Abandoned Bases - BRITISH COLUMBIA

Opened on 6 September 1943 near Abbotsford, with a Relief Landing Field near Sumas. No. 24 EFTS had a brief existence as it closed on 15 August 1944.

No. 5 Operational Training Unit took over the aerodrome, operating detachments at both Abbotsford and Boundary Bay. RCAF Detachment Sumas was too small for No. 5's requirements and was simply abandoned. No. 5 OUT continued operation until it too closed 31 October 1945. The aerodrome then became No. 7 Reserve Equipment Maintenance Satellite, later changed to Reserve Equipment Maintenance Unit until 1946, at which time the station finally closed for good.

In 1949, the abandoned aerodrome became the first racetrack for sport cars in Canada, with racing events hosted by the Sports Car Club of B.C. until 1958, when the racetrack closed. The airport was taken over by Transport Canada in 1958 and re-opened as the Abbotsford Airport.

Today, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets Pacific Region Gliding School operates a summer Regional Gliding Centre at the airport.

Nothing remains of RCAF Detachment Sumas today.

Source Material: Source Material: information supplied by Sharon Jones, Airport Clerk, Abbotsford Airport (2001) & information supplied by Michael DesMazes, Local Historian (2002).

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Smithers:

Opened in 1941, the station initially was used mainly as a storage depot and an emergency field for the RCAF. As the war progressed, RCAF Station Smithers became quite a busy air base. Supply aircraft made regular trips to coastal defence stations along the west coast of British Columbia and U.S. Army Air Force planes made occasional stops at Smithers enroute to Alaska.

A new 4400 foot asphalt runway was completed by May 1943. The station became No. 17 Staging Unit on 1 April 1945

RCAF Station Smithers closed in August 1945.

The aerodrome was taken over by the Town of Smithers in 1946, but saw little use until 1953, when Canadian Airlines began regular passenger service.

Today the former station is known as the Smithers Regional Airport.

One WWII era hangar remains today, used today by Central Mountain Air as does an unknown building that used as a generator building by a local construction company. The Royal Canadian Air Cadets occasionally use the airport for gliding training. Air Canada and several other regional airlines and charters also operate from the airport. 

Source Material: Highway 16 Magazine Web site - http://www.hiway16.com/fp/jim/smiair/smiair2.htm, Smithers Regional Airport web site - http://www.smithersairport.com/index.html & information supplied by Tracy Berry, Smithers Airport (2005).

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Terrace:

Opened in 1943, the station was part of the costal defence network, as well as an aircraft ferry station. The RCAF closed the facility in 1945 and the airfield was transferred to the Department of Transport the following year.

The aerodrome is now the Northwest Regional Airport, owned and operated by the Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society. The airfield remains, but only two of the original three runways remain in use, as does the gunnery backstop and one of the WWII hangars.

Source Material: information supplied by the Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society (2004).

Canadian Forces Station Ladner:
(Vancouver Wireless Station)
(Royal Canadian Air Force Station Boundary Bay)

Originally opened on 10 April 1941 under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as Royal Canadian Air Force Station Boundary Bay, the home of No. 18 Elementary Flying Training School. The airport was also built to accommodate Lancaster bombers in the defense of coastal B.C. against a perceived Japanese attack. A Relief Landing Field was constructed near Langley.

No. 18 EFTS had a brief existence as it closed on 25 May 1942. The aerodrome was then taken over by No. 5 Operational Training unit, operating detachments at both Boundary Bay and Abbotsford until 31 October 1945. The aerodrome itself closed in 1946. In it's heyday, the station had a population of 4000 personnel.

In 1949 the site was re-activated as the Vancouver Wireless Station, run by the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and utilizing the old RCAF buildings. The station acted as a radio station in Canada's National Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) organization. The Operations site, a large 3 story concrete building, was built in the middle of the abandoned airfield, surrounded by a large antenna field between runways 01-19 & 12-30.

