HISTORY OF THE 423 SQUADRON

CHAPTER VI

COLD WAR AND THE CANUCKS

The Beat Goes On

The onset of fall brought the typical poor weather that the Eagles had now come to expect. Routine operations were the norm for the months which followed, with only a few incidents of particular note. On 10 October, 423 Squadron wrote off a CF-100 without, fortunately, loss of life. The Canuck in question overran Runway 15, ending up in the crash barrier. Ground fog, which had dominated the base for over a week, was the probable root cause of the accident. At the end of the month, the squadron took advantage of the poor flying conditions to give its members a four-day stand-down.

The weather did cooperate a week later for the arrival of an extra-special visitor. Prime Minister John Diefenbaker arrived in the morning of 6 November to be greeted by a flypast of twenty aircraft, including eight from 423 Squadron. For the rest of the period, a generic entry covering several days in the Wing's log said it all:

"The weather consisted mostly of very low ceilings and poor visibility in fog and haze. Flying was carried out when possible because of the weather here and when we had alternate limits. . . A few times 2 Wing had acceptable weather but no alternate."10

Sometimes, the RCAF radar unit at Metz (codenamed "Yellowjack") could help out by finding airfields within the Canuck's operating area which had weather good enough to act as an alternate landing site; however, often the whole of free Europe would be socked in. The weather did not prevent the squadron from participating in the usual melange of special visits, dances, and sporting events. Although no members of 423 Squadron were directly involved, December 1958 will probably be remembered by those at Grostenquin as the time when a Canadian North Star transport aircraft of 109 Communications Flight crashed in the San Marcello mountains near Pisa. Thus, the year came to a close on a sad note for all in the Air Division.

The new year brought with it the chance to return to Deci once again, which the squadron did from 25 February to 18 March. It was in this outing that the squadron's pious reputation was somewhat tarnished in the eyes of the local inhabitants. A large barbecue and cookout took place, and soon the cooks were calling for more wood, as charcoal was in short supply. As the wine flowed more freely, so did the supply of combustible material; it was only in the morning that several barrack block doors and window frames were found missing. The local authorities, perhaps sensing a windfall, were very upset. The squadron was forced to arrange for suitable new replacements to be flown in at great expense.11

One of the larger exercises in which 423 Squadron was involved was OPERATION TOP WEIGHT, which occupied the unit for a full week, beginning 12 April. At the height of the operation, the squadron put up forty sorties in one day, and maintained this rate for several days straight. The stand-down at the end of the exercise was a well-earned break for both the aircrew and the maintenance personnel, who worked long shifts to keep the Eagles airborne.

The following month saw the squadron's first accident in almost a year. On 4 June, during EXERCISE ARGUS, an unnamed CF-100 skidded off the runway during a night recovery, forcing four other Canucks to recover at 4 Wing. No record of injury to either aircrew or aircraft exists.

New Diversions

On 9 June, 423 Squadron enjoyed its first exchange visit with a foreign unit since its arrival in Europe. Eight Canucks from the Eagle Squadron departed for Beauvechain, Belgium, with eight Belgian CF-100s coming to Grostenquin in return. Shortly afterwards, Mr. James Edwards of radio station CKUA (Edmonton) arrived on the station with Public Relations personnel from Air Division to interview the visitors and their 423 Squadron hosts. Such cross-training deployments under the Inter-Allied Exchange Program were welcome diversions for both aircrew and groundcrew.

Mid-July brought unheard-of temperatures to Grostenquin. The Station had several stand-downs, when the mercury rose over 95 degrees Fahrenheit. But it still wasn't too hot for the 2 (F) Wing Babe Ruth Fastball Team to go on the road, challenging teams from the various Fighter Wings and other Stations in the area. Things cooled off enough for 423 Squadron to take part in OPERATION MANDATE, where waves of twelve Canucks each were once again used to simulate fast attack bombers going against the U.K. The exercise took three days and twenty-six sorties to complete.

On 9 September, another contingent of Eagles headed out to Sardinia for the weapons training camp there. Reminiscent of their first deployment to Deci, F/L Leonard had an accident on landing in a T-33 (#587). No further details of the incident are available.

It seems that every visit the squadron paid to Deci produced some tales. This time around, a US Navy F-11F Tiger was forced by unserviceabilities to land at the Sardinian airfield. Unbeknownst to the hapless Yank, an armourer in the squadron's maintenance groundcrew had designed an unofficial crest consisting of a posterior view of a donkey with his tail raised, looking back at the viewer. This was applied with obvious relish to the visitor the night before his departure, as were RCAF roundels and the number "423."12 It is not known how the unfortunate soul explained his aircraft's new appearance to the ship's captain upon his return to the aircraft carrier.

The Eagles kept to their routine of changing their C.O. once a year; this time, 423 Squadron gained W/C J.D.W. Campbell as the new head Eagle. The rest of the fall was routine.

