In Memorium: Remembering Dr. Frederick Hunt 1923-2021

In the midst of the pandemic, unbeknownst to us, we lost Dr. Fred Hunt at the age of 97. Former curator, Maya Hirschman, had two opportunities to interview Fred in 2013 and 2014 and she remembers those interviews as poignant and profound, altering her understanding of radar mechanics’ roles as he described his work in mobile radar on the front lines. She remembers him as a quiet, kind, and intelligent man, whose experiences in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands left their mark without ever undermining his deep compassion for his peers and civilians alike. Maya and all of us at SORM offer our sincere condolences to Fred’s family and friends. We know he’ll be missed.

Below is an excerpt from his Obituary (link here):

HUNT, Frederick
(Normandy Veteran - French Legion of Honour)

Passed away peacefully in Ottawa on July 10, 2021 at the age of 97 years. Frederick Hunt, loving husband of the late Alice (née Emond). Born on October 6, 1923 in Port Hope, Ontario son of the late Roy and Elsie (née Jewell). Predeceased by his brothers Jack, Ted and Reese of Port Hope, ON. Predeceased also by his sister-in-law Carol of Baltimore, On. Fondly remembered by his niece and 5 nephews. Frederick spent many dedicated years as a RCAF/RAF radar technician from 1941-1946. He later studied and received his BSc, MSc., and PhD from the university of Western Ontario in the years 1947-1955. After university, he spent 31 years with the National Research Council involving Research and Development of radar and its applications.

In Memorium: William "Bill" Ireland, WWII radar veteran

William “Bill” Ireland, August 2014. Credit: Maya Hirschman for Secrets of Radar Museum

It is with sadness we report the passing of Bill Ireland, one of the Secrets of Radar Museum’s veterans. Bill recorded an oral history in August 2013 with then curator, Maya Hirschman. Bill, born in Saskatchewan, graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in Chemistry. He joined the RCAF in 1940, serving as a Radar Mechanic and was, like many of the first 6,000, loaned to the Royal Air Force. Bill began his radar training on Chain Home early detection radar, but in June 1943 he was sent to RAF No. 8 Radio School in Cranwell, Lincolnshire, UK, for a course on Mk.8 Air Interception radar equipment. Eventually, this skill sent him to India to support the theatre in Burma. When asked what kind of specialised training he received for that posting, he said, “jungle training”, which was all the usual stuff, plus a machete and anti-malaria pills. The humidity and temperature caused no end of trouble for the airborne radar equipment, and thanks to his small stature, he often found himself lying down in the aircraft as it flew, adjusting the sensitive instruments—literally, on the fly. He was honourably discharged in 1945. We fondly remember Bill as a humble man with a wry sense of humour. He passed away at the age of 101 on October 9, 2019.

Read his obituary in the Ottawa Citizen.

In Memorium: Bill Bird

William "Bill" Bird was born in Sheffield, U.K. in 1917, and later moved with his parents to Manchester.  After working in his father's business, he joined the R.A.F. and became involved in the development and use of radar during the Second World War as a Flight Sergeant.  In 1953 Bill immigrated to Canada to work for A.V. Roe in Malton, Ontario, and then with his newly arrived family, moved to Clinton, Ontario as a civilian radar instructor for the R.C.A.F.  He and the family then moved to Peterborough, Ontario, where he was hired to set up and teach in a new electronics lab at Kenner Collegiate.

Click here to read the full obituary.

In Memorium: Don Harrett

The Secrets of Radar Museum wishes to note the passing of Don Harrett, a Second World War radar veteran of the RCAF, who served first in Britain, and then in North and South Africa.  He was one of the few non-Americans to be awarded the U.S. Soldier’s Medal for distinguished heroism by risking his own life in saving American soldiers after a fiery airplane crash.  An early supporter of the Museum, Don participated in the ribbon cutting 15 years ago. 

Read Don's obituary here.

