ABSTRACT
This, however, should be regarded as exceptional. An average response time was more likely to have been similar to that recorded for a request for air support made by the 9th Brigade of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division during the same operation. The Canadians called up the FCP controlling their sector giving a target of German tanks and asking for the estimated arrival of aircraft over the target. Once the RAF Squadron Leader at the FCP had checked aircraft availability and given an estimated time of arrival the Canadians were asked when coloured smoke could be fired to indicate the target. The Brigade replied that they could' smoke it this minute if you are ready', whereupon the decision was made to assign the mission to aircraft on CABRANK in the battle area; briefing details and even an available air photograph of the target area were passed to the controller who then briefed the pilots. In an interesting link-up between the artillery and air support communications systems during the airstrike, contact was maintained between the artillery and 9th Brigade by telephone and from 9th Brigade to the FCP by radio-telephone, so that the fall of smoke could be immediately reported to the aircraft. Results of the airs trike were then passed to 9th Brigade, the entire operation taking 18 minutes from the original request to reporting of results.27
