Camp X On the Air Again!

We Mourn the Loss of a Hero

It is with great regret that I have to report the passing away of Bill Hardcastle on Thursday, May 2, 2002.  Bill was one of the few remaining operatives of Camp X, a special spy training and communications facility used by the Allies during WWII to overthrow the Axis.  Bill began working as a radio operator at  the camp in 1942 when he was 28, serving his country proudly.  Bill was heavily involved in building the transmitters used at the Camp X site as well as transmitting and receiving coded messages from Britain and behind enemy lines. 

Bill was 87 when he passed away.

The enemy is listening!
Special Event Station - Camp X

V C 3 C X

The North Shore Amateur Radio Club of Oshawa, Ontario operated a Special Event station from Camp X Intrepid Park in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, on May 6, 7, and 8 in celebration of the 55th anniversary of VE Day and the part Camp X played in the Allied war effort. Camp X was where 'agents' trained before being parachuted into Nazi occupied territory to not only lead the resistance movement, but to provide valuable information to invading Allied Armies. Camp X was also a Hydra facility where messages were sent and received between Europe and North America.  Camp X was administered by British Security Co-ordination under the leadership of Sir William Stephenson, known as Intrepid. There was great public turnout to this event and Amateur Radio was once again brought to the forefront.

The Second Canadian Intelligence Division, of the Canadian Armed Forces, set up our operational theatre of action.  From this site we extended the story of Camp X around the world by amateur radio.

The Camp X Historical Society marked the event with a public ceremony on Monday, May 8^th, VE Day. The ceremony was held at the memorial in Camp X Intrepid Park.  The mayors of both Whitby and Oshawa made presentations and the Camp X Historical Society urged both local governments to assist with the creation of a Camp X museum.

Of special significance, we were treated to visits by several former employees and trainees that were at Camp X during the war.  Several were message senders and receivers and one gentleman was an actual spy who had had his training at Camp X.

Again, here were some of the highlights:

Operating Times
May 6 and 7 - 1400 UTC till 0200 UTC
May 8 - 1400 UTC till 1900 UTC

Operating Bands
10 meters
20 meters
40 meters
80 meters

2 meters on 147.120 MHz (VE3OSH Repeater)

Packet on 144.970 (VE3USH Repeater)

QSL Card Information
For those who heard or contacted the VC3CX a special QSL card is available. 

Send QSL requests to:
    Fred Bengel, VE3TIG
    679 Aruba Crescent
    Oshawa , Ontario
    Canada , L1J 6B7

Where is Whitby and Intrepid Park?
The town of Whitby is located approximately 40km east on Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario.

The park is located on Boundary Road at Lake Ontario, by Whitby's waterfront trail (from highway 401 go south on Thickson Road to Wentworth Street - left (east) to Boundary Road - right (south) about 600 ft. - top of hill on your right).

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