Rough Radio

Dots and Dashes

Sparks, a key master was I
Dots and dashes from times gone by
Somewhere in space they still fly

Ted Severud, retired operator

Collected here are staff names and some photos of the west coast wireless staff and families. I'm sure I have photos of many of them posted elsewhere on this site, but have not yet matched faces and names.

[*The flagged BCD letters indicate the names have come from a British Columbia Directory, a commercial enterprise enumerating the businesses and occupations of the residents at a particular location. I have a feeling the year of the directory reflects the previous years efforts.]

Acton, Charlie A 1923 BCD* lists Charlie as being at Bull Harbour. No occupation is given, but he would have been a radio operator.
Amie (?), Alec Operator at Alert Bay in the 1949 to 1955 period. Eventually took a job at Kitimat.
Ainslie, Bob Ainslie joined the wireless service after discharge from the Royal Navy in April of 1912. He helped with the installation at Bull Harbour and was appointed OIC when the station opened in 1921. The 1923 and 1924 BCD* list Bob as being in Bull Harbour. He was also at Pachena, but just when is unknown just when. Married.
Aitkens, Francis Charles Aitkens' daughter writes (June 2007): "He was born (Francis Charles Aitkens - called Chas or Charlie) in Sept 1904. is family farmed in Gordon Head. He completed school in Victoria (Vic High) to Grade 9. He was larking about and cutting classes the next year and his father enrolled him at Sprott-Shaw in a radio course (?). That would be about 1921. By 1923 - age 19 - he had graduated. I don't know the exact sequence, but possibly Point Grey, then Bull Harbour, then Pachena where he boarded with "Mrs Mac" (?). He also mentioned being based at Gonzales Hill to me, but I don't know when. Some time before 1930 he was posted to Estevan. In 1931, my mother Gene came from Edmonton to Estevan to visit her brother Clarence (Tommy) Thomas, who was also a radio operator, and may have been there on relief duty (?). I think Tommy was also at Alert Bay at some time. My parents were married in 1932 and left Estevan in about 1936-37. From then until 1939 he was leading crews to site radio beacon positions throughout BC. In 1939 he joined the RCAF Special Forces, doing much the same work. In 1947 he signed onto RCAF regular forces and retired in 1957. He then went overseas with International Civil Aeronautics Organization to Syria, Nepal and Afghanistan and retired again in 1967. My dad died in March 1996 and my mother Gene is still alive at 99. (Sadly Gene died in August of 2007--FWS) In Larry Reid's book, operator Aitkens is shown on strength in November 1923. Chas appears in Bull Harbour Wireless in time for the 1920 edition of the BCD, but by 1923 the BCD lists him at Estevan Point Wireless. His time at Estevan is recorded from then on until his last listing in 1937 BCD*.
Allan, Harry V. Allan was a married radio operator at Estevan 1931 when Aitkens arrived. Allen left the station in July 1933. His replacement was Cecil Gray. BCD* shows him there 1930 to 1932.
Arnold, Harwood James (Jim) b. 1890. He immigrated from the UK in 1911 and most likely trained in the British Post Office. He was, along with Greer, the first operator on Triangle Island---(BCD). He was there when Bowerman arrived in the summer of 1912 but left after a short time, being relieved by Harold Tee. He was at the Ikeda Wireless on the Queen Charlotte Islands in 1914 when the war broke out. He left the other operator to man the station, rowed (sailed?) across to the mainland and eventually made his way to Vancouver and then onto England. He joined the Air Services Branch of the Royal Navy, received a DSO, and was eventually killed in a 1918 dog fight over France. More information at H. A. Halliday's list of Canadians awarded medals here.
Bairstow, Douglas Whitley A newspaper article on the sinking of the F.P.V.Galiano (Jim Hume--Time Colonist Sept 17, 2007) has Bairstow testifying that he was an employee at the Wireless Station that October 1918 night the vessel foundered. Just what capacity he held is unknown.
Beart, William E. (Ed) <-could be Ed W. Ed appears in the Aitkens 1937 Estevan Point photos. He came to replace operator Stark. Beart is listed on the station in the 1937, 1938 and 1939 BCD*. He was married.
Beatty, Dave A bachelor residing at Estevan during the Aitkens period. The 1937, 1938 and 1939 BCD* say he was a handyman about the station.
Bennett, Edwin Guy Guy joined the wireless service in the 1912 from England. Bowerman lauds him, and Bill Clarke, for the early clearing of the land and creating the vegetable and flower gardens at Pachena Point Wireless. He went back east for First World War duties (RCNVR) and never returned to the west coast. During WW2 he was Assistant Director of Radio Censorship and organized a special radio interception service. For this work he received an MBE in 1946. Photo is from his retirement.
Berry, Jack Joined the wireless service in the 1911-12 period, most likely from the British Post Office. Berry arrived on Triangle Island wireless station on the SS Leebro with Bowerman in 1912. Berry had his wife and two little boys with him. Bowerman appreciated her fine cooking. He left Triangle in 1913. He appears at Dead Tree Wireless on the Queen Charlotte Islands and stayed for a long time. He was also listed as an early operator at Alert Bay.
Bigmore, Harry Over his years at Estevan Point, 1927 through to 1939 (at least), he is listed either as an operator or a telegrapher.---(BCD*)
Black Joined the wireless service in the 1911-12 period, most likely from the British Post Office.
Bowerman, W. Jack Jack's photos albums and narrative are used throughout this site. See the Time Line page. Larry Reid's book has him listed as a radio inspector at Point Grey Wireless on November 05, 1923.
Bond, V.J. Larry Reid's book has him listed as an operator on November 05, 1923.
Boyd Boyd joined the wireless service in the 1911-12, probably from the British Post Office. He was relieved by Bowerman and Berry’s arrival on Triangle Island in 1912.
Bradbury, Charlie H. Charlie was a telegrapher from either the commercial or railroad systems in the UK. (b.1871) He was the first operator and Officer in Charge at Cape Lazo Wireless Station in the fall of 1908. In 1910 he received a $85/month salary at that station. He was married to Dorothy.
Bradbury, L.H. Brother of Charlie Bradbury. He was the OIC of Pachena Wireless Station when it was commissioned in February 1908, and is mentioned in a Sept 1909 Colonist article as still being there. Larry has him receiving $75/month as OIC of Estevan Point Wireless in 1910.
Brunton, Miss Emma Brunton arrived on Triangle Island in late 1916 as a housekeeper for the operators. Larry Reid reports she had the dwelling ship shape in no time and the cooking was excellent. The down side was that she insisted on the operators dressing up, right down to the polished shoes, for meals. She left the station in October 1918 on the ill fated FPV "Galiano" and a few hours later vanished with the vessel in a storm.
Buchanan (Buchan?), A. In January of 1910, Buchanan was the first operator back at Pachena after it was closed due to a lack of qualified operators. (L.H.Bradbury had been moved to Estevan as it was the more important station.) As station OIC he received $85/month in 1910. Relay duties between Estevan and Gonzales (Victoria) were now handled by Tatoosh on the American side, thus no need for Pachena. He was a telegrapher from either the commercial or railroad systems.
Burford, W.T. Burford was at Point Grey with Bowerman during the 1920-24 period. He helped, as secretary, with the operators petitioning Ottawa for better working conditions. He eventually left the service and worked for a large labour organization in eastern Canada....or was it because of this clipping!