The Vancouver Wireless Station had facilities much like other post-war bases, includ ing singles quarters,150 permanent married quarters, dining halls and messes, a Medical Inspection Room, administration building, gymnasium with a sport field with 2 ball diamonds and tennis courts, a chapel, woodworking and automotive shops, a grocery store (later CANEX), engineering & transport sections and a firehall.

With the Unification, the name of the station was changed to Canadian Forces Station Ladner.

CFS Lander closed on 15 July 1971 and its area of responsibility was taken over by CFS Masset.

From 1971-1983, the abandoned runways were used for a variety of uses including race cars, model aircraft flying and driver training.

By the mid 1970s, Vancouver Airport was becoming so congested that a reliever airfield became necessary to handle small aircraft traffic. On 11 July 1983, the former RCAF station re-opened as the Boundary Bay Airport, marking the first time in 35 years that airplanes had graced the runways. Two of the three main runways (07-25 & 12-30) were re-opened, with a smaller runway being used as a taxiway.

From 1998-2005, the Boundary Bay Driving Centre used the abandoned third runway for driving training and drag racing. This runway is now scheduled to re-open to flying activities.

Today, besides the airfield, all that remains from the airport's military days are RCAF "arch-style" hangar, the abandoned roadways and the Operations building used by the communications station. Current tenants at the airport include the Canadian Flight Centre, Flightec, Macleod Aviation, Montair Aviation, the Professional Flight Centre and the Pacific Flying Club. A new industrial park currently occupies part of the property.

On 6 May 2005, 828 "Hurricane" Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron dedicated a monument honouring the men & women who served at RCAF Station Boundary Bay.

A plaque and Cenotaph was dedicated to all those who served and trained at Boundary Bay during World War II.

The airfield also remains at the former RCAF Detachment Langley, which is now the very busy Langley Regional Airport. The Royal Canadian Air Cadets Pacific Region Gliding School operates a summer Regional Gliding Centre at the airport, carring on the tradition of training young airmem & airwomen at Langley.

Source Material: Canada's National Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) organization web site - www.tscm.com.cse.html, "History of Canadian Airports" by T.M. McGrath, the Boundary Bay Airport web site - http://www.czbb.com & the Vancouver Wireless Station web site - http://www.troywoodintarsia.com/vws/vws.htm.

RCAF Detachment Langley:

Opened in 1941 as the Relief Landing Field for No. 18 Elementary Flying Training School at Boundary Bay. The Detachment closed in 1945.

The Township of Langley aquired the airport and today, the former RCAF Detachment Langley is the very busy Langley Township Regional Airport.

 The Royal Canadian Air Cadets Pacific Region Gliding School operates a summer Regional Gliding Centre at the airport, carring on the tradition of training young airmem & airwomen at Langley.

Source Material: Langley Regional Airport - www.langleyairport.bc.ca/html/c_07_a.htm, History of Canadian Airports" by T.M. McGrath & the Boundary Bay Airport web site - http://www.czbb.com.

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Vancouver:
(Royal Canadian Air Force Station Sea Island):

Established beside the Vancouver Airport on 22 July 1940 under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as No. 8 Elementary Flying Training School. Originally RCAF pilots had grass runways on which to land, but these were eventually replaced by a Congo Mat (Steel Mesh Mat) runway.

No. 13 Operational Training Squadron was also established at the aerodrome in 1940, but its stay was brief as it re-located to RCAF Station Patricia Bay in November 1940. No. 8 EFTS re-located to Boundary Bay and became part of No. 18 EFTS in January 1942.

The aerodrome became was home to No. 22 Repair Depot from 1944-45.

The station remained open after World War II and was re-named RCAF Station Sea Island, but this was later changed to RCAF Station Vancouver. 442 Squadron was re-activated as a 442 "City of Vancouver" Auxiliary Fighter Squadron at Sea Island 15 April 1946, but was later re-designated an Auxiliary Transport Squadron. 123 Rescue Flight and 121 Composite Flight (KU) were also formed at Sea Island. By 1948, Sea Island's runways were linked up with those of the Vancouver Airport

On 1 December 1951, 442 Squadron was split in half to form 443 "City of New Westminster" Squadron.

