Radar Training in England

Canadian Trainees in England

Canadian military personnel were sent to England for training during the Second World War. Canadians were then deployed all over England, and some on the Canadian and British fronts of mainland Europe.

[Excerpts from a fictionalized journal of a Canadian radar trainee in England based on archival materials from the Secrets of Radar Museum]

Unidentified RAF & RCAF radar personnel @ RAF Yatesbury, c. 1941

February 3rd, 1941

I’ve met so many more people than I could have imagined while here in England. The guys working on radio are from all over the world and all walks of life. There are many Canadians here of course, and Brits as well but that’s a given considering where we are. I met a chap from Idaho who got his start working in his uncle’s radio shop.

What I didn’t expect though is to meet a navy man from New Zealand working on the same type of radio as me. I never expected to meet anyone from there, let alone at a radar station in England. We had a gas talking about the training we both had before we were shipped off overseas. I do miss the noise of the city and seeing the ocean when I look east.

February 15th, 1941

Went to class, ate tea in the mess, and finished reading Ivanhoe. In the mess I got to talking to some chap who’s here to learn a new radar technique. I don’t know where the other training posts are but I’ve heard there are a few others and they each have their own specialty. Where I am we focus on Chain Home, which is interesting enough but I heard at the other stations that they train mobile radar units. But at least with CH I’ve got some relative safety, minus the bombers at least.

March 12th, 1941

My 6 weeks of training are up. I’m so glad that I’ll be moving on from this place. The scenery is nice enough, but I want to see a little bit more of the country. I got a letter home from grandmother last week. She told me about how much she loved going on holiday in the Lake District when she was little. I wouldn’t mind being stationed there if I have the chance. Maybe I’ll send some photographs home to her, let her know how, or if it’s changed.

Training at Yatesbury

[Excerpts from a fictionalized diary of a WAAF course instructor at Yatesbury based on archival materials from the Secrets of Radar Museum]

March 12th 1943

I got my transfer papers today. Apparently my experience on CH and CHL means that I’m qualified to teach incoming recruits on how to use the equipment without breaking it. They’ve told me I’ll be teaching at Yatesbury. It can’t be too different than Cranwell I don’t think.

Birds-eye of RAF Bawdsey on the coast of England

I’m worried that I don’t have the knack for teaching that the commanders think I do. Heaven forbid I turn out to be a teacher like Thompson. That man was one of the worst teachers I ever had. He took such an interesting piece of equipment and turned it into something dry and dull. Mary and I plan to go into the village tomorrow when our shift is done. If there’s anything I can say about Yatesbury it’s that it couldn’t be more remote than here.

March 21st 1943

I arrived at Yatesbury a few days ago. I was right, it’s much more lively here than Wales. There’s a village of 6000 called Calne not too far away. And Swindon isn’t too far if I have a day free. I’ve met a few of the other instructors already. Arthur Clarke teaches here as well as does some research. I think he said it was GCA. He’s a mildly cheerful sort of gentleman.

I start teaching tomorrow. This first group of girls are from all over. Some are new to it all, fresh from square bashing. Others are here to train on a new type of radar because they’re looking for promotion. The classroom’s nice enough and the equipment is plentiful, if a little outdated. But it’ll get the job done. Anything they don’t know after six weeks with me they can learn when they get to their postings. I’m still a little nervous.

May 2nd, 1943

My first course is done already. These six weeks have gone by so fast. I feel like I barely got to know any of the people I was teaching and now I have a whole new group that I have to get comfortable with. At least I don’t have to worry about getting used to the station again. That’s the bonus of not constantly being transferred like Mary was. Last I heard she was at some little station overlooking the Irish sea.