No.2 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT
June 22, 1942-August 20, 1942
Daily Diary - Summary of Events
Transcribed by G. Christian Larsen

No.2 OTU - June 22, 1942-August 19, 1942

DATE (d/m/y)	SUMMARY OF EVENTS
	Under authority of Organization Order No.207 dated June 5th, 1942 the formation of No.2 Operational Training Unit, Pennfield Ridge, N.B. commenced. No.2 (O.T.U.) official opening date was July 6th, 1942, but personnel arrived on Temporary duty as early as June 22nd, 1942. Squadron Leader E.L. O'Leary MC C1920 (AIM) arrived at No.2 (O.T.U.) June 22nd, 1942 and was officer i/c advance party until July 7th, 1942 on which date he assumed command of No.2 (O.T.U.). No.34 (O.T.U.) (RAF) is also formed at Pennfield Ridge, commanded by Group Captain A.C. Evans-Evans. As this Unit did not start on actual operations immediately it is the intention to show the growth of the Unit as far as personnel are concerned. The intake will only be shown up until the time of postings in command slackening off. The following is a list of personnel by numbers and Trades showing their actual date of arrival at Pennfield Ridge, N.B.
22-6-42	Squadron Leader E.L. O'Leary, M.C. C1920 (AIM) officer i/c of advance party. 1 Clerk.
23-6-42	Nil.
24-6-42	1 Clerk - 1 Cook.
25-6-42	5 Cooks - 6 A.F.M.
26-6-42	3 Cooks - 7 Electricians - 5 Instrument.
27-6-42	Nil.
28-6-42	Nil.
29-6-42	28 A.F.M. - 2 Equip. Assist. - 67 A.E.M. - 8 Ar,. (B) - 5 Arm. (G).
30-6-42	2 Clerks - 3 Equip. Assist. - 59 A.E.M. - 23 General Duties - 2 Arm. (B) - 3 Arm. (G). Flight Lieutenant B.F. Furneaux, RAF 31390 (EQUIP) Posted as Senior Equipment Officer.
1-7-42	1 Instrument - 6 Equip. Assist. - 19 A.E.M. - 2 General Duties - 1 Arm. (B) - 3 Arm. (G).
2-7-42	5 A.F.M. - 8 A.E.M. - 1 General Duty. F.O. R.J. Gillis C11741 (AIM) assumed adjutant duties.
3-7-42	4 Clerks - 1 A.F.M. - 10 Instrument - 1 A.E.M. - 14 General Duties - 1 W.O.G. - 3 M.M.M.T.
4-7-42	6 A.F.M. - 1 A.E.M. - 1 W.O.G. - 5 Photo - 2 D.T.
5-7-42	1 Clerk.
6-7-42	Effective date of opening. 32 A.F.M. - 2 Elec. - 3 A.E.M. - 2 G.D.'s - 1 W.O.G. - 3 M.M.M.T. - 1 Photo - 7 D.T. - 1 W.E.M.
7-7-42	First D.R.O. issued this date. 128 O.R. taken on strength from No.34 O.T.U., 5 Officers and 2 Nursing Sisters. These were Station Service personnel of the Security Guard, Hospital Staff, Works and Building, Fire Fighters, Meteorologist. F.O. V.C. Howie C2736 (Eng.) reported on T.D. 9 A.F.M. - 2 Elect. - 16 A.E.M. - 4 Arm. (B) - 1 M.M.M.T. - 9 Radio Mechanics - 1 Fire Fighter.
8-7-42	10 A.F.M. - 2 Inst. - 17 A.E.M. - 11 Arm. (B) - 14 Arm. (G) - 1 M.M.M.T.
9-7-42	2 Cooks - 6 A.F.M. - 16 A.E.M. - 20 G.D.'s - 1 Arm. (G) - 1 P.T.I.
10-7-42	1 Cook - 49 A.F.M. - 3 Elec. - 3 Inst. - 5 A.E.M. - 19 G.D.'s - 4 MMMT - 1 Carp.
11-7-42	1 Cook - 5 A.F.M. - 1 Elec. - 1 Inst. - 1 Arm. (B) - 1 Arm. (G) - 1 M.W. - 1 Clk. Acct.
12-7-42	1 Clerk - 1 Cook - 2 Elec. - 1 Inst. - 4 Arm. (B) - 3 W.A.G. P.O. C. Kershaw (W.A.G.) P.O. A.J. Venablee (W.A.G.) P.O. Houliban (W.A.G.) Aus405976 (GL)                 Aus412087 (GL)                     (Pending Oaz.) (SR) (GL)
13-7-42	4 Clerks - 1 Cook - 5 A.F.M. - 1 Inst. - 4 A.E.M. - 1 Arm. (B) - 3 W.O.G. - W .E.M.
14-7-42	F.O. C.H. Woods C3841 (Adm) posted to assume legal duties. S.L. R.G. McLean, C2514 (Accts) arrived on T.D. and assumed duties of senior accountant officer. 1 A.F.M. - 2 Elec. - 1 Inst. - 1 Arm. (B) - 6 W.O.C. - 1 M.M.M.T. - 2 M.W.
15-7-42	1 Clerk - 1 Cook - 2 A.F.M. - 1 Inst.  - 1 A.E.M.
16-7-42	5 A.F.M.
17-7-42	1 Cook - 1 A.E.M. - 1 G.D. - 1 M.W. - 1 Clk. Acct. - 2 Discip.
18-7-42	1 G.D. - 1 M.M.M.T. - 1 D.T.
19-7-42	1 A.E.M.
20-7-42	F.O. A.T. Tomlinson C6892 (Equip) assistant equipment officer. F.O. F.P. Lush C4147 (LT) 1 A.F.M. - 1 A.E.M. 134 airmen posted out to No.1 O.T.U. Bagotville, P.Q.
21-7-42	102 Airmen posted out to No.9 R.D. St. John, P.Q.
22-7-42	1 Clerk - 1 G.D. - F.O. H.R. Russell C9370 (SR) (Eng.): B.25 Aircraft No.'s FK176 & F.K. 180 returned to Dorval.
23-7-42	1 A.E.M.
24-7-42	1 Clerk - 1 A.E.M. - 2 Clk. Accts. B.25 Aircraft No.'s FK164, FK166, FK178 & FK177 returned to Dorval.
25-7-42	Amendment List No.2 d/18-7-42 to Organization Order No.207 received this date. The following is and Extract from A.L. No.2 "Owing to unexpected delays in the delivery of aircraft, No.2 O.T.U. cannot be formed at present. In consequence, Organization Order No.207 is to be suspended, effective 20-7-42.
12-7-42 to 19-7-42	Personnel continued to arrive daily.
20-7-42	First airmen dispatched via special train to St. Johns, P.Q. and Bagotville, P.Q.
3-8-42	Last B25 Aircraft of seven ferried to Dorval.
19-8-42	Posting all personnel on strength with exception S/L E.L. O'Leary and Fl/Lt B.P. Furneaux (RAF) Equip. Two airmen A.W.L. posted to No.34 O.T.U. Pennfield Ridge, N.B.

Source: Operational Records Books No.2 Operational Training Unit/ Library and Archives Canada/ Copy Number: C-12361.
Copy in Archive holdings of Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society.

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