5th Canadian Division Support Group Detachment Aldershot (also 5 CDSG Det Aldershot) is a training facility for 5th Canadian Division of the Canadian Army. It is located in Kings County, Nova Scotia.
5 Cdn Div Support Group Det Aldershot is located
northwest of
Kentville
Kentville is an incorporated town in Nova Scotia. It is the most populous town in the Annapolis Valley. As of 2021, the town's population was 6,630. Its census agglomeration is 26,929.
History
Kentville owes its location to the Cornwallis River ...
on a well-drained sandy plateau along the north side of the
Cornwallis River
The Cornwallis River is in Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada. It has a meander length of approximately through eastern Kings County, from its source on the North Mountain at Grafton to its mouth near Wolfville on the Minas Basin. The lower ...
. Surrounded by the agricultural heartland of
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
in the
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy. St ...
, 5 Cdn Div Support Group Detachment Aldershot is situated primarily on marginal
agricultural land
Agricultural land is typically land ''devoted to'' agriculture, the systematic and controlled use of other organism, forms of lifeparticularly the rearing of livestock and production of cropsto produce food for humans. It is generally synonymous ...
not suitable for crop growing. Relatively few military personnel are stationed at the camp as it serves primarily for training regular force and
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 of the Canadian Army's
5th Canadian Division.
5th Canadian Division Training Centre conducts year-round courses for
Regular Force In the Canadian Armed Forces, a Regular Force unit or person is part of the full-time military, as opposed to being part of the Primary Reserve which has more flexibility. There are many bases and wings across Canada, and factors like trade, career ...
and
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 ...
personnel, while expanding dramatically during the summer months to accommodate the numerous courses for Primary Reserve personnel and some Regular Force courses. Throughout the year, the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, 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 s ...
, 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 ...
and 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 ...
conduct training at Aldershot, as well as elements of Canada's
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM; french: links=no, Commandement des Forces d'opérations spéciales du Canada; COMFOSCAN) is a command of the Canadian Armed Forces. It is responsible for all special forces operations that are ...
. This training varies from basic recruit training to advanced demolitions training.
During the period of September–June 5 Cdn Div Support Group Det Aldershot also serves as the primary weekend training location for Primary Reserve and
Royal Canadian Army Cadets
The Royal Canadian Army Cadets (RCAC; french: Cadets royaux de l’Armée canadienne) is a national Canadian youth program sponsored by the Canadian Armed Forces and the civilian Army Cadet League of Canada. Under the authority of the National D ...
exercises for units from the
Halifax metro area, and other locations in the
Maritime Provinces
The Maritimes, also called the Maritime provinces, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The Maritimes had a population of 1,899,324 in 2021, which makes up 5.1% of Ca ...
.
Camp Aldershot
During the 1890s and the lead up to the
Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...
, the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
, which was responsible for Canada's defence until 1906, established Military Camp Aldershot (also shortened to Camp Aldershot) as a training area on land in the western part of Kings County between the villages of
Aylesford
Aylesford is a village and civil parish on the River Medway in Kent, England, northwest of Maidstone.
Originally a small riverside settlement, the old village comprises around 60 houses, many of which were formerly shops. Two pubs, a village s ...
and
Kingston. Camp Aldershot was intended to train
Canadian Militia units from Nova Scotia and was served by the
Cornwallis Valley Railway
The Cornwallis Valley Railway (CVR) was a historic Canadian railway in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. It was built in 1889 and ran from Kentville to Kingsport serving the Cornwallis Township area of Kings County. For most of its history, it ...
branch line
A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line.
Industrial spur
An industri ...
of the
Dominion Atlantic Railway
The Dominion Atlantic Railway was a historic railway which operated in the western part of Nova Scotia in Canada, primarily through an agricultural district known as the Annapolis Valley.
The Dominion Atlantic Railway was unusually diverse for a ...
line running through the area. It received its name in honour of
Aldershot
Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...
in
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, the site of the home of the British Army.
In 1904, the facility was moved to its present site on northwest of Kentville with its southern boundary along the Cornwallis River. The eastern boundary of the base abutted the Cornwallis Valley Railway which operated north from Kentville to
Kingsport, providing efficient transport of troops and supplies. The
Department of Militia and Defence
The Department of Militia and Defence was the department responsible for military land forces in Canada from 1906 to 1921.
The Minister of Militia and Defence was in charge of this department.
The department was created in 1906 when the Brit ...
took over administration of the facility from the British Army in 1906.
Used almost exclusively as a
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
facility from its inception, various militia units of
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
,
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
and
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
from across Nova Scotia received training. Few permanent structures were established at Camp Aldershot in its early years, with militia units being required to erect canvas tents during training and to stable horses in the open.