On 11 December, the day began with the presentation of 1000 hour pins to S/L Biddell, and F/Os Appleby and Kinney. That accomplished, the unit quickly swung into EXERCISE QUICK TRAIN, scrambling ten aircraft in pairs.

As Christmas approached, squadron members took the time to relax between maintaining a steady flying schedule. The pilots of the squadron challenged the observers to a hockey match on the fifteenth with the new CO dropping the puck. The pilots won, which cost the losers a fair price in "refreshments." On 19 December, 423 Squadron members and others had the chance to practice their shooting skills in a different manner than that of the cine camera; a hunt on the confines of the base bagged a total of twenty-four hares, who most likely formed the basis of that year's Christmas dinner.

A Close Call

The new year of 1960 began quietly enough for 423 Squadron. The first note of interest occurs on 28 March, when the squadron held an exchange visit with its Belgian counterparts in the same fashion as it had the year previously. The newcomers to Grostenquin were joined by four Norwegian F-86F Sabres, who were on a five-day stay from Rygge.

April was an unusual month in many respects. On 8 April, a mid-air collision occurred between two Sabre aircraft, which luckily both pilots survived. Six days later, a 423 Squadron CF-100 crashed. Fortunately, the crew of F/Os Saulnier and Clark were able to eject safely, and were picked up and returned to the base by a helicopter from Spangdahlem. After the Easter break, the squadron resumed its busy schedule. On 22 April, the Eagles embarked on EXERCISE ROULETTE along with its 430 Squadron partners. The day proved to be a busy one for emergency crews, as four different incidents occurred, including an unidentified 423 Squadron Canuck landing with a cracked windshield.

The Eagles followed up the next day by conducting "Scope Steering" projects all day, then spent the subsequent days preparing to go once more to Deci. The squadron departed on 27 April for their Mediterranean sojourn, only to be recalled by EXERCISE SENIOR SENTINEL on 2 May. The squadron organized the move and made it back to Grostenquin in less than forty-eight hours, arriving in time to take part in EXERCISE BALANCE and SENTRY POST.

The summer passed with the squadron continuing to fulfil its alert and defence roles as the station's only All-Weather Fighter unit. In training, 423 Squadron was working hard to bring up its ranking in the gunnery scores in the face of very strong competition from other Sabre and Canuck units. On 7 October, the Eagles had the chance to visit some of those other units, when it was deployed on exercise to 3 Wing. Fourteen squadron aircraft made the move to trial inter-unit operability.

November provided some change to the squadron's normal routine, some of it unwelcome. On the fourteenth, the squadron was to participate in EXERCISE SILENT SPECTRE, but the event was cancelled due to the region's infamous fall fog. The following day, 423 Squadron sent all of its aircraft away to the other wings for UHF radio conversion. This imposed a lengthy delay in unit operations, which were not resumed until five aircraft returned on 22 November.

Squadron members took advantage of the break to do some needed remodelling to the unit's Dispersal HQ; unfortunately, as mentioned previously, this may have been the cause of the fire which engulfed the building on 25 November. Not to be dismayed, the base held its now-annual "Administrative Battu" the following day, this time producing fourteen rabbits, two ducks and two partridge between the fifteen French and fifteen Canadian hunters.

A Bad Start To A New Year

1961 had an unfortunate beginning for 423 Squadron. A squadron CF-100 crashed shortly after take-off on 27 January, killing the crew of F/Os A.F. Shelongosky and M.J. Zimmer. No other details of the crash were recorded in Wing records. Funerals were held for the two men on the first day of February, the last casualties the squadron would endure in its Canuck era.

The spring of the year held a long-sought reward for the Eagles. On 7 April, the squadron set a new record for the Air Division AWF Trophy Shoot. Although the latter title graced the mantle of 423 Squadron for only a brief period, it gave notice to its rivals in all four RCAF fighter wings that the Eagles had, indeed, achieved the top roost of all.

The honour could not have come at a better time, for it appeared that the squadron might have to put its shooting abilities to the ultimate test. The year saw the very height of the Cold War, with the world almost teetering on the brink of mass destruction. In early April back in North America, the U.S. was embroiled in the Bay of Pigs fiasco; on 24 April, rising tensions throughout Europe peaked with open revolt in Algeria and terrorist attacks against foreign nationals in France. The station went on semi-alert; all aircraft were grounded pending threatened hostile action from Algeria, and extra security around the base was put in effect.

Two days later the threat passed, just in time for the Canadian equivalent to the USO show to arrive in Grostenquin. Instead of Bob Hope, members of all three squadrons were treated to shows by Tommy Hunter, Joyce Hahn, and others in the CBC troupe. The group's departure was held up somewhat by Paris Control, "as the Algerian situation continued to cause problems."

