In Memorium: Jacob Julien Olson, 1921-2020

Julien Olson, as he was known to us, was a good friend to the museum. He passed away on June 24, 2020, just days away from his 99th birthday.

Originally from Alberta, Julien joined the RCAF in 1941 and successfully completed his training as a radar mechanic. Unlike many of his colleagues who were posted in multiple places and theatres, Julien served overseas in Britain for the duration, proudly supporting first the RAF Pathfinder 109 Squadron’s twin-engined Vickers Wellington medium bombers and then the legendary de Havilland Mosquito light bombers as a radar technician. The use of blind-bombing system Oboe was pioneered in the Mosquito; Oboe’s high accuracy enabled the Pathfinders to mark targets and was crucial to the success of the RAF's campaign against the Ruhr. The squadron continued performing marking duties until the end of the war, including the last raid on Berlin on 21 April 1945, as well as supply drops into the Netherlands near the war’s end. While overseas, Julien met the love of his life, Lilian, an RAF WAAF. They were married in September, 1945, and she returned with him to Western Canada. They eventually settled in Ottawa, where Julien, a trained architect, began a new career with the Federal Department of Public Works.

In 2013, Julien organised a radar luncheon so that former SORM curator, Maya Hirschman, could interview a dozen WWII radar mechanics and operators. Julien made sure she was well looked after and that as many veterans were there as possible. She returned in 2014 to carry out a couple deeper interviews, and again, Julien, along with his daughter Christine, was a terrific host. He also arranged for the museum’s H2X radar unit to travel from Ottawa to London, where it is proudly displayed. Several artefacts belonging to Julien are displayed at the museum that document his ingenuity, which was indicative of radar mechanics as a whole, including a small ammeter he built from the cannibalised parts of broken equipment warehoused on a base in England.

We at the museum will sincerely miss Julien—his dedication and generosity—and are eternally grateful for his decision to involve himself in the goings-on at SORM.

You can read Julien’s full obituary published in the Ottawa Citizen.

Left to right: David Barlow (donor of the H2X), former curator Maya Hirschman, radar veteran Roy Taylor, and radar veteran Julien Olson, 2014.

Happy New Year from the Secrets of Radar Museum!

Pictured is CFS Falconbridge, c.1971. Opened in 1952 as RCAF Station Falconbridge, just north of Sudbury, ON, it closed in 1985 after the Pinetree Line—the line of NORAD radar stations that spanned the breadth of southern Canada—was declared redundant. Photographer unknown. Did you take this photo or know who did? Please let us know! Collection of the Secrets of Radar Museum

For us at “Radar”, this new year—2020—is a special one. It marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

When the war began in September 1939, no one foresaw just how long it would last. As the years crept by, enlistment faltered, enthusiasm waned, and casualties mounted. When it finally ended, thousands of exhausted Canadians returned to their friends and families. Our radar story begins in late 1940 with a few hundred men with radio and electronics skills, culminating at war’s end with about 15,000 total Canadian men and women working in the RCAF radar program. Sworn to the Official Secrets Act, they toiled in often appalling, occasionally extremely dangerous conditions, overseas and in Canada, in every theatre of war, working beside Britons, Australians, and a host of other Commonwealth citizens, as well as Americans, to thwart, baffle, and defend against enemy operations.

We were, of course, founded by those very same WWII radar veterans in order to preserve and share their unique history whose secrecy was mirrored by those involved in experimental scientific and intelligence activities. Like the veterans themselves, many of whom continued to work in radar-related fields in their post-war careers, returned to school, built companies and families, we too have branched out. We’ve come a long way, with multiple exhibits, a unique collection of artefacts and archives, virtual exhibits, and education and outreach programming. Although the past year saw many challenges and changes, standing here looking at our displays, with all of you supporting us in so many invaluable ways, we feel pretty good about the future.

With that said, we offer you gratitude and the sincerest wish for a healthy and happy 2020, and hope that you will continue to engage with us in the weeks and months ahead as we commemorate this momentous anniversary year. To you and yours, Happy New Year!

