RCAF Station Guelph

RCAF Station Guelph was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located in Guelph, Ontario on the campus of the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), and the Macdonald Institute. The province of Ontario transferred a large portion of the campus to the Royal Canadian Air Force in May 1941 to be used as No. 4 Wireless School (WS) for the duration of the war. Wireless School students became Wireless Air Gunners (WAGs) in bomber crews.

Prior to this the RCAF had already contracted with the OAC to provide instruction in institutional cooking and radio theory. Once the facilities were transferred these efforts became part of the new station as the School of Cookery and the Radio Mechanics School.

The RCAF closed No. 4 WS on 12 January 1945. An RCAF transition team took over and on 22 February 1945 the RCAF withdrew and returned the campus to the OAC.

A controversial beginning
The establishment of the station caused a political controversy that was widely reported on in the Toronto and Guelph daily newspapers, and farm publications in Ontario. On 1 March 1941 the Premier of Ontario, Mr. Mitchell Hepburn, announced the gift of OAC to the federal government for the war effort. The City of Guelph, many farm groups, and others opposed this gift. These people did not want the Ontario Agriculture College closed down. Mr. George Drew, the leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, took up their cause. A debate ensued and on 7 March 1941 the legislature voted for a compromise that would keep the OAC open for classes while permitting the RCAF to use the campus for No. 4 Wireless School. The RCAF would get the dormitory space it wanted and the OAC and OVC could continue, although their students would have to live off-campus. Classes at the Macdonald Institute were completely cancelled. It was left to the people of Guelph to make this work.

Construction began around 10 May 1941, and by 26 June 1941 100 Guelph men were working on the site. Building interiors were modified, a guardhouse was built on Macdonald St. near Gordon St., an Armaments building (25 yard shooting range) was erected on Macdonald St., and a barbed wire fence enclosed the RCAF portion of the campus. Eventually facilities for 1,500 RCAF personnel were made and included police and fire services, motor transport, hospital and post office. This is roughly the same size as most of the air stations built between 1940 and 1943.

The advance party of RCAF officers arrived on 7 June 1941 under the command of Wing Commander (W/C) A. H. K. Russell.

No. 4 WS opens
The first class of airmen began studies on 7 July 1941. They numbered 200 including 3 Australians and one member of the Royal Air Force.

W/C Russell explained the operation of the school in an interview with the Toronto Daily Star. "During this period the men will receive lectures in mathematics, radio theory, hygiene, first aid, law and administration, armament, anti-gas work, signalling code and procedure, visual signalling with lamps and flags. They will also have a part of their time taken up with drill and games" he said. Russell neglected to mention topics like aircraft identification, aircraft radio equipment used by the RAF and RCAF, radio troubleshooting and repair, and that students were expected to learn skeet shooting, how to swim and how to right a capsized dinghy.

The day began with physical training and they were also expected to perform duties such as cleaning dormitories and moving heating coal about the campus. The official opening took place on Saturday, 9 August 1941. Air Commodore G. E. Brooks, O.B.E., Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Training Command, was the senior RCAF officer present. He inspected the school and the airmen. Other RCAF officers attended including the commanders of No. 5 SFTS Brantford, No. 6 SFTS Dunnville, and No. 14 SFTS Aylmer. Civilian dignitaries present were the Hon. P. M. Dewan, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Lt-Col. George Drew, K.C., Ontario Conservative Leader, His Worship Mayor William G. Taylor of Guelph, Dr. G. I. Christie, president of the Ontario Agricultural College, and R. W. Gladstone, M.P., South Wellington.

Hundreds of members of the public toured the dormitories, hospital and kitchens, and watched demonstrations of wireless signalling, first aid, and cooking.

By the time of the official opening the station strength stood at 900 airmen.

Practical training (airborne)
Near the end of the course students began practising wireless skills in aircraft. This phase lasted several weeks and consisted of message transmission, signalling, and direction finding (DF) during local and cross-country flights. After 30 or so hours in the air, most of them in daylight, training was complete.

In spite of the best efforts of some people in Kitchener and Wellington County no airfield was built for No. 4 WS. For several years students used the RCAF airfield at Burtch 43.05222°N, -80.27472°W for their airborne practice. In the beginning they were bussed from Guelph to Burtch on a daily basis; but some time later a permanent camp was built there.

In 1944 airborne training was moved to the RCAF airfield at St. Catharines, Ontario.

Arrival of the WDs
In November 1941 the first Women's Division airwomen arrived at Guelph. They were students at the School of Cookery and were housed at the adjacent Cutten Fields golf course. The first class of women graduated in December 1941.

Recreation and downtown Guelph
The station provided many opportunities for the airmen to participate in sports. Teams were organized and entered in leagues. Hockey was an RCAF area sport. On one occasion some Australian airmen, who had never skated or played hockey before, challenged one of the best local hockey teams to a game. The 4 WS softball team won the area championship at least once. The soccer team played in the Guelph and District League with civilian teams. There was also a basketball team. Sports was also used solely for entertainment. On 10 August 1941 the Sunday Morning Girls softball team from Toronto visited the station to play the airmens' softball team.