With the impending Unification in the mid 1960s, a reorganization and consolidation occurred within the Canadian Military. Several bases were either downsized, merged or closed and as a result, RCAF Station Vancouver closed on 31 March 1964.

121 KU Squadron moved to RCAF Station Comox, where in 1968, it was renamed 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, but 442 Squadron and 443 Squadron disbanded. The PMQ houses became part of the Army Camp at Jericho Beach until 1973, when they were sold and moved onto First Nations Reserves along the Georgia Strait.

Very little remains of the former station. Only the footings of the old base water reservoir and the wooden pump house shack remain today. The former RCAF Recreation Centre was demolished in 2003.

Source Material: 442 Squadron history web site - http://www.comox.dnd.ca/squadrons/442/442hist.htm, 440 Squadron history web site - http://www.440sqn.com/frames.htm, 19 Wing Comox web site - http://www.comox.dnd.ca, information supplied by Sherry Eastholm, Manager, Sidney (B.C.) Museum (1999), the Pinetree Line web site - http://www.pinetreeline.org/articles/resarth.html, information supplied by Doug Eastman, President, Sea Island Heritage Society (2004), the personal recollections of Vince Bissonnette, former Commanding Officer CF Detachment Jericho Beach (2004) & "Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Boat Stations" by Chris Weicht.

Dog Creek Airport:

Opend during WWII as a RCAF supplementary aerodrome.  The airfield was in the standard triangle-pattern, with double, side-by-side runways.  The aerodrome was taken over by Department of Transport in 1946.

Activities at the Dog Creek Airport was drastically reduced when the Williams Lake Airport opened in 1960. Most of the staff and facilities were moved to Williams Lake.

The aerodrome was purchased lby Circle "S" Cattle Company in 1962 and one runway remained in use by hunters and fishermen.

Today the aerodrome is abandoned, and other than the rapidly crumbling runways, nothing remains from the RCAF days.

Royal Roads Military College:

Opened 13 December 1940 as His Majesty's Canadian Ship Royal Roads, on the grounds of Hately Park near Esquimalt, the past residence of James Dunsmuir, former Premier and Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Royal Roads served as the officer training centre for the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) - the "Wavy Navy" as it was affectionately known.

After World War II ended in 1945, Royal Roads training programs were scaled back, as the RCN no longer needed to train a large number of officers. The future of the college was in doubt until the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) expressed an interest in a training facility for their officer cadets. In 1947, Royal Roads was re-designated as the RCN-RCAF Joint Services College, but this would be short lived.

In 1948, admission was opened to Army officer cadets and Royal Roads, again re-named the Canadian Services College Royal Roads, began training officer cadets from all three service branches in a two year college program. Those officers wishing to pursue a university degree eventually moved onto either Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario or le College Militaire Royal (opened in 1952) in St Jean, Quebec. It was not until 1975 that Royal Roads was given royal assent to grant university degrees.

Due to Department of National Defence budget reductions in the early 1990', it was decided that only one military college was needed to meet officer-training requirements. As a result, both Royal Roads and le College Militaire Royal closed in 1995. Royal Roads is now a private university, appropriately named Royal Roads University.

Source material: DND press release from February 1994 and the Royal Roads University web site - http://www.royalroads.ca.

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Kitsilano:

Opened during World War II, the station remained open after the war, becoming part of the post-war RCAF.

RCAF Station Kitsilano was the home of No. 2 Supply Depot, No. 19 (Auxiliary) Wing, No. 9 Construction Maintenance Unit headquarters and the RCAF Police Investigation Department. 135 "Vancouver Squadron" Royal Canadian Air Cadets moved to the station in the 1950s.

