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Sgt.
Maj. "Dusty" Royds and a Mr. Jack Watson, from "C.S.R.D.",
Ottawa, arrived Oct. 15th to superintend erection of aerial gear,
transmission lines, or lead-ins, and the setting up of transmitters,
receivers and control units. Despite the cold, snow and unusually
wintry weather prevailing by this time, the work was proceeding
rapidly and smoothly when, on Oct. 29th tragedy struck suddenly
and unexpectedly with the death of Jack Watson. Royds and Watson
were busy at the remote site on aerial assembly work that morning
when, without warning Watson collapsed and failed to respond to
simple first aid, and by the time Royds, aided by RCAF and RCE personnel
rushed him by truck to the Dawson hospital not more than 15 minutes
later he had passed away. Cause of death was declared due to cerebral
haemorrhage or coronary occlusion. Watson's sudden demise was a
rude shock to all concerned and progress was quite noticeably affected
for several days, and until after the funeral held locally on Nov.4th.
S/M Royds keenly felt the loss of his close friend and partner,
and left for outside Nov. 7th.
Nine
days later another Signals Installation & Maintenance crew of
four NCOs arrived to complete the work which had been so rudely
interrupted. They, with Capt. Murray who arrived Nov. 23rd finally
set up our new PV 500 (L/W), and the new AT.3 (S/W) 250 watt, transmitters
and six receivers, and had everything ready for testing early in
December.
Severe
weather and lateness in the season prevented erection of the aerial
and transmission, or feeder, line for the PV.500 long wave transmitter;
it was tuned to two of its four frequency capacity and simply fed
into an off length temporary, 1 wire L aerial, and was operated
that way, with mediocre results until the rest of the construction
work was completed in September 1946.
However
, the new set-up was functioning fairly well by Dec. 8th so we simply
and rather eagerly collected what records and office furniture was
necessary from the old log cabin station we'd occupied for 23 years,
moved into the spick and span new quarters and went on the air to
officially open for general business on Dec. 12, 1945. By now all
RCE and RCAF and all but CSM. Pye of Signals had departed. Pye remained
behind for several days to coach and instruct us in :"the fine
points:" of the new complicated lay-out; but he too left for
outside on Dec. 15th and we were eon our own again; this time with
something worth bragging about and showing off and demonstrating
with pride to the dozens of locallites who dropped in to view its
wonders and attractions. once again, too, we were back to a three
man staff; Sigmn,. Elsted was posted to Edmonton Dec .8th and until
the situation was eased somewhat with the arrival of Sgt. Earl Slack
in July 1946 the three of us were more than fully occupied -- especially
whenever it was necessary to make repairs, adjustments and alterations
(which was quite often) to the new equipment at the remote station.