Seventy Eight Years Ago Today on 29 August 1939

Seventy Eight years ago on 29 August 1939
From the War Diaries of 85 Heavy Battery, RCA CASF a sub-unit of the 15th (Vancouver) Coast Brigade RCA
​29 August 1939 – York Island
1000 – Arrived off York Island. Passage to wharf carefully sounded.
1100 – Landed at wharf and unloaded baggage and stores
1200 – S.S. “Border Prince” arrived and landed large quantities of miscellaneous stores and supplies (see Appendix “F”)
Master-Gunner Blake, Sgt. Instructor, 2 Ordnance Artificers and a Signals Sgt. Major arrived on the “Border Prince”.
Officers reconnoitered the Island and surveyed available accommodation which consisted of the Caretakers Quarters, a 5 room bungalow; a bunkhouse, 18 x 50; a mess hut 22 by 45; a small hut, 16 x 16; also a radio station hut, 10 x 14.
The caretakers house was found to be occupied by two District Gunners of 5th Hvy. Bty and a signalman of No. 11 Det. RCCS.
A Cold lunch was prepared as no stove pipe was sent with the camp stove. The launch “York” was sent to Kelsey Bay for various supplies, including stove pipe and kerosene for the lanterns.
The men worked hard in pouring rain sorting out stores and carrying them away from the wharf. The tractor delivered was useless, as it refused to start.
34 men were quartered in the bunkhouse, 9 N.C.O.s in the small hut. 4 N.C.O.s in the empty w/t station at the Fort, 2 O.R.s in the launch “York”, 4 O.R.s in the Mess Hut, 4 O.R.s in the basement of the caretakers quarters, 2 O.R.s in the Radio Station, and the 4 Officers in the Caretakers Quarters
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