Canadian Forces Station Bermuda, commonly shortened to CFS Bermuda and popularly known as ''Daniel's Head'' (due to its location on

Daniel's Head Somerset Island is one of the main islands of the chain that makes up Bermuda. It lies in the far west of the territory, and covers 2.84 square kilometres. Description Somerset Island comprises about half of the parish of Sandys, and is the l ...

), was a

Canadian Forces Station 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 ...

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

that was operational from 1963 until 1992. Daniel's Head and Daniel's Island had previously been used by the militia, and the Royal Navy. A previous Canadian base, HMCS ''Somers Isles'', had existed during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

NRS Bermuda

The

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...

(RCN) established a temporary training base in

during the latter part of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. From 1944 to 1945, the RCN operated from the former

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

base at Convict's Bay, St. George's, using a shore facility named . HMCS ''Somers Isles'' closed in 1945 following the end of World War II. The RCN departure from Bermuda was short lived as a result of the growing tensions of the Cold War. In 1951 most of the

Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda HMD Bermuda ( Her/His Majesty's Dockyard, Bermuda) was the principal base of the Royal Navy in the Western Atlantic between American independence and the Cold War. The Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda had occupied a useful position astride ...

was closed, leaving the South Yard to operate as a supply base,

HMS Malabar Five ships and a shore establishment of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS ''Malabar'', after Malabar, a region of India: * HMS ''Malabar'' was a 54-gun fourth rate, previously the East Indiaman . The Admiralty purchased her in 1795, but sh ...

, until it closed in 1995. The RCN returned to Bermuda, taking over part of the former RN property and creating a winter training installation. More than 30 RCN warships and 5,000 sailors trained in Bermuda during the 1950s. A satellite of the Royal Naval Dockyard was a parcel of Admiralty land at Daniel's Head, on Somerset Island, part of which was purchased in 1809 and the rest in 1914 and 1915 for a Royal Naval

Wireless Telegraphy Wireless telegraphy or radiotelegraphy is transmission of text messages by radio waves, analogous to electrical telegraphy using cables. Before about 1910, the term ''wireless telegraphy'' was also used for other experimental technologies for ...

station. In 1961 the RCN established a

HFDF High-frequency direction finding, usually known by its abbreviation HF/DF or nickname huff-duff, is a type of radio direction finder (RDF) introduced in World War II. High frequency (HF) refers to a radio band that can effectively communicate ov ...

receiver facility at

, and on 1 January 1963, Daniel's Head was transferred from the

to the Royal Canadian Navy when the RCN facility became operational. The RCN also built a transmitter facility on North Ireland Island, using a former Royal Navy wireless station that operated between 1939 and 1949. Both the receiver and transmitter facilities were operated during the 1960s as Naval Radio Station Bermuda or NRS Bermuda. From 1944 until 1968, the Bermuda installations would be the only RCN facilities outside Canada. From 1968 to 1992 it was one of three CF locations outside Canada.

CFS Bermuda

On 1 February 1968, the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

and 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 res ...

were merged to form the unified

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 Forc ...

. The following year in 1969 saw NRS Bermuda renamed to Canadian Forces Station Bermuda (CFS Bermuda) and the facility came under the control of Communication Command. CFS Bermuda underwent expansion during the 1970s and 1980s with additional buildings and structures. The end of the Cold War saw the

Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...

announce the closure of all overseas Canadian Forces bases and stations;

CFB Lahr Canadian Forces Base Lahr (IATA:LHA, ICAO: EDTL, former code EDAN) was a military operated commercial airport located in Lahr, Germany. It was operated primarily as a French air force base, and later as a Canadian army base, beginning in the l ...

and

CFB Baden-Soellingen CFB may refer to: * College football * Canadian Forces base, military installation of the Canadian forces * Caminho de Ferro de Benguela, railway in Angola * Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District * Cipher feedback, a block cipher mod ...

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...

and CFS Bermuda were slated for closure and repatriation of units and personnel to Canada. CFS Bermuda closed in 1992, much to the dismay of many CF personnel who enjoyed their posting to the location. Many buildings and structures were removed from the property and the lease was terminated with the Government of Bermuda (the remaining British and US naval bases in Bermuda closed in 1995). The former base is now home to the

9 Beaches 9 Beaches was a resort in Sandys Parish on the west end of Bermuda featuring access to nine beaches. This was historically Admiralty land (a satellite of the Royal Naval Dockyard), part of which was purchased in 1809 with more acquired in 1914 a ...

resort and Daniel's Head Beach Park, which opened in August 2000.

Facilities

Ireland Island

* permanent DF antenna * temporary mobile HFDF trailer and mobile auxiliary power unit

Daniel's Head on Somerset Island

Some of the buildings were left behind by the RN and others added by

during their stay: * Operations/Stores Building * Administration Building – converted from old

Operations Building * Technical Workshop * Stores Building * Office-in-Charge Residence – c. 1940s * Barracks Block * Mess and Recreation Building * Dormitory * Tool Shed * Transmitter Building * Generator Building – Diesel * Inflammable Store * Transmitter ** 2 AN/FRT39D 10 kW Single Sideband high frequency on Ireland Island * Canex building * Commanding Officer's official residence at "Mara Leah" * CE workshop * Longtail Barracks * Cycle Shelter * Beach Canteen and the Sailing Club boat house * Senior Ranks Mess * Junior Ranks Mess * VIP Suite * Community Centre

References

CFS Bermuda 1963–1993

External links

{{Canadian Forces Bases Military of Bermuda Canadian Forces bases

Sandys Parish World War II sites in Bermuda Military installations closed in 1992 1963 establishments in Bermuda 1992 disestablishments in Bermuda