Life on the DEW Line - History of the DEW Line

Living at stations like FOX-MAIN meant new challenges for all DEW Line workers.

Non-Inuit lived, worked, ate, and slept in the station. Prefabricated “modules” were attached in a long line, like a train. In severe weather, they rarely had to leave the train.

Inuit lived in separate buildings. Many had brought their families with them. They were increasingly encouraged, sometimes forced, to make a more permanent home in nearby Hall Beach.

For Inuit workers, staying at FOX-MAIN — together with the families they brought with them — involved a pressure to give up the rhythms of their traditional lives.

Inuit Housing

Housing for Inuit and their families was separate from that of other personnel. Used to moving and living on land, ice, and sea, Inuit brought their all-important qimmiit (sled dogs) with them.

A woman stands in front of a modest house; two children stand one in front of the other, the older child with her arms on the shoulders of the younger.

Elva Pigalak with her children Edna and Harry in front of Inuit housing, CAM-MAIN or PIN-3/PIN-4, c. 1960. Photo courtesy of Edna Elias

Although most Inuit who worked on the DEW Line have passed on, their children remember this time of immense change.

Please be aware that some stories in this section deal with difficult subjects.

Growing Up Around the DEW Line

A generation of Inuit children grew up against the backdrop of the DEW Line in operation. Many Inuit children viewed the stations as playgrounds, using waste materials like cardboard boxes for sleds.

Impact of Alcohol

Edna Elias talks about watching Inuit and DEW Liners drinking alcohol — and how it affected her and other children.

qimmiit (sled dogs)

qimmiit were a part of life for Inuit groups. Families moved around, hunted, and foraged for food with the seasons, thanks to their dogs and qamutiit (sleds).

Recreation, Outside

Weather permitting, going outside was a distraction from the tedium of staring at a radar screen.

Two men sit by a body of water; they are surrounded by fishing gear. Two caught fish rest on a cardboard box.

Fishing and hunting relieved boredom and provided fresh meat. Photo courtesy of Martin Allinson

The Arctic was and is rich with abundant life. Some DEW Liners went fishing and hunting with their experienced Inuit co-workers. Others found a passion for photography.

The workers, both non-Inuit and Inuit, depended on each other in life-and-death situations. Polar bears often wandered into station grounds, looking for easy food.

Inuit were the only ones permitted to use rifles.

Snowmobiles

Snowmobiles, while handy for excursions, required maintenance and fuel. This forced Inuit to enter a wage-based system and give up their qimmiit, (sled dogs).

Living and Working Together

Peter Levedag talks about his experiences with Inuit.

Photography

Many a DEW Liner discovered a life-long passion for photography while up north. Some set up dark rooms. They took pictures of sunsets, landscapes, wildlife, and each other.

Sports

When the weather was good, outdoor sports were possible. Baseball and volleyball were both popular.

Personal Quarters

Long hours staring at a screen. Shift work involving dangerous outdoor labour. Downtime never sounded so good.

A man in shirtsleeves rests on a single cot with a brown plaid coverlet. A stack of books sits on a green dresser in the background.

Accommodations were simple, but were often the only place that offered privacy. Brian Spratt rests at the “BOPSR Club.” Photo courtesy of Brian Jeffrey

Some DEW Liners shared sleeping quarters. Others had a room to themselves in the train.

They tried to make their spare and simple quarters their own.

The northern environment could make sleep difficult. In winter, there was barely any daylight. In midsummer, the opposite was true.

Mental Health

Mental health was an issue for many. Marty Atherton describes how some DEW Liners went “bushy.”

Reading

Reading was one way to pass the hours. Science fiction and fantasy novels were in high demand.

Daily Bread

A station ran on its stomach. Mealtimes provided comfort and a change of pace.

Three men line up at a counter to receive food; a cook in chef’s whites serves them. Kitchen equipment hangs from above the counter.

DEW Line kitchens were well-provisioned, and their chefs respected. Chef John Sherwood (right) serves workers at LIZ-3. Photo courtesy of Gord McCann

The position of cook was vital for a station’s morale. Some chefs were lured north with the promise of excellent pay.

Inuit communities often shared the proceeds of a hunt with others. “Country food” (food obtained from the environment) was nutritious and sustainable. Community sharing of food is still an important practice today.

Weight Gain

Many DEW Liners put on weight while serving up north, from a combination of little exercise and plentiful food.

Country Food

Deborah Irqittuq speaks about the importance of country food.

Recreation, Inside

At a time when communication technologies were just developing, indoor entertainment was simple.

Casually dressed men sit in a recreation room with the lights dimmed, the rays of a projected movie emanating from behind their heads.

Movie night at a DEW Line station. “Manning the DEW Line” informational booklet

Within their living modules, DEW Liners were set up to play pool and darts, as well as card and board games. All of these required cooperation and camaraderie.

Movies were transported between stations. No film was too old or too bad to watch.

Mail was often the only way to communicate with loved ones at home.

Moscow Molly

Radio was a diversion for workers, but morale-busting propaganda came in interesting forms — such as broadcasts from “Moscow Molly.”

Alcohol

Alcohol consumption relieved boredom — for a while. DEW Liners had strict alcohol rations, but that rarely stopped a party.

Games

Card and board games passed the time, but required enough willing players.

Library

The station library was one source of reading material.

Station Chief

The station chief was responsible for the smooth operation of FOX-MAIN.

A bespectacled man writes at a desk; behind him are many binders on a shelf.

The station chief’s office was often piled with lists, forms, binders, and maps. Station chief Stan Doucette does paperwork at FOX-MAIN. Photo courtesy of Jim Hatton

A prime function of the job was to ensure the steady flow of materials needed for workers to do their jobs.

The weather, particularly sub-zero temperatures, fog, and white-out conditions, could make schedules obsolete.

Going on Leave

The station chief coordinated all leave for trips south. Paul Kelley talks about going home.

The Station Chief Today

The Inuit-run Nasittuq Corporation now operates the North Warning System at the former FOX-MAIN station. Station chief Mark McLaren talks about his job today.

Medical Care

Living in the Arctic usually meant being far from medical help. Some stations, like FOX-MAIN, had a doctor and Hall Beach had a nurse’s station.

Health Checks

Many Inuit families received medical attention from DEW Line stations. Sometimes DEW Liners were tasked with visiting villages to carry out health checks. Other times, Inuit came directly to the station to seek help.

Inuit and Their Families on the DEW Line

Resourceful Inuit saw opportunity in the wastefulness of DEW Line operations.

Inuit foraged station waste sites for construction materials to build shacks and sleds. They, and their essential qimmiit (sled dogs), found usable food there as well. This led to conflict, with RCMP shooting loose dogs at the garbage dumps.

Eugene Ipkamak talks about how the killing of his qimmiit (sled dogs) impacted his life. Click here to see the video.

Extreme Weather

Arctic weather was a constant factor in almost every decision and activity. When the weather was turbulent (and it often was), planes couldn’t land or take off. This delayed new recruits, and stranded others. Supplies were held up. Mail didn’t come.

Even so, men needed to check that their instruments were fully operational — and that the all-important fuel required to power them and heat facilities was in supply.

Traditional Inuit clothing and ways of keeping warm were very effective. Some non-Inuit took note and occasionally adopted Inuit cold-weather solutions.