With the impending Unification in the mid 1960s, a reorganization and consolidation occurred within the Canadian Military. Several bases were either downsized, merged or closed and as a result, RCAF Station Kitsilano closed in 1964 and was sold to the City of Vancouver for parkland.

The site is now Vanier Park, home to the Vancouver Museum, the Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.

Source Material: information supplied by Liz Wright, Archivist, City of Vancouver (2000), 135 "Vancouver Squadron" Royal Canadian Air Cadets web site - http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9334/history.html, the Pinetree LIne web site - http://www.pinetreeline.org/rds/detail/rds99-1.html & "Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Boat Stations" by Chris Weicht.

West Coast Flying Boat Stations:

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Ucluelet:

Established 1 May 1940 as the home of No. 4 Bomber-Reconnaissance Squadron. No. 4 (BR) Squadron re-located to RCAF Station Tofino in August 1944. The station closed on 15 October 1944.

Source Material: "Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Boat Stations" by Chris Weicht.

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Alliford Bay:

Established 13 May 1940 as the new home of No. 6 Bomber-Reconnaissance Squadron, who re-located from RCAF Station Jericho Beach. RCAF Station Alliford Bay had the distinction of being the most isolated of all the West Coast Flying Boat Stations. In November 1942, the station swapped squadrons with RCAF Station Bella Bella - No. 6 (BR) Squadron departed and No. 9 (BR) Squadron arrived. In November 1943, the station also added No. 7 (BR) Squadron. The station closed 25 July 1945.

Source Material: "Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Boat Stations" by Chris Weicht.

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Prince Rupert:

Established November 1941 as the home of No. 7 Bomber-Reconnaissance Squadron. No. 7 (BR) Squadron re-located to RCAF Station Alliford Bay in April 1944. The role of the station changed to an administrative base, but this was short-lived as it closed in September 1944.

Source Material: "Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Boat Stations" by Chris Weicht.

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Coal Harbour:

Established 10 December 1940 as the home of No. 120 Bomber-Reconnaissance Squadron. The British Columbia Regiment was also posted to Coal Harbour for station defence purposes. No. 120 (BR) Squadron disbanded on 23 April 1944, and shortly afterwards, No. 6 (BR) Squadron re-located to the station from RCAF Station Alliford Bay. The station closed in August 1945.

Source Material: "Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Boat Stations" by Chris Weicht.

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Bella Bella:

Originally established in 1938 as a temporary detachment of RCAF Station Jericho Beach, reporting on weather conditions. A permanent station was established in December 1941 as the home of No. 9 Bomber-Reconnaissance Squadron. The station closed in August 1944, re-opening briefly in the spring of 1945 as a meteorological section.

Source Material: "Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Boat Stations" by Chris Weicht.

Royal Canadian Air Force Detachment Smith River:

Opened April 1945.

Closed July 1956.

Camp Terrace:

Opened in 1942 as an Army training centre. The military population quickly ballooned up to 3,500, almost nine times the size of the Town of Terrace.

The Camp closed in 1945 and the property taken over by the town of Terrace. Many of the barracks were turned into a residential community, now known as Glenwood.

Source Material: Heritage BC web site - http://www.heritagebc.ca/military.htm.

Special Training School Commando Bay:

Opened 24 March 1944 by the British Security Coordination specifically to train Chineese Canadians as secret operatives for Operation Oblivion, a part of the war in the Pacific. The camp, located on Commando Bay in the Okanagan Valley, approximately tem miles north of Penticton, trained students in wireless operation, small arms, demolition, unarmed combat, sabatage, survival techniques, propaganda and other skills of a covert operative.

The camp had a short life, as it closed in September 1944. As it was a tented camp, nothing remains today. The former camp is now part of the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park.

Source Material:

Camp Alberni:

Opened during WWII.

In November 1946, the former camp was turned over to the City of Alberni. Several former barracks buildings were sectioned off and used as housing for returning veterans and their young families. This area is now known as the Glenwood area.

Source Material: the City of Alberni web site - http://www.city.port-alberni.bc.ca/fire/History/pa-pream.htm.