Metz, France

NARRATIVE REPORT

The period 1 Jun 62 to 30 Nov 62 is one in which many changes were to take place in the Combat Operations Centre. Changes in both the personnel structure and the basic function of the COC occurred which, in affect, made the designation Combat Operations Centre obsolete and no longer descriptive of this unit’s function.

Prior to this period, a committee had been formed at Air Division Headquarters to study the requirements for an Air Division COC. The final report of this committee, resulted in the recommendation for the elimination of the Combat Operations Centre as such, and in its place, for the activation of the 1 Air Division Operations Centre and War Headquarters.

The Operations Centre is the peacetime co-ordinating centre for practice alerts, exercises and Air Division flying training programme. This unit will revert to its primary role of War Headquarters at the outbreak of hostilities or in times of crises.

With the activation of the War Headquarters/Ops Centre, came a two-fold change in command. W/C DJ Jackson, Director COC was transferred to 4ATAF/ADOC effective 1 Aug 62, and was replaced as D/OpsC by S/L RJ Millage. At this time, the Ops Centre was designated an executive agency and placed under the control of the Chief of Staff.

In Sep 62 this unit had its first large-scale practise exercise as a War Headquarters. Exercise Fallex 62 from 20 – 28 Sep saw sustained wartime operations being carried out by 1 Air Division War Headquarters manned on a 24-hour a day basis, for the duration of the exercises.

In early September it has been foreseen that without some planning and co-ordination, the impending disbandment of 61 AC&W Squadron would pose a problem in the control of 1 Air Division aircraft. Accordingly, a solution was recommended by the Ops Centre staff and in early December the final touches were put to the plan which calls for control of the remaining F86 Squadrons on a diminishing scale by other 4ATAF radars.

In mid-November, word was received that the fighter controller personnel who had manned the COC as operations controllers since its inception, were to be repatriated. In turn, they are to be replaced by aircrew members of the disbanding fighter squadrons. At this date, transfers "in" for one squadron leader and six junior officers have been received.

For a matter of record, the Operations Centre staff notes with regret the disbandment of 61 AC&W Squadron and the Four CF-100 Squadrons on 31 Dec 62.