3 Wireless School, Winnipeg

In Canada, Gerry spent his first six months training at No. 3 Wireless School, RCAF in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as a Wireless Air Gunner (WAG).

WAG’s were primarily wireless operators (W/Ops), but were trained in various other back-up roles. Wireless Operators were responsible for direct communications between aircraft and base, as well as with other aircraft in the area and their own bases. Wireless bearings played a critical part in the aircraft’s navigation and weather reports were received and transmitted by wireless. Other duties might include assisting in bomb aiming, assisting with casualties on board, manning a gun turret and, should the navigator be out of action, assisting with navigation to get home.

23 March – 1 October 1943: No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, 65 Squadron.

As part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BACTP), a massive, joint military aircrew training program, an agreement between the countries of the Commonwealth had been reached whereby New Zealand would supply the RAF with Pilots, Navigators, Bomb Aimers, Wireless Operators and Gunners.

Elementary training would take place in New Zealand, and advanced training in Canada, where a network of training schools had been set up, and where the climate and geography were ideal for year-round flying training.

No. 3 Wireless School was located in Winnipeg, in the very nice old buildings previously used by the Manitoba School for the Deaf in Tuxedo Park (photo above). Gerry’s intake was Squadron 65, 116 WAG trainees, mostly New Zealanders. To give an idea of the split of nationalities at the School, in the month of April 1943 it hosted 581 RCAF trainees, 203 RNZAF, 75 RAAF and 1 RAF.

Wireless School provided a 28-week training programme; theoretical technical training, followed by two weeks of flying. So other than one 40-minute “Air Experience” flight on the 4th of May, the first five months were spent mostly in the classroom.

The Wireless trainees were granted Mid-Term Leave from the 19th to the 27th of June.  

This is probably when Gerry and his mates visited Devil’s Gap Lodge, Kenora, a Canadian Pacific Railway Company holiday resort about 130 miles West of Winnipeg.

“Air Operations” didn’t get underway until the first week of September.

32 hours of flying training included air experience, list watch, two-way communications, channel change, D/F (Direction Finder), bearing requests, and synth-QDM. The School used two Canadian-designed, single engined aircraft for airborne training, the Noorduyn Norseman and the Fleet Fort, with 30 aircraft on strength.

This photo of Gerry shows the early war Sidcot flying suit and fur-lined boots worn by the trainees:

On September 16th all New Zealanders at the School took part in the New Zealand general election.

Squadron 65’s air training was completed on September 24th and the following day the course ended. Of the original 116, 92 trainees graduated.

Gerry’s Wireless School class photo shows him sitting front and centre. As well as Lou Bartlett, the photo shows Ivan Cameron, Rex Furey and Ernest Armstrong (more about them later). I haven’t been able to identify “Quigley”.

The Squadron 65 class also included Tapua “Tap” Heperi (far right, back row), who ended up with Gerry as a Wireless Operator at 75 (NZ) Squadron.

Gerry graduated from No. 3 Wireless School on September 28th and a Graduation Dinner was held that night.

A Squadron Graduation Parade was held on September 28th and Gerry qualified as a Wireless Operator, effective from October 1st, 1943.

He was one of 14 graduates posted to complete their WAG training at No.2 Bombing & Gunnery School, Mossbank, Saskatchewan.