1960 - Radio Veteran and Arctic Pioneer Harold Stinson Retires

Harold Stinson, officer in charge of the Ottawa aeradio station, Ottawa Airport, for the past 13 years and one of the pioneers of radio communications in the Canadian Far North, was honored in Ottawa prior to his retirement recently.

Mr. Stinson entered the old naval service in June, 1916, as a radio operator and saw service in the Mediterranean area during World War I. After the war he continued in the Government service and was among the first men to work on the extension of radio facilities into the Arctic.

He can recall many hectic adventures during years that saw him do five "tours" of duty at such then-remote points as Churchill, Resolution Island, Cape Hope's Advance and others.

He served as radio operator for two seasons on board the Department of Transport icebreaker CMS N. B. McLean.

Notable Trip

Among his more notable experiences was a trip aboard a hopper barge, part of a convoy that was being taken to Churchill with equipment needed to establish a harbor there.

One of the units was a floating dredge, the Kennequhair.

"We had a dreadful time," recalls Mr. Stinson. "The dredge was sunk and the rest of the convoy gave up trying to get to Churchill by the time they had reached Port Burwell at the tip of Labrador.

"Only unit to attempt to continue was our hopper barge. We finally got into Hudson Bay, then became lost for a time. More by good fortune than anything else we managed to get our bearings and reach Churchill."

"There was no railway to Churchill in those days. The next year the rest of the equipment was brought in by ship."

Gets Present

To mark Mr. Stinson's retirement, his colleagues at Ottawa air terminal, as well as many from telecommunications headquarters, were present when he was presented with an easy chair and a purse. D. P. Glen, regional director of air services, Toronto, officiated and paid tribute to the valuable service rendered by Mr. Stinson during his lengthy career.

"He has been the type of man that forms the backbone of any organization," said Mr. Glen.

Mrs. Stinson was presented with a bouquet of roses.

HAROLD WESLEY STINSON, 65, officer in charge of the Ottawa aeradio station for 13 years before his retirement last summer, died at his home in Ottawa December 15, 1961.

Mr. Stinson, who was a veteran employee of the department and a pioneer of radio communications in Canada's Far North, is survived by his widow and five children.

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