Camp Aldershot saw extensive use during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
with in excess of 7,000 soldiers being trained for the infantry at any particular time. Temporary buildings were constructed to house
mess
The mess (also called a mess deck aboard ships) is a designated area where military personnel socialize, eat and (in some cases) live. The term is also used to indicate the groups of military personnel who belong to separate messes, such as the o ...
es and cookhouses, as well as a camp hospital, however most soldiers training at Camp Aldershot during this time period were housed in canvas tents. Temporary structures were removed following the
armistice in 1918 and the camp reverted to its previous use as a militia training facility, seeing very light use throughout the inter-war period when Canada's military underwent extensive downsizing.
Given its proximity to Halifax which became a major troop shipment port, the camp underwent significant expansion 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 opposin ...
with numerous new buildings constructed between 1939 and 1943. Only a single building from the First World War was retained, while water and sewer systems were installed in the camp's headquarters area (which was named
Aldershot
Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...
for postal purposes),
firing ranges
A shooting range, firing range, gun range or shooting ground is a specialized facility, sports venue, venue or playing field, field designed specifically for firearm usage qualifications, training, practice or shooting sport, competitions. So ...
and parade squares established and various support buildings and
barracks
Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...
.
Despite the construction of barracks, the huge influx of soldiers required the use of tents for housing along with temporary cookhouses. Camp Aldershot hosted the
Canadian Army's 14 Advanced Infantry (Rifle) Training Centre (14 AITC) throughout the war. 14 AITC included instructor schools, trade schools, and officer training schools. The facility experienced some of its most demanding training toward the end of the war as the 14 AITC was tasked with preparing troops for
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands near the end of World War II. The planned operation was canceled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, th ...
, the invasion of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
Following the war, Camp Aldershot went into decline when compared to its war-time activity, however its well-constructed Second World War-era facilities were maintained given the tensions of the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
. In 1953
returned from service in the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
and the First and Second Battalions were stationed at Camp Aldershot, along with additional units at
Camp Debert. From 1953 to 1959, Camp Aldershot saw significant use while housing this regular force unit. The Black Watch's 2,300 soldiers along with dependents and civilian support staff pumped $15 million annually into the local economy.
The Black Watch rotated to
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 ...
in 1959 and was stationed at the newly constructed
Camp Gagetown in
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
upon its return, delivering a significant blow to Camp Aldershot and Camp Debert, which had no regular force units returning to fill the void. Camp Aldershot was left with the Canadian Army's reserve militia units from Nova Scotia as its primary users, primarily
The West Nova Scotia Regiment
The West Nova Scotia Regiment is a line infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, part of the Primary Reserve, and is part of the 5th Canadian Division's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment recruits volunteers from the South-Western part of th ...
, however the Royal Canadian Army Cadets also used the camp as a Cadet Summer Training Centre (CSTC) from the late 1940s-late 1960s.
Aldershot range and training area
The late 1960s saw numerous changes to Canada's military during the
unification of the Canadian Forces
The unification of the Canadian Armed Forces took place on 1 February 1968, when the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged to form the Canadian Armed Forces.
History
A white paper was tabled in the Parliame ...
. Camp Aldershot underwent more decline as facility rationalization throughout the military took place and the army cadets established
ACSTC Argonaut at CFB Gagetown. Rumours of the camp being declared surplus began during the early 1970s when military activity was at an all-time low, thus the new Atlantic Militia Area of Mobile Command began to increase training of reservists at the newly designated Militia Training Centre on the site in 1973. The use of the term "Camp Aldershot" was officially discontinued in lieu of Aldershot Range and Training Area.
LFAATC Aldershot
Training continued at ARTA through the 1970s and 1980s until the mid-1990s when the camp was designated to become host to the newly formed Land Force Atlantic Area training centre, officially termed LFAA TC Aldershot.
Since the LFAATC was located at Aldershot, the majority of the Second World War-era buildings have been replaced by new construction, although the single First World War-era structure that was maintained has been incorporated as the new officers mess. Currently 5 Cdn Div TC Detachment Aldershot provides the majority of training for the 5th Canadian Division reserve units during the summer months, as well as a training area for Nova Scotia reserve units through the remainder of the year.
Mess and barracks
The mess is located behind only a few steps from course barracks. It has two serveries with only one open most days and a senior and officer eating area. The barracks for course as well as the class rooms, computer lab and offices all share one building. Half of the build is two top and bottom H hallways with rooms on the outer of the four halls. Rooms consist of eight bunks and three bunks and lockers. Each wing (A, B, C, D) has their own common room which consists of a TV and some sofa chairs, a microwave and table with chairs. They also have a kit cleaning room.
Local freedoms
Land Force Atlantic Area Training Centre Aldershot was awarded the
Freedom of the Town of
Kentville
Kentville is an incorporated town in Nova Scotia. It is the most populous town in the Annapolis Valley. As of 2021, the town's population was 6,630. Its census agglomeration is 26,929.
History
Kentville owes its location to the Cornwallis River ...
,
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
on 14 October 2012.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldershot
Canadian Forces bases in Nova Scotia
Buildings and structures in Kings County, Nova Scotia
Heliports in Canada
Military airbases in Nova Scotia