Our President's AGM 2018 Address

Grand Reopening, September 16, 2017.                                                      Photo: C. Lippert

Dear Members, Staff, Volunteers, and Sponsors,

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Secrets of Radar Museum I extend warm greetings to you all. It is with deep and sincere gratitude that I thank you for your ongoing commitment to keep the museum and the incredible story it tells alive. Since taking over from past president Mr. Peter Garland, I have learned a lot about the very slim margin upon which we stake our existence. I have learned that through sheer will and determination we can persevere and continue to tell our story. The going can be very tough for a small museum, but I have seen camaraderie, collaboration, cooperation, generosity, patience and understanding from all of you. For that I am grateful. We could not exist without all of those positive attributes which you have shown us in spades.

The 2017-2018 Fiscal Year saw us faced with the loss of our home and the Herculean task of moving an entire museum. Though the generous support and volunteerism of members of The 427 Wing of the Royal Canadian Airforce Association and the London Amateur Radio Club, we were able to move into our new location. We are looking forward to building on the synergy of being in an aviation district with several like-minded museums and groups. Early signs are promising as our number of visitors has increased in the first months of 2018 over last year.

Through financial support from the London Heritage Council we received funding to develop a new strategic plan. The Board of Directors put in the overtime needed throughout the longest and coldest winter in recent memory to collaborate and set a path forward that will see the museum continue to develop, modernize, focus, and become more accessible. Our hope is to find others who share in our vision who can make contributions as museum members, board members, and sponsors to help us achieve our short and long-term goals.

Together we have survived a very challenging year and it is my pleasure to continue to work with you and for you toward a brighter future.

Sincerely,

Corbin Lippert, President

A Typo Leads to a Tradition

Did you know that you can track Santa every December 24th? NORAD uses radar to track down Santa as he makes his way delivering presents around the world. (https://www.noradsanta.org/)

Every year on Christmas Eve, NORAD watches for an unidentified aircraft—a sleigh and reindeer—with radar! Well, how did this tradition begin? It all goes back to a misprint in a Colorado Springs newspaper advertisement.

The Santa Tracker tradition started with this Sears ad, which instructed children to call Santa on what turned out to be a secret military hotline. Kids today can call 1-877 HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to talk to NORAD staff about Santa's exact location.

In 1955, Sears released an ad that read “Hey Kiddies, call me direct on my private telephone!” and gave a phone number. To the great surprise of Col. Harry Shoup, commanding officer at the Continental Air Defense Command (NORAD’s predecessor), the printed number went to the secret command hotline on his desk. Initially believing the little voice on the other end to be a prankster, Shoup got irritated, but realised when the little voice began crying that he was talking to a young child. One call after another came in and Shoup ended up assigning airmen to take the calls, posing as Santa Claus. The base had a large, glass board with the United States and Canada on it, on which they would track aircraft. On Christmas Eve that year, Shoup found that someone had drawn a sleigh with reindeer on the board, and an idea struck him. He called a local radio station, identified himself as the commander at the Air Defense Command centre and announced that they were tracking Santa. Over the course of the evening, radio stations would call in for an update on Santa’s whereabouts and a tradition was born.

NORAD was created during the Cold War to defend the North American continent from airborne attack. Even after the end of the Cold War, NORAD still keeps a vigilant eye on the skies over and surrounding North America, with interceptors on alert to respond to unidentified aircraft.

The Secrets of Radar Museum and 427 (London) Wing: the Spirit of Fight and Aviation Museum—located side by side at 2155 Crumlin Side Road—tell the stories of the Cold War veterans, who have direct experience with air surveillance. This would not have been possible without the expertise of thousands of men and women serving on and developing radar technology during the Second World War. Thanks to these veterans, the Santa tracking technology was developed!

SORM is open regular hours, 10AM-4PM Thursday through Saturday, even during the holidays. 