Remembrance Day

On this day, we do not celebrate war, but the willingness of our veterans to serve, sacrifice and protect, and we remember the thousands who never returned. We remember also the unsung civilian heroes, who fought and died, never wearing uniforms. In a larger sense, we also mark the tremendous price paid by all people affected by war and conflict. Whether you remember someone specifically, or contemplate the impact of war in a general sense, thank you for taking time to remember.

Collection of Secrets of Radar Museum
This may not be a complete list of all fallen Second World War RCAF radar personnel.  The list was not compiled by Museum staff.  Please don't hesitate to contact us with omissions or corrections.
Abbreviations: KIA = Killed In Action; KAS = Killed Active Service (killed in non-combat action such as accident); DAS = Died Active Service (died of wounds or illness while serving).

A Tribute to the Women of Radar (today, and every day)

We can't tell the radar story without talking about the pivotal roles played by women, so in a sense, every day at the Museum is a Women's Day.  Women participated in radar research, made up what is very likely a majority of radar operations work, and built the equipment.  Their roles spanned science, technology, mechanics, communications, and operations.  In many cases, if not most, there was a high degree of precision and skill required to do the radar work they did, and like so often is the case, history has been pretty quiet telling their stories. 

Women working in RCAF/RAF radar during the Second World War were held to the Official Secrets Act just like the men, but unlike many of the men who returned and were encouraged to continue education in the fields of physics, engineering, radio, and electronics, women were expected to relinquish their places and return to the limited careers permitted to women, or more likely, to get married and make a home.  We don't mean to say that being a homemaker or mother isn't hard work, we know it is!  We are simply drawing attention to the fact that these women, who played such a vital role in the rapid development of radar, and more broadly speaking, the outcome of the war, were not given opportunities remotely equal to those of the returning men, but were still held to the same level of discretion and secrecy. 

So to those women, and those that followed in their footsteps, thank you for your service, your commitment, your dedication, and trailblazing.  We thank you, we are grateful, and we wouldn't be here without you.

Map of every bomb dropped on London during the Blitz

Have you ever wondered at the extent of the damage inflicted on London during the Blitz?  Museum intern, Michelle, stumbled on this fascinating website while carrying out radar related research.  Visit Bomb Sight to learn more.  It's fascinating.

The Bomb Sight project is mapping the London WW2 bomb census between 7/10/1940 and 06/06/1941. Previously available only by viewing in the Reading Room at The National Archives, Bomb Sight is making the maps available to citizen researchers, academics and students.

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Members of the London Fire Brigade train their hoses on burning buildings in Queen Victoria Street, EC4, after the last and heaviest major raid mounted on the capital during the 'Blitz'. For six hours on the night of 10-11 May 1941, aircraft of the Luftwaffe dropped over 1,000 tons of ...

Sourced & Licensed from © IWM Imperial War Museum Non Commercial Licence

Congratulations to Dr. Fred Hunt, RCAF radar veteran

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Dr. Fred Hunt is all smiles after granting Curator Maya Hirschman a lovely interview in July, 2015. 

Congratulations to Dr. Fred Hunt, radar veteran, on receiving the French Legion of Honour!

The ceremony was held on November 10, 2015, with French Ambassador Nicolas Chapuis presenting the medals.  The veterans were honoured for the roles they played in France's liberation.  Fred is one of our long-time supporters and an esteemed World War II radar veteran.  We have numerous artefacts in the collection donated by Fred, including field maps from his time operating mobile radar in France and Belgium.  He is also one of the veterans we profile in the In Harm's Way exhibit, currently in development, about radar on the front lines.  

The full list of Legion of Honour recipients follows:

Acorn, Ivan

Bova, George

Bray, John Reynold Delmeigne

Bridgewater, Albert

Craske, Peter

Farley, Raymond

Fouchard, George

Fowlow, Gilbert

Hanley, Robert

Highley, John

Hunt, Frédérick

Huot, Marcel

Juneau, Gérard

Kaspar, Walter

Little, Ronald Joseph

McKechnie, Donald

Moore, William

Neatby, Herbert Blair

Notman, Allan

Scharf, James

Read more and view photographs from the award ceremony at the links below.

• National Post
• Ottawa Sun