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Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Korean War
Remembering the Korean War, a brief history, the battles,
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The unique connection of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, to the
Telegraphist Air Gunners (TAGs) Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy of
World War II. Of the three thousand TAGs trained, five
hundred seventy completed their training in Yarmouth at
RCAF Station Yarmouth - East Camp.
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Remembering the Telegraphist Air Gunners
of RCAF Station Yarmouth - East Camp - WWII
During the Second
World War, the
coastal town of
Yarmouth, Nova
Scotia, played a
vital role in the
Allied war effort as
the site of RCAF
Station Yarmouth.
Established in 1940
under the British
Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the station was
divided into West Camp and East Camp. While West Camp
focused on bomber reconnaissance operations for
submarine defense, East Camp developed into a critical hub
for training Telegraphist Air Gunners (TAGs) of the Royal
Navy Fleet Air Arm.
East Camp, situated near Chebogue Road in Arcadia,
spanned approximately 20 acres and featured more than 40
buildings constructed with local labor and materials.
Designed as a self-sufficient military outpost, it included
hangars, barracks, classrooms, mess halls, and recreational
areas, all tailored to meet the intense demands of
specialized aircrew training.
Telegraphist Air Gunners were a unique category of naval
aircrew who combined two essential wartime skills,
wireless communication, and aerial gunnery. Operating
mainly from the decks of aircraft carriers, TAGs maintained
radio contact with naval vessels and defended aircraft
against enemy fighters. Their ability to perform these dual
tasks made them indispensable in the complex and
hazardous environment of maritime aviation.
The training program at East Camp reflected a deep
collaboration between the Royal Canadian Air Force and the
Royal Navy. While British officers and instructors delivered
technical training, the RCAF was responsible for camp
operations, administration, logistics, and medical services.
The 10-month training curriculum focused on Morse code
proficiency, radio operations, weapons handling, naval
protocol, and flight experience in aircraft such as the Fairey
Swordfish and Avro Anson. Instructors and pilots hailed from
across the Commonwealth, including Canada, New Zealand,
and the UK, reinforcing the international character of the
mission.
From 1942 to 1945, East Camp successfully trained 570
Telegraphist Air Gunners, who later served in a wide array
of theaters, from the Atlantic convoys to the Pacific
campaigns. Their role was not without great sacrifice: 495
TAGs lost their lives, and 69 were captured as prisoners of
war.
Despite the intensity of their training, East Camp personnel
enjoyed recreational outlets and social connections with
the surrounding community. Local events, sports days,
dances, and summer outings, such as those at Braemar
Lodge, helped foster camaraderie and lasting friendships
between the airmen and the residents of Yarmouth.
When the war ended in 1945, East Camp was
decommissioned, and RCAF Station Yarmouth gradually
transitioned into a civilian airfield. Yet during its brief but
impactful wartime tenure, it had served as a linchpin in
Allied naval aviation training and stood as a symbol of
international cooperation, community support, and shared
sacrifice.
Learning Telegraphy
Dance at East Camp - December 27, 1944
Enjoying a deer steak dinner as guests of the Crosby
family, Port Maitland, October 1944