RAF Mobile Signals Unit 5140 Q William Wortley LAC 1428270

A tiny bit of confusion has crept in at post number 57. ; I am ted angus former warrant officer- but I served 1964 to 2004- but the guy who you quote as spending a fortnight was actually LES-- he ended a post by saying "" glad to be of service, Ted """ which could be mistaken for the poster being TED.
regards Ted

 

Thanks Ted, for clarifying... I seem to have a talent for confusion several times on this thread!! Aileen

 

Hi Noel, Thanks for the precis of the book... it was highly readable and very informative. I had recently watched that small BBC People's War film called Welsh Heroes of World War 2 that focused on a return visit made by Commando Ted Owens to the area recently.
And thanks Tricky D for mentioning the book in the first place.
Aileen

 

Hello. In small chunks of time I am plodding away with connecting what I can deduce from my father's stories and diary with the information you and a couple of other sources have provided. It is all becoming a little clearer and for that I remain indebted to you all. I would not be able to attempt this without the information you provided.
Would like to ask a couple of other questions as I go along. One document I found said 21 Base Sector was originally planned as the Master Sector. Do you know what this would have referred to?
Q unit... I have seen references to them having one truck and somewhere else two. Does anybody know which is correct?
I think the most difficult thing is to imagine daily life in that small unit.... they must have felt very vulnerable and isolated.
Thanks again
Aileen

 

Hi Aileen, I don't know if you're still looking into information about your father, but there's a museum located in Canada called the Secrets of Radar Museum that was founded by Second World War radar veterans of the RCAF and RAF. If you're still looking to learn about what your father's life was like on a British mobile GCI, they may be able to help fill in some blanks as they have an archive and library that contains veteran memoirs and autobiographical accounts. It's a small museum, entirely volunteer run, these days, but it's also a treasure trove of information. There is also a large book called Canadians on Radar: RCAF 1940-1945 that devotes many chapters to the experience of RCAF radar personnel who were seconded to the RAF. Google the museum and you'll find its website, facebook, or reach out on instagram or twitter.

 

Hallo Mambolica.
Thanks so much for this information... and to think I only live a two mile drive away and I didn't know of this museum. Hopefully if Covid allows us to reopen I will definitely take a trip there.
I do have a copy of the book Canadians on RCAF that has helped with some details. Since first discovering the WW2 talk site I have put together a very long (too long) essay detailing what I could glean about Dad's war service. I could not have done it without the help of several folk from the site who provided help in the initial stages such as Trux, Noel Burgess, Tricky Dicky and Les Dobinson.
And yet for all that it is still hard to imagine what life would have been like so the Radar Museum would perhaps provide me with more tangible awareness.
Thank you so much
Aileen