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Bruce ForsythBruce Forsyth served in the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve for 13 years (1987-2000). He served with units in Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor & Borden, and trained or worked at CFB Esquimalt, CFB Halifax, CFB Petawawa, CFB Kingston, CFB Toronto, Camp Borden, The Burwash Training Area and LFCA Training Centre Meaford.
 
A Short History of Abandoned and Downsized Canadian Military Bases
Prior to the passage of the The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act in Canada, the Navy, Army and Air Force operated as separate entities: the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Army. For those who don't know the story, between 1964 and 1968, the three service branches were merged into a single entity, "The Canadian Armed Forces", unified under a single Chief of Defence Staff and a single Defence Staff. Although there would still Army, Navy and Air Force elements, they were no longer individual entities. Navy and Army pilots became a thing of the past in Canada, as did the RCAF Marine (patrol boat) Squadrons.
 
On 16 August 2011, National Defence Minister Peter McKay announced that the former names of the service branches had been restored and once again the service branches would be known as the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Army, although this was "in name only, as they remained a part of the tri-service Canadina Forces and not separate emtities.
 
 
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Centralia Sam

Air Force Magazine

Spring 2011

 

RCAF web site

November 8, 2011

 

Near the town of Centralia, Ontario, north of London, one will find the Centralia Airport, a small general aviation airport.  However, many long time residents will remember that the airport once played an important role in the history of Canadian aviation and the defence of North America.  From 1942 until 1966, thousands of Flight Cadets who undertook their training at Royal Canadian Air Force Station Centralia, originally under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during World War II, then under the NATO Air Training Plan during the Cold War.  For those men, there are multitude of memories, good and bad, that spring up.  The bad included marching, drill sergeants, conduct cards, inspections and polishing aircraft and boots.  Some of the good memories include going to the beach at Grand Bend and drinking a "Sam Special" in the Flight Cadets’ Mess, served by a man affectionatly known as “Centralia Sam”.
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Now that would be a hoot

 

Toronto Sun

July 15, 2010

 

Congratulations to CTV news anchor Lloyd Robertson on his retirement. It is well deserved. Any chance “Count Floyd” (aka SCTV’s Joe Flaherty) will be available to host the retirement dinner?

Bruce Forsyth

Barrie

(Now that would be a hoot)

 
Between a rock and a hard place

Toronto Sun  

July 1, 2010

 

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Based on a work at www.militarybruce.com.
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