Abandoned Bases - NOVA SCOTIA

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Debert:

Opened in April 1941, RCAF Station Debert was the home to the Royal Air Force's No. 31 Operational Training Unit (opened on 3 June 1941), a Communications Storage Facility and the Royal Canadian Navy's No. 31 Naval Air Gunners School. A Relief Landing Field was also constructed near the Town of Maitland.

No. 31 OTU was later taken over by the RCAF and re-designated No. 7 OTU. RCAF Station Debert closed on 20 June 1945.

Although the Canadian Army continued to use the neighboring Army camp, the airfield sat unused until the RCAF resumed using it for flight training in 1954.

In 1960 the RCAF again departed and the airfield was taken over by the Royal Canadian Navy as a training facility for Navy fighter pilots. Markings were painted on the runways so that the Navy pilots could practice simulated carrier take-offs and landings. By 1969, the Navy had departed and the airfield was once again abandoned. It was sold off in 1970.

From 1968-1973, the abandoned runways were used as a racetrack for sports car and motorcycle racing.

In 1974, the Truro Flying Club took over management of the airfield, now known as the Debert Airport. Two of the original runways and one partial remain in use today.

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Camp Debert:

Opened adjacent to RCAF Station Debert in April 1941 as a staging area and training area for units deploying overseas, as well as an ammunition storage facility. Regiments that trained at the camp included The Regina Rifle Regiment, the Winnipeg Rifles, The Canadian Scottish Regiment, The North Nova Scotia Regiment, The Glengarries and The Duke of York Hussars. A-23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Advanced Training Centre conducted radar training for the army.

After WWII, Camp Debert continued to be used as an Army training facility for the 3rd Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1948-1958) and the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada (1950-1952) served as the home of the 12th Ordinance Ammunition Depot (1948-1958), the 31st Ordnance Ammunition Depot (1948-1965).

The late 1950s and early 1960s were a busy time for Camp Debert for not only the Canadian Army but the Royal Canadian Navy too. The Royal Canadian Navy re-located their Regional Medical Equipment Depot from the HMC Dockyard at HMCS Stadacona to Camp Debert in 1959, taking up residence in one of the former RCAF hangars.

By the late 1950s, the threat of a nuclear war had become so great that the Canadian government decided to construct a secret underground bunker to house the major elements of the government in the event of an emergency. Most Provincial Governments followed suit by building their own bunkers. The Nova Scotia Government chose Camp Debert for the site of their bunker in the early 1960s. The Provincial Warning Centre, the Regional Emergency Government Headquarters and 720 Communications Squadron also took up residence in the bunker. All Government bunkers also doubled as a communications station, and thus had a remote communications bunker located some distance away. This second bunker, usually a single story structure, was staffed exclusively by communications personnel. Debert's remote transmitter bunker site was constructed near Great Village.

In the mid 1960s, Debert began to downsize, beginning with the closure of the ammunition depot in 1965. The overall size of Camp Debert was reduced in 1971 when a large portion of the camp were sold, reducing the camp to 300 hectares from a war-time high of 6000 hectares.

With the Unification of the late 1960s, Camp Debert became a Detachment of CFB Halifax.

Post-unification, the Camp's main function was as a strategic communication station for DND, serving as an Automated Defence Data Network (ADDN) Communications Node site and a station in the NATO Integrated Communications System (NICS), situated in the bunker and under the command of unit 72 Communications Group at CFB Halifax.

In 1994, the Regional Emergency Government Headquarters closed.

In 1995, Camp Debert separated from CFB Halifax, becoming an autonomous station, but this would be short-lived.

The last Commanding Officer of CFS Debert, Major David Quick, was eager to say in his closing speech that CFS Debert was the best kept secret in the military (Whitaker, 1997).

Source material: "Sentinel" Magazine from August 1974, pg. 29, "Comprehensive Study Environmental Assessment of the Closure of CFS Debert Nova Scotia, Project No. 11522", prepared by Jacques Whitford Environmental Ltd. (July 1997), "Comprehensive Study Summary report Closure of CFS Debert Nova Scotia", prepared by Jacques Whitford Environmental Ltd. (November1997), "Where has the Station Gone? Or What ever happened to CFS Debert?" (15 Jan 97), the Communications & Electronics Museum site - www.c-and-e-museum.org, "Bunkers, Bunkers Everywhere" by Paul Ozorak, "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak, The Debert Military History Society web site - http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/debert.museum, Colchester Park web site - www.colchesterpark.com, "History of Canadian Airports" by T. M. McGrath & "CFS Debert - The End of an Era" (24 Oct 96), by Warrant Officer R.J. Whitaker, Detachment Commander, Communication Detachment Great Village, NS at http://www.dnd.ca/commelec/nwslettr/vol34/debert.htm & information supplied by the Canadian Forces Housing Authority (2011).