The station maintained an entertainment centre in the basement of War Memorial Hall. The centre was staffed by the Royal Canadian Legion and the YWCA. Dances were held here, including one featuring Canada's top dance band of the era, Mart Kenney and his Western Gentlemen. Airmen were encouraged to be resourceful, and could be counted on to organize and perform in their own variety shows.

Sometimes the airmen could have fun in downtown Guelph. The King Edward Hotel, usually known as the "King Eddy", offered a bar with beer and a hall above with juke box and dance floor. The auditorium on the second floor of Ryan's offered dancing to live music on Wednesdays and Fridays.

No. 4 WS winds down
On 14 March 1944 Air Minister Power of the Government of Canada announced that No. 4 Wireless School would close on 29 December 1944. Many people in Guelph, including city councillors, wanted the school to remain open and become a permanent air station.

The students and their service


Volunteer airmen and airwomen arrived at 4 WS from many lands including Canada, Newfoundland, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the United States. They trained to be Wireless Operators (WOPs), and most moved on to Bombing & Gunnery School (B&GS) where they qualified as Wireless Air Gunners (WAGs). Some of the top students in each class elected to become Navigators and moved on to Air Observer School (AOS). Other top students were asked to become instructors. A few students became Wireless Operators, Ground (WOGs).

By the time the school closed, between 5,000 and 5,800 wireless operators had passed through its doors and of these well over 1,000 died in service. No. 4's most distinguished student may be the Honourable Lincoln Alexander, who graduated from No. 4 Wireless School as a Wireless Operator, Ground and became an instructor. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of 4 WS he said "I remember the friendship and the fun. It made me a man.   It taught me what authority was all about.   It taught me to respect others.  I'm proud of my service."

Example: the crew of Canso 9816
No. 162 Squadron RCAF operated Canso aircraft on anti-submarine patrols from various locations including RAF Wick, Scotland. A Canso's crew of eight airmen included three WAGs. On 13 June 1944 Canso 9816 attacked and sank U-boat U-715 200 miles north of the Shetland Islands. The Canso was damaged during the attack, made a forced landed on the sea and was abandoned by the crew. They were rescued by flying boat eight hours after the forced landing, but three of their number perished before help arrived. The crew of Canso 9816 that day was:


 * Wing Commander (W/C) Cecil G. W. "Bill" Chapman (pilot, skipper, squadron commanding officer (CO))
 * Flying Officer (F/O) James M. McCrae (co-pilot)
 * Flying Officer (F/O) Dave J. Waterbury (navigator)
 * Warrant Officer 2 (WO2) Joseph J. C. Bergevin (wireless air gunner-wireless operator)
 * Warrant Officer 2 (WO2) Frank K. Reed (wireless air gunner)
 * Flight Sergeant (FSgt) Harry C. Leatherdale (flight engineer)
 * Flight Sergeant (FSgt) Gerald F. Staples (wireless air gunner)
 * Sergeant (Sgt) Robert F. Cromarty (flight engineer)

Reed, Leatherdale, and Staples died before rescue.

Station buildings and sites
The RCAF used most of buildings at the centre of the campus. They included Johnston Hall (headquarters, airmens' quarters and lounge, non-commissioned officers' quarters); Mills Hall (airmens' lounge and quarters); Creelman Hall (airmens' mess, No. 1 Test Kitchen Unit); Maid's Hall (non-commissioned officers' quarters and lounge); Watson Hall (male officers quarters and mess); Macdonald Institute (classrooms); Macdonald Hall (airwomens' quarters); Macdonald Hall Annex (airwomens' laundry and lounge, female officers' quarters); Trent Institute (School of Cookery); Skating Rink (drill hall); Farm Mechanics Building (offices, laboratories, and equipment); Gymnasium Building (gymnasium); War Memorial Hall (auditorium and entertainment centre); Bursar Hall (fire and police service); and the Laundry (laundry).

In 2013 the Farm Mechanics Building is known as Blackwood Hall and Bursar Hall is called Drew Hall. The wartime gymnasium is gone and the MacKinnon Building stands in its place. The wartime skating rink is part of the Athletic Centre.

The Cutten Fields golf club adjoins the campus of the OAC and the club house was rented by the RCAF in 1941. The first floor of the clubhouse was used to house airwomen and the second floor housed female non-commissioned officers.

The RCAF added a few "temporary" buildings; such as the guardhouse and armaments building on MacDonald St., the garage on College Ave, and the barracks at the Cutten Fields. They made improvements to the sewage and water systems. The armaments building was used by the OAC and later by the University of Guelph and was known as the "Textiles and Design Building" when it was demolished around 2009. The barracks at the Cutten Fields was called the "Annex" and was used by the club until it was demolished around 1970.

In 2013 there are several reminders of RCAF Station Guelph on the University of Guelph campus:


 * an inconspicuous plaque at the base of the Johnston Hall tower
 * Branion Plaza, named after Professor Hugh D. Branion, Head of the Department of Animal Nutrition and the RCAF School of Cookery 1939-1945
 * Blackwood Hall, named after Professor W. C. Blackwood, Head of the Physics Department 1939-1945