Radar Training in London, Ontario

University of Western Ontario

The University of Western Ontario, founded in 1878, is one of Canada’s top universities. During the Second World War, it was one of the schools providing advanced electronics training.  It started in 1940 when they ran a summer course on radio for fourth year physics students.  There were also five former UWO physics students in England working with the British Admiralty.

The first RCAF-run radio course at UWO finished in the spring of 1941. The University began training men as radio mechanics before the RAF even opened a base in Clinton. A former student confirmed that the university hired radio specialists to teach the courses. This allowed regular staff to teach and research without additional teaching duties.

The Science Building at the University of Western Ontario, where Physics and Electronics courses took place.

The first radio and electronics class held at the University  had only 30 applicants, and of those, 17 students completed the course. Only nine students were asked to return in the autumn to complete additional courses.

Of the 17 students who completed the course 14 entered the armed forces by the following April.  Eleven of the students of the first radio course went into the air force, two to the army, and one to the navy.  One student, upon completing the course, was not recommended for any additional training.

H. B. Beal Secondary School

War technology training in London was not limited to post-secondary education. It seems that H.B. Beal Secondary School in London also had a role to play. The school was founded in 1913 to provided students with vocational training in technology and art in addition to traditional course work.

After the outbreak of war across Europe, the staff of H.B. Beal continued to live up to their mandate. They offered many courses to Canadian students and soldiers in new technologies, which helped the Allied war effort.  The need for training was so great that, at times, the school stayed open for 24 hours a day.  The technical training at Beal focused on mechanics, radio and communications. It is almost certain that some students went on to train in radar at RCAF Clinton.

Secret Training in London

[Fictional article from the London Free Press based on archival material from the Secrets of Radar Museum]

LONDON, ONTARIO, September 4, 1943

While we know very little about the secret training happening out at the RCAF base in Clinton, we have been able to piece a few things together. It seems that every potential recruit needs a basic knowledge of radio theory and electronics.  In order to go on to advanced training in at RAF/RCAF Clinton, they have to pass an exam.

American Army and Navy troops arrive at the Clinton railway station (1941)

To get the men up to speed, electronics & radio courses are held at 13 universities across Canada.

Each course lasts 16 weeks and has between 200 and 300 potential graduates.  However, due to the advanced nature of the subject matter, the failure rates are quite high.  Confidential sources say that 40% of the students don’t even pass the course. The graduating classes are called “squadrons” even though their training has nothing to do with flying a plane.

Those who fail can’t tell us what secret training goes on at the base in Clinton. The men who passed refused to speak to the press. One can only assume they are sworn to secrecy as soon as they arrive.  Who knows how long they’ll have to keep their secrets.