Naval Radio Station Albro Lake:

Opened near Dartmouth in 1942, Naval Radio Station Albro Lake served as a Naval radio communications station for the Atlantic Coast, with transmitter facilities located at Newport Corner, 50 kilometres northwest of Dartmouth.

The growth of Dartmouth from a small town into a city created problems for receiving radio signals at Albro Lake. The Navy decided to relocate the radio station and as a result, Naval Radio Station Albro Lake closed in 1968. A new radio communications station, Canadian Forces Station Mill Cove, was opened 40 miles southwest of Halifax.

The Newport Corner transmitter facilities remained operational in conjunction with CFS Mill Cove, and remain today.

The former station is now a housing development and parkland. The station's PMQs remained for many years afterwards, but were transferred to the Canada Lands Company in 1999 and demolished for re-development.

Nothing remains of the former NRS Albro Lake today.  The former PMQ area features new homes on streets named Chinook, Argus, Fury, Lancaster, Sea King, a nod to the property's military past.

Source Material: "Sentinel" Magazine from March 1968, pg 14 and April 1968, "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak, information supplied by Phil Steeves, Manager of Real Estate Services, Canadian Forces Housing Authority (2005) & information supplied by Walter R. Fitzgerald, Mayor, City of Halifax (1999).

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Yarmouth:

Originally opened in 1940 as 3 separate training sites (the East Camp, the West Camp and the Air Base) under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, but known collectively as RCAF Station Yarmouth.

The East Camp was home to a detachment of the Royal Air Force's No. 34 Operational Training Unit (from Pennfield Ridge), who trained Bomber crews, as well as the Royal Navy's No. 1 Naval Air Gunners School from 1 January 1943 - 30 March 1945.

The West Camp was home to the RCAF's Anti-Submarine Bomber Reconnaissance and several Eastern Air Command Bomber Reconnaissance Squadrons.

The Air Base was home to the 9th Light Anti-Aircraft Artillery, various RCAF and RAF Bomber Squadrons and an Army Co-operation Reconnaissance Flight. Its primary function was as an administrative and logistical support base to the RAF and RCAF squadrons in the area, in addition to providing a Weather Information Section, an Armament Section and a firing range.

Several smaller installations associated with the air station were located in the area: a bombing range at Port Maitland, a fuel depot at Digby, and radar detachments at Plymouth, Tusket and Bear Point, Port Mouton and Rockville.

In 1944, a detachment of the US Navy briefly came to Yarmouth to test the effectiveness of a blimp service. After a crash, the RCAF decided against this venture.

RCAF Station Yarmouth closed in 1945. The airfield was sold to the Department of Transport in 1946 and became the Yarmouth Airport.

From 1952-1969, a portion of the runways were used as a racetrack for sports car and motorcycle racing.

All the RCAF buildings were moved or demolished shortly after the war, except for two hangars at the West Camp. Two other hangars that were moved off site became hockey rinks for the Towns of Digby and Liverpool. One of the remaining hangars was used for the airport emergency vehicles, a carpentry shop and storage. The other hangar was used for the airport administration offices, as well as serving as the passenger terminal for Trans Canada Airlines, later known as Air Canada. This terminal remained in use for almost forty years, before a new terminal opened at the airport. Both hangars were later demolished.

All that remains at the east camp are the hangar pads, building foundations and the old roadways.  All that remains of the airfield is the taxiway and a portion of the lower runway.

Former airport manager Robert Romkey has written a book on the complete history of Yarmouth Airport.

Source Material: The RCAF Station Yarmouth web page - www.ycn.library.ns.ca/ycn/rcaf & "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak.

Royal Canadian Air Force Detachment Maitland:

Opened in 1940 as a Relief Landing Field for No. 31 Operation Training Unit at Debert. As with all RLFs, the Detachment had a hangar, barracks and the standard triangle-pattern runways.

In January 1944, the Detachment changed functions when it became the home to No. 1 Aircrew Graduates Training School. No. 1 AGTS closed on 1 November 1944 and the aerodrome was abandoned.

All that remains today are the abandoned runways, now used for sports car racing, and the gunnery backstop.

Source material: "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak.

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Shelburne:

Opened in 1942, directly south of HMCS Shelburne, originally for the U.S. Army Air Force. The Americans decided against occupying the station, and it instead became a Detachment of No. 3 Operational Training Unit.