Exercises continued to occupy most of the squadron's non-alert time; unfortunately, a change to the Wing's method of record-keeping made details of squadron activities even sketchier. A unique change to the normal type of operations was that of EXERCISE TALL TIMBER in May, which saw 423 Squadron operating north of the Arctic Circle from Bodo, Norway.13

When The Wall Came Up

When W/C W.J. Buzza took command of 423 Squadron on 2 August, it must have been with some trepidation. With the raising of the Berlin Wall on 13 August, international tensions climbed to a higher peak. In response to the threat, the establishment of the squadron was raised by thirty percent, with the alert commitment being increased from dusk-to-dawn to that of twenty-four hours.14 Exercises continued, but at a higher pitch in face of the terrible possibilities. One particular event was EXERCISE CHECKMATE, which covered the September 12-14 timeframe. Designed to fully test the defence forces in Europe, the exercise stretched resources to the limit; 423 Squadron responded by launching an incredible seventy-one scrambles over the three-day period.

The Eagles were still able to attend the weapons camp at Deci, leaving on 11 October. The training took on a more urgent nature considering world events; the Cuban Missile Crisis had the world hanging on the very edge of nuclear war. The situation was so serious that the Station Commander of Grostenquin flew to Sardinia the following day to brief the new C.O.

Despite the seriousness of the Cold War, members of the squadron still found ways to laugh at their situation. A Flight Safety Incident was filed on 9 November by F/O Reimer, a navigator in F/O Daley's crew. When reading the report, it should be remembered that the Canuck was notoriously cold in the winter, its heating system known to keep its occupants in a constant state of refrigeration. The report reads:

"On the 9 Nov 61, I was Nav/AI in aircraft 399. After being airborne approximately thirty-five minutes, I noticed my left leg seemed to be paralyzed and felt extremely cold. I remarked to the pilot (F/O Daley) at this point, "Jesus, I can't move my port leg." Shortly after this I discovered that my port boot was frozen to the floor. After a few kicks with my starboard boot, the port came unstuck and I regained full use of all limbs."

The unfortunate navigator's Flight Commander, F/L Belval, annotated the memorandum with the wry comment: "Suggest a medal be given to F/O Reimer for his devotion to duty," and forwarded the report to the Squadron Operations Officer, who in turn wrote:

"F/O Reimer is to be congratulated on his presence of mind and of not losing his head (or maybe I should say "leg") over this incident. His pilot should be proud to have such a Navigator who would "stick" with him under such trying circumstances. I concur with your recommendation and suggest the "Hotel and Bar."

The squadron made a claim to fame in the fall of the year. 423 Squadron's prowess for formation flying dated back to its displays at the Toronto International Air Show, and was dusted off to create the "Croix de Lorraine" formation. The formation was first displayed on "Friends Day" at Grostenquin on 9 July. The formation was suggested by F/L Belval and presented to open the air show along with the French national anthem. Apparently it brought tears to some of the spectators.15 The unique spectacle was demonstrated again for the Grey Cup Game on 18 November, as it was for the visit of the retiring Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hugh Campbell. The formation was led by the Squadron C.O., W/C Buzza.

The Last Year

Very few recorded details remain of the unit's last year of existence as a fighter squadron. The year started with a close call on 23 January, when an unidentified 423 Squadron CF-100 experienced a mid-air collision with an F-86. Although both aircraft were damaged, each landed safely without injury to their crews.

On 15 February, the squadron underwent EXERCISE BLACKJACK, requiring twenty-two sorties. The following day, F/L Cadieux was the lucky soul chosen for an exchange with the Norwegian Air Force, spending a week with the unnamed unit.

"Routine Flying" was the recorded order of the day, with only the briefest of details to hint at unit milestones. For example, on 25 April the squadron deployed to Decimomeneu for SARDINIA SALVO. In the Trophy Shoot which followed, 423 Squadron scored an impressive hit percentage of 81.6%. In the month which followed, the squadron was involved in EXERCISE QUICKTRAIN, which saw six aircraft deployed to Laarbruch for ten days.

W/C R.D. Sloat took command of the Eagle squadron from W/C Buzza on 1 June, but he was not to lead the squadron for the full year, which had become the Squadron Commander's due. The RCAF and the Canadian government had decided to purchase the CF-104 Starfighter in view of its newly defined role for Canadian forces in Europe. The Canadian Air Division would forsake its position as king of air defence in Europe for the job of "strike and reconnaissance support of ground forces."16 Thus, the Sabre squadrons would be replaced by eight squadrons of the new aircraft, and the Canuck units would withdraw completely in a cost-cutting measure.

The word finally arrived in the late fall of the year. On 17 December, a disbandment parade was held for 423 AW(F) Squadron in Grostenquin, where the Station Commander, G/C McBride, accepted the squadron's Eagle mascot from W/C Sloat. The official date of disbandment was 1200 hours on 31 December 1962, closing yet another chapter in the history of 423 Squadron.