Talk:CFB Borden

This page needs a major edit.

CFB Borden is NOT an air base, and hasn't been for a while. It used to belong to CFTS (CF Training System) in its many incarnations; it now belongs to Canadian Forces Support Training Group (CFSTG). The organization known as 16 Wing Borden is a lodger unit -- same as the Logistics and EME schools. Check out CFB Borden's website:

http://www.borden.forces.ca/cfb_borden/index_e.asp

SigPig 03:17, 19 July 2005 (UTC)

400 (City Of Toronto) Air Reserve Squadron is based at Borden, having been moved there following the closing of CFB Toronto (Downsview) in the 1990s, and the disestablishment of sister squadron 411 (City Of North York) Air Reserve Squadron. 400 is a flying squadron with Griffon helicopters, and they fly out of Borden, so it can be said that Borden is an "air base" in that sense, even though its primary use may be for ground forces.--MarshallStack 06:31, 7 November 2005 (UTC)

Canadian Forces Base Borden:

Originally founded on 11 July 1916 as Camp Borden, a training centre for the Canadian Expeditionary Force The camp's first occupants were the 157th and 177th Infantry Battalions. The Royal Flying Corps arrived the next year, establishing an aerodrome at the camp. On 2 May 1917 Canada's first military airfield officially opened, designated No. 42 Wing Camp Borden. By the time the Royal Canadian Air Force was established in 1924, RCAF Station Camp Borden would be the largest military flying station of its time.

The Depot of Royal Canadian Signals was established at Camp Borden in 1923, moving to Vimy Barracks at Camp Barriefield in August 1937. Also around this time, the RCAF established No. 2 Technical Training School.

By the 1930's the two camps, operating as separate military establishments, would become home to numerous training schools including Signals, Armour, Infantry, Service Corps, Medical, Dental, Provost, Intelligence, Nuclear-biochemical schools and the School for Army Co-operation.

Wireless training moved from Borden to RCAF Station Trenton in 1936, then to the Signal Training Centre at Camp Barriefield in 1937.

On 1 May 1938, the Canadian Tank School moved from Wolseley Barracks and was re-named the Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicle School. The school went through several name changes before finally settling on A33 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Establishment. Two smaller schools were also established: A27 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre and A28 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre. A27 CACTC moved to Camp Dundurn in January 1942.

In 1940, No. 13 X Depot, a detachment of No. 1 Supply depot in Weston, was established in the north end of the army camp as an ammunition depot.

Also in 1940, several wartime schools opened, A10 & A11 Canadian Infantry Training Centre, A19 Canadian Army Service Corps Training Centre, A22 Canadian Army Medical Corps Training Centre, A32 Canadian Provost Corps Training Centre.

During World War II, Borden's airfield was home to No. 1 Service Flying Training School. Two Relief Landing Fields were established nearby, one at Edenvale and the other at Alliston.

Flying training at Borden ended with the closure of No. 1 Service Flying Training School in 1946, and for the next 20 years, RCAF Station Camp Borden concentrated primarily on technical training, run by No. 2 Technical Training School. RCAF Detachments Edenvale and Alliston were abandoned.

The RCAF School of Photography re-located to Borden from RCAF Station Rockcliffe in 1950.

By the late 1950's, 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. A four story underground bunker, officially known as No. 1 Army Signals Unit, but nick-named by the press (so much for the secret) as the "Diefen-bunker", after Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, was constructed near the Village of Carp outside of Ottawa. Most Provincial Governments followed suit by building their own bunkers. The Ontario Government chose Camp Borden for the site of their 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.

For their remote bunker, Camp Borden chose the site of the former RCAF Detachment Edenvale. In 1962, the site was re-activated as the Edenvale Transmitter Station, and a bunker was constructed beside one of the old runways. Communications personnel from Camp Borden staffed the facility.

In 1966, RCAF Station Camp Borden and Canadian Army Camp Borden merged into one large base: CFB Borden. Several new schools were added to Borden�s already large roster including Aerospace and Ordinance, Physical Education and Recreation Instructor, Instructional Techniques, CF Fire Fighting Academy, Music, Aerospace Technology, Leadership, Languages, and Chaplain Schools.

Military flying training returned in 1966 when the Primary Flying School re-located to Borden after the closure of RCAF Station Centralia, north of London. This move was short-lived however, as the school once again re-located to CFB Portage La Prairie in Manitoba in 1970.

In 1970 the Ammunition Depot became an independent unit, the Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Angus.

In 1994, both the Borden Bunker and the Edenvale Bunker closed. Edenvale was sealed up around 1998. Borden's bunker served as a makeshift barracks for a basic recruit training course (Mustang flight 9903) made up of Air Force and Navy reservists in the summer of 1999. The Bunker also served as the Headquarters for the Regional Cadet Support Unit (Central) from 2001-2004, until they re-located to the Maple Conference Centre, a building that was once the Headquarters Building for RCAF Station Camp Borden. In January 2005, the bunker was sealed up and a part of Borden's history faded into the past.

In 1996, military flying training returned to Borden when 400 Squadron moved to Borden after the closure of CFB Toronto, marking the first time a flying unit had been stationed at Borden since the Primary Flying School vacated in 1970. The squadron currently flies the CH146 Griffin helicopter. The Squadron, a combined Regular Force - Reserve Force unit, operate from a helicopter pad and the two large, post-World War II "Arch-style" hangars at the east end of the airfield. A new control tower was constructed for their use in 1999.

The Borden Flying Club utilized the airfield from 1958 until re-locating to the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport in 2002, when Borden's crumbling airfield was officially closed.

Today, Borden's aerodrome is a shadow of its former self. Only eight of the original eighteen Royal Flying Corps hangars remain today, and the existence of this important element in Canada's military and aviation history is in serious doubt. Despite the fact that the hangars have been dedicated as historic buildings, up to four more may have to be demolished. Additionally, two hangars have been individually dedicated: Hangar #11 was dedicated to the memory of World War I Victoria Cross winner Lieutenant Alan McLeod, VC, on 3 April 2004 and Hangar #18 was named the Grant Building in memory of WWII hero Flight Lieutenant Duncan Marshall "Bitsy" Grant, DFC, in October 2002.

Today, Borden is the largest training centre for technical and support services.

I'm quite sure that actor Michael J. Fox's father was stationed at CFB Borden, and Michael attended the local school for at least one year. I can't find a source to cite this too, however. If anyone finds it, it would be good for the Trivia section. --X 0 03:51, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

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