57 Signals Squadron in the UN Congo Operation

The following text is from the book, "History Of The Royal Canadian Corps Of Signals".

On 30 June 1960 the former Belgian colony of the Congo received its independence and became the Republic of the Congo. The new state inherited a bitter legacy of anti-Belgian and anti-white feeling from the nationalist disturbances in the months before independence. Its population, unprepared for the new responsibilities of freedom, were uneducated, a prey to a horde of ambitious local politicians, and torn into regional factions by deep-rooted tribal hatreds. On the first day after Independence the process of disintegration within the Republic became apparent as tribal warfare broke out and Congolese soldiers and civilians began to terrorize and maltreat Europeans. Belgian forces undertook immediate military measures to protect Belgian nationals and their property, whereupon the Republic asked for UN assistance in restoring order. The request to the UN, made on 10 July, was approved by the Security Council three days later, and on 15 July the first contingents of Ghanaian and Tunisian troops arrived in the capital, Leopoldville. when the Republic's Premier, Patrice Lumumba, threatened to seek the aid of the Soviet Union to red the country of Belgian troops, the UN intensified its efforts to remove those soldiers and thereby prevent the Congo crisis from becoming an extension of the Cold War.

Signal equipment for the Squadron was to be the American AN/GRC 26 Type D sets. These were obtained on short notice thanks to the full co-operation of the U.S. Signal Corps. On 11 August 13 sets were received at Vimy, almost at the same hour as the first party of the Squadron touched down in Leopoldville. Testing of the new equipment required less than two hours, and the sets were then moved to Trenton for shipment to the Congo in American "Globemaster" planes.

In Leopoldville the reconnaissance party of 57 Squadron was met by Col. A. Mendelsohn who was in charge of the Canadian Army Reconnaissance party, and it was determined that Headquarters ONUC and 57 Squadron would be lodged in a school, the Athenée Royal. During the days that followed more parties of the Squadron and flights carrying their equipment continued to arrive in the Congo, while detachments of Signallers began to be deployed at the out-stations which were to provide communications for ONUC. On 18 August as the advance Signal parties prepared to leave Leopoldville for Coquilhatville and Luluabourg they were attacked by soldiers of the Congolese Army (A.N.C.) at the Ndjili Airport. A captain of The Royal 22e Régiment and his group of signallers were forced to lie on the tarmac and were beaten with rifles. The captain was struck in the face with a rifle butt and a Signals corporal was struck across the back with a rifle so hard that the butt broke. The second group of four men, already boarded their plane waiting to depart, were forced out, roughed up and kicked, and loaded into a truck with the captain's party. The weapons, vehicles and personal effects of the Signallers were seized by the Congolese soldiers at their headquarters. At this point Ghanaian troops intervened, taking the Canadians under their protection and placing the captain in hospital. The whole incident seemed to have no purpose, and simply reflected the native fear and distrust of all Europeans.

The next two incidents occurred at Stanleyville, and here there were reasons, if no excuses, for the mistreatment of the Canadians. On 22 August a captain and three other ranks were held and questioned for four hours after their arrival. The Congolese soldiers believed that Canadians were Belgian paratroopers and were suspicious of the tattoo marks on one Signalman. The Commander of the Ethiopian Brigade in Stanleyville came to their rescue, and after a visit to the Provincial President they were released. The situation in Stanleyville seemed sufficiently improved, thanks to the diplomatic efforts of the Ethiopians, to send in the rest of the detachment. On 27 August two "Globemaster" planes bearing men and equipment from Trenton arrived at the Stanleyville airport where several thousand Congolese civilians, police and A.N.C. troops were awaiting the arrival of Premier Patrice Lumumba. The truck-mounted radio set had been unloaded from the first plane and the officer and his three men escorted to the Wagenia Hotel, the local UN headquarters, by the Ethiopians, when Congolese soldiers announced to the multitude at the airport that Belgian paratroopers were hiding in the hotel. The crowd was immediately transformed into an hysterical mob. Six jeep-loads of A.N.C. troops set up a machine-gun in front of the hotel, and then stormed in to arrest all the Canadians, including those of the newly-arrived party. At the airport, where Lumumba was expected momentarily,  the second "Globemaster" had landed after some delay, and the mob attacked its American crew and the two Canadian passengers. When Lumumba arrived minutes later the beating of the men continued and the Premier made no protest.

Page 2