No. 116 (BR) Squadron began training at the station, but returned to their original home base at Botwood, NFLD in June 1943. For much of the rest of 1943, the station only saw occasional usage by No. 117 (BR) Squadron and No. 6 Coast Artilliary Co-operation Detachment. The station was taken over by the Royal Canadian Navy in 1944, but later closed.

All that remains of the station today is the sea-plane slipway.

Source material: "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak.

No. 17 Elementary Flying Training School:

Opened near Stanley on 17 March 1941 under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The school closed 14 January 1944.

For several years the airport was abandoned. Around 1968 the Dartmouth Aircraft Association moved to Stanley, where they built several hangars and fixed the runways to make them useable. 

The aerodrome is now operated by Stanley Sport Aviation and the Bluenose Soaring Club. The N.S. Department of Lands and Forests also leases space at the airfield.

Besides the airfield, only the hangar, the officer's mess and a garage remain today. The hangar had been in use until 2002, but has now been condemned and will eventually be demolished.

Source Material: The Stanley Sport Aviation web site - http://www.stanleysportaviation.ns.ca, the Stanley Airfield web site - http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/BSC/stanhist.html & information supplied by Boris de Jonge, Secretary, Bluenose Soaring Club (2002).

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Sydney:

Opened in 1940 as a station for bomber reconnaissance aircraft conducting anti-submarine operations. The station closed on 31 December 1945 and three months later, the former station was turned over the Department of Transportation.

Today the former station is the Sydney Airport. Nothing remains from the airport's wartime days.

Source material: "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak.

Canadian Forces Base Cornwallis:

Originally opened in May 1942 in Halifax as a Royal Canadian Navy recruit-training centre named His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Cornwallis. This location would be short lived and Cornwallis moved to Deep Brook in April 1943 where it would become the largest new entry training facility in the Commonwealth.

The end of WWII saw a reduced need for Naval trainees, and as a result, HMCS Cornwallis closed on 28 February 1946. This would prove to be a short-lived closure, as the RCN re-opened the base in November 1948. A new 19 week course was designed to train sailors for the post-war RCN, a course that would include women (WRENS) by the early 1950s.

After the closure of the Point Edward Naval Base in 1964, the HMCS Acadia sea cadet summer camp was re-located to Cornwallis. However, the name HMCS Acadia wouldn't follow the cadet camp. The name HMCS Acadia was revived as the name of the Cornwallis cadet school in 1978.

As a result of the Unification in 1968, the base was re-named CFB Cornwallis and expanded their recruit training courses to include all three service branches.

Due to a reduction in recruiting levels, as a part of the overall reduction in the personnel levels in the Canadian Forces, CFB Cornwallis closed in 1994. The recruit school moved to CFB St-Jean to merge with the other CF recruit school. 14 Wing Greenwood now provides the local Reserve and Cadet units with administrative and logistical support.

Today the site is known as Cornwallis Park, a commercial and residential complex with some companies being established as call centres, and others processing recycled tires, or lumber and forest products.  Most of the former military buildings remain. 

The residences and permanent married quarters (PMQs) were sold or rented to civilians.  Other parts of the base were transformed into an industrial park w.

A Navy presence does remain at Cornwallis in the form of the HMCS Acadia Sea Cadet Summer Training Centre, who carry on the tradition of training young sailors at Cornwallis.  Some of the barracks at Cornwallis Park  are used during the summer months for student cadets who come to Cornwallis from all over Atlantic Canada.  

The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre formerly occupied space at Cornwllis. It was established in 1994 to train Canadian and foreign soldiers in the art of peacekeeping and conflict resolution for postings with United Nations Peacekeeping missions. In late 2011, the Centre will closed its Cornwallis Park office, ending a 17-year presence.

The HMCS/CFB Cornwallis Military Historical Society acquired the former St Georges Chapel and opened it as the Cornwallis Military Museum in 1997. An application has been made by the Society to the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board to have Cornwallis made a national historic site by Parks Canada.

Source material: DND press release from February 1994, "Sentinel" Magazine from August 1974 & "Badges of the Canadian Navy" by LT (N) Graeme Arbuckle, The HMCS/CFB Cornwallis Military Historical Society web site - http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/capcom/cornmilmus.html, "The Maple Leaf" - Vol. 4, No. 36, 2001, "Abandoned Military Installations in Canada Vol III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak & Kespuwick Developments' Cornwallis Park Web Site - www.cornwallis.ns.ca.