Annual General Meeting 2017

Please join us for our Annual General Meeting on September 15, 2017.  Refreshments will be available from 6:30pm and the meeting starts at 7pm.  Meet your board, volunteers, and staff!  Members have voting privileges.  This will be our first official event at our new location, so meeting attendees will also get a sneak peak at the new Museum a day before our grand re-opening.  Members unable to attend can download and submit the proxy form below.

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Press Release Announcing our New Home!

Secrets of Radar Museum

Museum Announces its Relocation

London, ON – After 14 years at its original site, the Secrets of Radar Museum is on the move!

The Secrets of Radar Museum is moving and expects to reopen for the public at its new home in August, 2017. Inventory and packing are well underway, with the first stage of the move expected to occur in mid-June. The Museum is excited to enhance and re-imagine its exhibitions for the new location in a way that will make greater use of its archival and oral history collections.

Support in the form of advice, materials, and funding have been received from other local museums, the London Heritage Council, and individuals; however, relocating a museum is a big project and additional offers of assistance are welcome.

The new site is located at 2155-B Crumlin Side Rd, London, ON N5V 3Z9, which is directly adjacent to the Royal Canadian Air Force Association 427 (London) Wing and shared with the London Amateur Radio Club (LARC). The new site will make for exciting cross-programming and partnerships with the Wing, LARC, and nearby Jet Aircraft Museum.

 

About the Museum: During the Second World War, at the request of the British government, almost 6,000 Canadians were trained in all aspects of radar operation and loaned to the Royal Air Force (RAF). By the war’s end, thousands more had been trained and sent into every theatre of conflict. Sworn to an oath of secrecy that was not lifted until 1991, it was only recently that these men and women were able to share their experiences. Canadian radar personnel were a crucial part of the war effort. Many of these early radar veterans went on to have leadership roles in the development of radar during the Cold War and in the Canadian telecommunications industry. Our museum is dedicated to collecting and preserving their stories and remembering their important contributions. It’s no joke, radar helped win the war!

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2016

Join us for our Annual General Meeting taking place Friday, September 16, 2016 at 7:30 P.M.  Light refreshments will be served.  Members in good standing of the Secrets of Radar Museum who are unable to attend are invited to complete the Proxy Form and return it by mail or electronically before the 16th of September.

Not in good standing?  You can renew your membership online through PayPal.

Bethany Blogs: Poké­-hunting in the Great Outdoors

So, this morning I got the best work assignment ever: Manager Maya sent me off into the wilds of the museum grounds to go Pokémon hunting. Of course, having just downloaded the app yesterday, I haven’t quite figured out how to do that yet – technology and I have a strained relationship. That being said, I did manage to suss out a few things.

1. There are at least 3 Pokéstops in the immediate area. I now have a lot more pokeballs than I (literally) know what to do with.
2. There is a gym next door, which is currently controlled by the red team. So, if you’ve hit at least Level 5, it’s a good location to train.
3. There are at least 3 Pokémon to be found in the area, probably more.... and I will catch them, eventually.

Did you know that Pokémon GO tracks your position using the Global Positioning System (or GPS)? You probably did. Did you know that Radar is also used to track the position and speed of many other things, like planes, cars, and weather systems? Yes, well that’s because you’re brilliant. If you didn’t know, then you should totally come into The Secrets of Radar Museum to learn all about it.  You should come visit anyway, because it's worth it.

Bethany out.

Winter 2016 Volunteer of Note

At the changing of each season, after some discussion, we select one volunteer to recognise as our "Volunteer of Note".  We have chosen volunteer and member of the Board of Directors, Corbin Lippert, as our Winter 2016 VoN. 

Corbin represents the London Amateur Radio Club on our Board of Directors, but has become quite dedicated to the Secrets of Radar Museum.  Corbin not only brings technical radio knowledge to the museum, but he actively engages the LARC membership with the goings-on of the museum.  He's enthusiastic, enterprising, a bit of a handyman, and always looking for new ways to help both organisations thrive.

Thanks for everything you do, Corbin !

Corbin Lippert, December 2015.  Courtesy of the London Amateur Radio Club