It was often a long wait lasting for months, even years until you got your calling-up papers and ordered to report in. It was here that hundreds of men from all parts of the Dominion would come in at a time.
One person recollects his experience reporting in by meeting a trapper
from the Hudson Bay Company, a huge lumberjack from the west, still in
his working rig, a bond salesman, a Mountie, a university professor, a
farmer, an American airline pilot, and a gold prospector. They enter,
sign the register, and adjourn to a waiting room to take their turns
before the Recruiting Officer. Next comes the stethoscope-equipped
doctor to do the various medical checks, then off to fingerprinting,
and finally to taking the oath.
For those who did qualify, the next step was the Manning Depot where civilians were turned into servicemen. The transition was not always easy to take. At the Depot the young man, no matter his final ambition, gets his first taste of life of the airman-to-be, a life which varies only slightly from that of the Army's raw recruit. He learns to accept the acid comments of the drill instructor with level gaze and stony mien.
He becomes the proud owner of boots, tunic, fatigue pants, cap, three pair of socks, two sets of underwear, four shirts, and all the odds and ends which comprise the equipment of the fighting man in embryo. He earns $1.30 a day. The rookie learns the answers, loses his civilian identity and discovers its a good life.
The day began early for would-be fliers, followed by hours of marching and parade square drill which introduces the recruit to the discipline they would so urgently need when they finally went into combat. When the day's work is done he is often free to go "downtown" or to socialize with the other recruits. When funds had run out he could find plenty to do with his leisure time in barracks; free movies, a sing song, a book from the library, playing cards, as well as a host of other activities. After weeks of barracks living, parades, inspections and constant military discipline, the airman began to feel more at home in their surroundings. Then they would be posted to the various schools according to their various aircrew trades.
The potential pilots and observers went to Initial Training Schools (ITS) of which there were seven across the country, while the wireless/air gunners headed for one of the four Wireless Schools.
At ITS the students spent ten weeks of intensive study in mathematics, aircraft recognition, armament, Air Force Law, radio, and a variety of other subjects. They were also introduced to the famous Link Trainer which was a small aircraft-like machine mounted in the center of a circular room, the walls of which were painted with scenery to give the student in the Link an illusion of flight.