Naval Radio Section Mill Cove:

Officially opened as Canadian Forces Station Mill Cove on 19 December 1967, replacing Naval Radio Station Albro Lake as the Royal Canadian Navy's east-coast radio communications station. CFS Mill Cove was constructed as three distinct sites - the "Upper Site", consisting of the operations site, the "Lower Site", consisting of several administrative buildings and the PMQ's, and the transmission facilities at Newport Corner.

Department of National Defence cutbacks in the early 1990s saw many bases across Canada close, merge or downsize. As a result, the "Lower Site" closed n 1 June 1995. The "Upper Site" and the transmission facilities at Newport Corner remained operational, but were downsized to a remote broadcast control station and a Detachment of Maritime Forces Atlantic Stadacona (CFB Halifax).

The radio unit was re-named Naval Radio Section Mill Cove in March 1998 to officially recognize its naval heritage.

On 10 April 2001 the Navy's radio communications facilities returned to the Halifax area for the first time since 1968 when Naval Radio Section Mill Cove re-located to the new Remote Operations Communication Centre at Stadacona. The Mill Cove and Newport Corner receiver and transmitter sites remain active, controlled remotely from Stadacona.

At Mill Cove, the radio building, the administration buildings, the gym, the fire hall, the Jr. Rank's Mess, the Living Quarters and the workshop buildigs remain, but are vacant and deteriorating. The lower level PMQs are still there and occupied (not by the military), and where the trailers used to park behind the Admin Building is now the home of a beautiful new school. The commissionaires at the main gate are the only personnel that remain at Mill Cove. Newport Corners is staffed only by repair technicians.  Seventeen PMQ units remain in use by military members.

Both the Aldergrove and Matsqui radio stations can be remotely controlled by CFB Halifax. Similarily, both Mill Cove and Newport Corner can be remotely controlled CFB Esquimalt

Source Material: "Trident" magazine from June 3, 1987 and June 15, 1995, "The Maple Leaf" Magazine from April 2001, information supplied by Ronald J. Yaschuk, CD (CPO Ret'd) (2007), information supplied by the Canadian Forces Housing Atuhority (2011) & information supplied by the Maritime Command Museum, City of Halifax (1999).

For the full history of CFS Mill cove, visit http://webhome.idirect.com/~jproc/rrp/mc_mill_cove.html

Canadian Forces Station Shelburne:

Opened in December 1941 as His Majesty's Canadian Ship Shelburne, a joint Royal Canadian Navy/United States Navy acoustic sensor and oceanographic research station (aka, spy listening station). In 1944, HMCS Shelburne took over the neighbouring former RCAF Seaplane base. The station closed in 1946.

An industrial park was created out of the former Navy buildings. Twenty-four were sold, but the remainder were leased out to various companies.

By the early 1950s, the rising tensions of the Cold War resulted in many Canadaian military bases being re-opened. As early as 1950, 23 of the former Navy buldings were reaquired by the RCN.

The creation of NATO in 1949 coincided with the development of the SOSUS network (SOund SUrveillance System) by the United States Navy and later other NATO navies for monitoring submarines of Warsaw Pact navies. Deployment of SOSUS and the larger Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS) was likely spurred by development of ballistic missile submarines and associated missile technology in the Soviet Union during the mid-1950s.  The USN required several "Naval Facility" (NAVFAC) stations to be established.

As a result, the RCN reactivated HMCS Shelburne on 1 April 1955. although only a small portion of the wartime station was re-occupied. Additionally, a new property was acquired 14 km (8.7 mi) to the south in Lower Sandy Point on the site of a WWII Canadian Army gun fortifications at Government Point, where the NAVFAC was constructed as a joint RCN/USN "Oceanographic Research Station" - a cover for what would become the first SOSUS station in Canada (U.S. Naval Station Argentia, Nfld, would become the second).

The station became the home of the Canadian Forces Oceanographic Operator School and as a top-secret submarine detection base, the Sound Surveillance System, run in co-operation with the U.S. Navy, who posted a detachment of USN personnel to the station.

HMCS Shelburne was also the first SOSUS station to not fall under direct command of the USN.

HMCS Shelburne would undergo numerous changes during the remainder of the 1950s and through the 1960s as the World War II-era quonset huts were replaced with modern facilities.

As a result of the Unification in 1968, the station was re-named CFS Shelburne.

In the mid 1990s, a reorganization and consolidation occurred within the Canadian Military. Several bases were either downsized, merged or closed.  On 1 August 1994 the NAVFAC at CFS Shelburne closed and the USN personnel departed The station itself was decommissioned on 13 March 1995. The station's oceanographic duties were taken over by CFB Halifax (Stadacona).

