Canadian Forces Base London (also CFB London) is a former

Canadian Forces Base A Canadian Forces base or CFB (french: links=no, base des Forces canadiennes, BFC) is a military installation of the Canadian Armed Forces. For a facility to qualify as a Canadian Forces base, it must station one or more major units (e.g., army r ...

that was located in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. It was downsized and closed during defence budget cutbacks in the 1990s. Local

Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Première réserve des Forces canadiennes) is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the ...

units were supported by Area Support Unit (ASU) London which was located in some of the remaining base buildings, but they are now supported by ASU Toronto. Much of this support is delivered by a Technical Services Platoon which remains stationed in London. As the site of the first purpose-built infantry training school erected by the federal government and an early symbol of the establishment of a permanent military force in Canada, Wolseley Hall was designated a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment An environment minister (sometimes minister of the environment or secretary of t ...

in 1963.

History

The Wolseley Barracks was established in the 1880s on the outskirts of London when the city traded the

John Carling Sir John Carling, (January 23, 1828 – November 6, 1911) was a Canadian politician and prominent businessman who was associated with the Carling Brewery in London, Ontario. The Carling family and its descendants later resided in Ottawa, Mo ...

farm property on "Carling Heights" for the downtown

Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...

, which had been owned and occupied by the military up to that time. Wolseley Barracks became the home of "D" Company of the (Canadian) Infantry School Corps with the completion of Wolseley Hall in 1888. The Infantry School Corps later became

The Royal Canadian Regiment , colors = , identification_symbol_2 = Maple Leaf (2nd Bn pipes and drums) , identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan , identification_symbol_4 = The RCR , identification_symbol_4_label = Abbreviation , mar ...

. Wolseley Hall was the first structure purposely built by the Canadian Government for a unit of the new Permanent Force. It was the headquarters of Number-1 District Depot in 1939 when war was declared on Germany. Servicemen with the prefix "A" in front of their Second World War service numbers were processed here. Wolseley Barracks was named for

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

Viscount Wolseley and was used for training regular and reserve units of the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...

since its establishment. Various buildings were constructed on the property although many have since been demolished as the site reverts to civilian use. The two oldest structures on base are Wolseley Hall and the Royal School Building. The newest building on the property where the remaining logistics services of ASU London are consolidated, is the Captain Neil Logistics Facility. Wolseley Barracks was renamed Canadian Forces Base London (CFB London) on April 1, 1966, in advance of the unification of all military services that would form the

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

. Originally part of Material Command, CFB London supported the 27 Ordnance Depot and the First Battalion,

(1RCR). On November 1, 1968, CFB London transferred to Mobile Command. In 1971, the Highbury Complex, located on Highbury Avenue, became CFB London's maintenance and supply facility. The Highbury Complex was built during the Second World War as a military vehicle assembly plant and it was used for DND vehicle maintenance and supply activities after the war. In 1992 the base was downsized from a Canadian Forces Base to a detachment of

CFB Toronto Canadian Forces Base Toronto (also CFB Toronto) is a former Canadian Forces base in Toronto, Ontario. The airfield is currently operated as Toronto / Downsview Airport. RCAF Station Downsview The Downsview Lands were part of an extensive land p ...

. 1RCR moved later that year to

CFB Petawawa Garrison Petawawa is located in Petawawa, Ontario. It is operated as an army base by the Canadian Army. Garrison facts The Garrison is located in the Ottawa Valley in Renfrew County, northwest of Ottawa along the western bank of the Ottawa ...

. On 1 April 1996 Detachment London closed. Garrison Support Unit London (GSU London) was subsequently established at Wolseley Barracks to provide the local Reserve, Cadet and remaining Regular Force units with administrative and logistical support as an element of

Land Force Central Area The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. The division was first created as a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. During the Second World War the division was reactivated as the 4th Canadian Infantr ...

. GSU London was renamed

Area Support Unit London Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape or planar lamina, while '' surface area'' refers to the area of an open s ...

in 1998. In addition to its 4th Battalion at ASU London,

continues to maintain the

Royal Canadian Regiment Museum The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum is located at Wolseley Barracks (the former CFB London) in London, Ontario, Canada. History Although original architectural drawings of Wolseley Hall drafted in 1886 show space allocated to a museum, the museum ...

at Wolseley Barracks, in the historic Wolseley Hall. A new ASU complex was built at Wolseley Barracks in 2006, replacing the Highbury Complex and some buildings on site. The south half of the Wolseley Barracks and associated properties were sold off and redeveloped for housing. The former base gym is now the Carling Heights Optimist Community Centre. The buildings at the Highbury Complex were demolished in 2012.

Closure of ASU London

In April 2012, the Department of National Defence announced that ASU London would be closed in the near future and their services transferred to ASU Toronto. As of July 2015 the closure and demolition plans are on indefinite hold.

Heritage buildings

CFB London contains a recognized and a classified Federal Heritage building on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings.http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/beefp-fhbro/FHB_Rech_Search_e.asp Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings. *Block A Classified - 1989; built 1886-1888 *Block O Recognized - 1992

References

Bibliography

Bruce Forsyth's Canadian Military History Page

External links

ASU London Consolidation

ASU London to be Consolidated at Wolseley Barracks

Canadian Army Units - London, Ontario
{{DEFAULTSORT:London

Canadian Forces bases in Canada (closed) Buildings and structures in London, Ontario Classified Federal Heritage Building Royal Canadian Regiment