was known to be lurking in the neighbourhood of Giggleswick. This involved a pleasant coach-run out towards 'Malham Tarn and then a long march over moor and fell before we finally concentrated on Arncliffe for a belated and very welcome lunch. We captured our man and though no very exciting battles developed we had some healthy exercise and a good blow on the hilltops.

No doubt because our base was such a comfortable one the spirit of the contingent throughout training was excellent. It was gratifying to see potential N.C.O.s showing intelligent initiative and to find most cadets keen to do an all night guard and take a pride in its efficiency. It was notable, too, that the Signal Section showed itself more than usually efficient in establishing communications and was able to put visitors to the camp immediately in touch with the contingent in the field.

,Annual Camp would, however, be incomplete without those activities other than formal training which help to cement comradeship or to keep everyone pleasantly and profitably occupied. Perhaps helping in the cookhouse would count rather as training than as entertainment; yet several even of the senior N.C.O.s responded eagerly to the appeal for help (Moore, J. R., no doubt gained a new insight into hotel management). We had several film shows. We played the local pioneers at "Soccer". 'At our Sports Meeting R.S.M. Power proved a popular and gallant goalkeeper as well as an efficient organiser; and our only non-scientific officer was proud to defeat his colleagues by applying scientific principles to the carrying of an egg in a spoon. The climax of our entertainment was the Contingent Concert. Major Crews was most anxious that this feature of pre-war camps should be revived, and very successful it was. We had a concert hall and stage ready to hand and S.S.M. White did a grand job in getting a good team of performers together : Shepherd at the piano, Annequin in the role of "Forces Sweetheart", Staines as "raconteur", the senior N.'C.O.s in close harmony. But what of the Officers? Here was a problem. What could they do which did not require rehearsal? The matter was put off from day to day. A halfhearted decision was made, a scenario was sketched out; but it was with the flimsiest of preparation that the Officers mounted the stage to give a Western melodrama in which Messrs. Crews, Jeffs, Harris and Craven fell naturally into the parts of Little Nell, the handsome Commander Hornblower, Flash Harry the Villian, and the Voice behind the scenes. Fortunately, as it turned out, plot and dialogue were entirely unnecessary as the mere appearance of the protagonists

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brought the house down, and each hitch in the mime provoked fresh laughter.

On Sunday, after returning from Church Parade at Otley Parish Church, we were delighted to welcome our parents and friends, and on Monday to show the Head Master and Mrs. Dronfield how well we had settled in our new camp. Yes, we felt Gray had, after all, done us a good turn. But we have to thank not only him but Brigadier Deltall, of Northern Command, who made the new arrangements possible; Capt. Heath, of East and West Riding Area, who did all he could to provide whatever facilities we required; the Officers of the Pioneer Company in the camp for their hospitality; and principally to our own Commander for his energy, initiative and resource throughout the week. And now some of us entertain a sneaking hope that some other cadet will again next year sacrifice himself to the good of the contingent.

R.A.F. SECTION

The organisation of the Section has been very largely changed because of the successful results of the Proficiency Examination last Summer, and because of the considerable number of very senior boys in the Section who have been called upon to fill important positions in the C.C.F. as a whole, rather than in the R.A.F. Section in particular. As a result, the stripes on R.A.F. uniforms at present would make a tiger look rather plain, but this is an indication of the opportunities in the C.C.F. for proficient cadets.

Advanced training has started, and some cadets have successfully undertaken a course in the N.C.O. Cadre, which puts them at the top of the list for N.C.O. posts.

The smartness of the new entry to the Section, and Number II Flight, on their first parade, was most marked, and has set a standard to be maintained in future. 'Among those leaving is Flight Sergeant M. J. F. Everitt. As one of the pilots trained under the Flying Scholarship scheme, he has brought credit to the Section and to the C.C.F. We thank him for his valuable services as an N.C.O., and wish him success.

CAMP

The R.A.F. Camp at Cottesmore was generally regarded as well organised and successful. , The number attending camp this year was disappointing. We can hardly be justified in asking for special arrangements by the R.A.F. for visits to airfields during the School year if more than half our numbers excuse themselves from camp, where the fullest possible arrangements are made for cadets. 440