Re-named Shelburne Park, the property was turned over to first the Shelburne Park Development Agency, then the South West Shore Development Authority who developed the property into a full-service movie studio.

The Shelburne Film Production Centre, which opened for business on 9 July 2000, features over 30,000 square feet of studio and production spaces.

Reportedly, the Shelburne Film Production Centre, the firm studio was put on the market for $5 Million.

The realty ad claimed $1.2 million in sales from the "motion picture production campus", which would come as a surprise to the folks who have been waiting for two years of overdue taxes. The listing also points out 22-acre film studio complex and 150 acres of oceanfront vistas (no mention that the ten prime lots are sold). Included in the sale is a fully-licensed restaurant, a hotel and a jet plane.

Today the site show it to be largely abandoned, with some of the work bays which are open to the elements .

Source material: The Shelburne Film Production Centre web site - http://www.shelburnestudios.com, "Sentinel " Magazine from February 1984, Jeff Rense web page - http://www.rense.com/general6/truthoutthere.htm, South West Shore Development Authority - http://www.swsda.com/releases/July16.html, "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak & DND press release from February 1994.

Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Protector:

Opened in Sydney on 28 August 1939, as a RCN shore establishment. The station, commissioned His Majesty's Canadian Ship Protector (HMCS) PROTECTOR, served as the home base for Atlantic convoy ships and their escorts.

The station remained open after WWII as part of the post-war RCN. In 1952, the station's name officially became Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Protector, corresponding with the ascension of Queen Elizabeth to the throne.

In the early to mid 1960s, a reorganization and consolidation occurred within the Canadian Military. Several Army, Navy and RCAF bases were either downsized, merged or closed. As a result, HMCS Protector closed in 1965.

Little remains of the former HMCS Protector today.

Source Material: Canada's Navy - The First Century by Marc Milner, "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak & "Ships who bore the name PROTECTEUR in the Commonwealth Navies 1750-1968" - http://www.navy.dnd.ca/protecteur/about/ship_about_e.asp?category=92.

Point Edward Naval Base:

Opened by the Royal Canadian Navy on 15 March 1943, across the harbour from HMCS Protector, as a ship repair depot. The station also served as a naval recruit depot until 1943, when the recruit school re-located to HMCS Cornwallis.

After WW II, Point Edward Naval Base remained open as a part of the post-war RCN, becaming a storage for surplus naval vessels, as well as an armament and supply depot.

The Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps established HMCS Acadia Summer Training Centre at the Point Edward Naval Base on 30 May 1956.

In the early to mid 1960s, a reorganization and consolidation occurred within the Canadian Military. Several Army, Navy and RCAF bases were either downsized, merged or closed. As a result, Point Edward Naval Base closed in 1964.

HMCS Acadia closed around the same time as the base and Sea Cadet training was then transferred to HMCS Cornwallis. However, the name HMCS Acadia wouldn't follow the cadet camp. The name HMCS Acadia was revived as the name of the Cornwallis cadet school in 1978.

In 1965, the Canadian Coast Guard College was established at the former Naval Base, and remains there today.

In 1969, the former base became the Sydport Industrial Park. All that remains today are the old workshops, used by various companies such as East Coast Lumber.

Source Material: The Crowsnest of Newfoundland - www.crowsnestnf.ca, "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak, The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets web stie - http://www.cadets.net/atl/acadia/history_e.asp & The Canadian Coast Guard College - www.cgc.gc.ca/CGC.php?l=e&m=14&p=38.

No. 6 Radar Station:

Established in 1942 as a detachment of RCAF Station Sydney, the station was responsible for tracking ships and planes over the Atlantic. The station closed on 2 September 1945.

Source Material: Louisbourg Institute web site - http://w3.uccb.ns.ca/search/VEDay.html.

Camp Amherst:

Opened at the Amherst Fairgrounds on 23 October 1939 as the home to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. By 1941, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders re-located to Camp Debert and the camp became No. 8 Ordnance Detachment, a name that was changed to the Amherst Ordnance Depot in 1942.

The Depot closed in 1944. Only one building remains today.

Source Material: "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak.

No. 61 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre (Camp Parkdale):

Oringinally opened in October 1940 as No. 61 Non-Permanent Active Militia Training Centre, but later changed to No. 61 CA(B)TC, at an old clay products plant and racetrack/fairgrounds.

The camp closed in September 1944.

All that remains of the former camp is the drill hall and a few of the barracks, but not the old racetrack.

Source Material: "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume III: Atlantic" by Paul Ozorak.