Canadian Forces Base Borden (also CFB Borden, French: Base des Forces canadiennes Borden or BFC Borden), formerly RCAF Station Camp Borden, is a large

Canadian Forces base A Canadian Forces base or CFB () 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 regiments, navy ships, air force wings). Minor i ...

located in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. The historic birthplace of the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) 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 environmental commands within the unified Can ...

,Canadian Forces Day and Air Show
/ref> CFB Borden is home to the largest training wing in the

Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

. The base is run by Canadian Forces Support Training Group (CFSTG) and reports to the Canadian Defence Academy (CDA) in

Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the six most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...

History

At the height of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the Borden Military Camp opened at a location on a glacial

moraine A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and Rock (geology), rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a gla ...

west of

Barrie Barrie is a city in Central Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. Although it is physically in the county, Barrie is politically independent. The city is part ...

in 1916 to train units for the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF; French: ''Corps expéditionnaire canadien'') was the expeditionary warfare, expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed on August 15, 1914, following United Kingdom declarat ...

. It was named for Sir Frederick William Borden, former Minister of Militia. In May 1916, the Barrie and Collingwood companies of the 157th Battalion (Simcoe Foresters), CEF (perpetuated today by

The Grey and Simcoe Foresters The Grey and Simcoe Foresters is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Within the Canadian Army, it is part of the 4th Canadian Division's (formerly known as Land Force Central Area) 31 Canadian Brigade Group. Due to the r ...

), under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel D.H. MacLaren, began construction of the camp. Camp Borden was selected in 1917 for a military

aerodrome An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes inc ...

, becoming the first flying station of the

Royal Flying Corps Canada The Royal Flying Corps Canada (RFC Canada) was a training organization of the British Royal Flying Corps located in Canada during the First World War. It began operating in 1917. Background As the war progressed, Great Britain found that it ...

. During the inter-war period, the aerodrome was used for veteran pilot refresher training by the

Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) 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 environmental commands within the unified Cana ...

(CAF), a part-time, non-permanent air militia. This militia training scheme began in July 1920 and ended in March 1922. Although this training had ended, the CAF continued, reorganized, and eventually evolved into the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Pilot training resumed in May 1923. The air force also conducted specialist courses. Other schools included an Army Co-operation School, an Air Armament & Bombing School and a Technical Training School. When the air force became “royal” in 1924, the station was renamed RCAF Station Camp Borden. Camp Borden's training grounds were expanded in 1938 to house the Canadian Tank School. The

Siskins The Siskins, officially the Siskin Exhibition Flight, were a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aerobatic flying team that was established in 1929 at Camp Borden, Ontario. They were named after the bird family Siskin. It was the air force's first o ...

were a RCAF aerobatic flying team that was established in 1929 at Camp Borden. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, both Camp Borden and RCAF Station Camp Borden became the most important training facility in Canada, housing both army training and flight training, the latter under the

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a large-scale multinational military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand during the Second Wo ...

(BCATP). The BCATP's No. 1 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) was located here until 1946. Relief landing fields were located at Alliston and Edenvale. A third landing field, known locally as Leach's Field, was operated by Camp Borden from the 1920s to the 1950s. The L-shaped airstrip was rudimentary; the "runways" at Leach's Field utilized the existing ground surface. It was primarily used for touch-and-go flying. During the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

, Borden's importance as an RCAF facility in Ontario declined in favour of

CFB Trenton Canadian Forces Base Trenton (also CFB Trenton), formerly RCAF Station Trenton, is a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is the hub ...

CFB Uplands Canadian Forces Base Uplands (also CFB Uplands) was a Canadian Forces Base located in Ottawa, Ontario. Most of the land which formed the base was transferred to the Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport after the base was closed in th ...

and

CFB North Bay Canadian Forces Base North Bay, also CFB North Bay, is an Canadian Forces base, air force base located at the City of North Bay, Ontario, North Bay, Ontario about northwest of Ottawa. The base is subordinate to 1 Canadian Air Division, Winnip ...

. However, its use as an army facility stayed consistent until 1970 when a major reorganization of the combat arms' schools resulted in the transfer of the Infantry School and Armoured School to

CFB Gagetown 5th Canadian Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown, formerly known as and commonly referred to as CFB Gagetown, is a large Canadian Forces Base covering an area over , located in southwestern New Brunswick. It is the biggest facility in East ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

. On the other hand, numerous "purple" (i.e. tri-service) schools were established or expanded from existing service training establishments, including the Canadian Forces School of Administration and Logistics, the School of Aerospace Ordnance Engineering and the Canadian Forces Health Service Training Centre. The February 1, 1968 unification of the RCAF with the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; , ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 s, 12 s, 4 s, 4 s, 8 s, and several auxiliary ...

and the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), 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 re ...

resulted in the creation of the Canadian Forces. The military facilities consisting of Camp Borden and RCAF Camp Station Borden were grouped under a new name, Canadian Forces Base Borden (CFB Borden). The aerodrome was closed in 1970 and the base saw use as a regular and reserve training facility for

Canadian Forces Land Force Command The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), 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 re ...

(the army), as well as hosting various land-based training courses for

Canadian Forces Air Command The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air force, 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 environmental commands within the un ...

(the air force). In a 1990s reorganization of the Canadian Forces following the end of the Cold War, CFB Borden's air force training facilities were grouped under the name 16 Wing Borden. The eight surviving Royal Flying Corps hangars at the base have been designated a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...

.Royal Flying Corps Hangars National Historic Site of Canada
/ref>

Plaque

The Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Recreation erected a plaque in 1976.

Activities and facilities

Although originally an air force training base, CFB Borden is now a training base for several elements of the Canadian Forces: * 2 Canadian Air Division's (2 Cdn Air Div) primary lodger unit, 16 Wing, commonly referred to as 16 Wing Borden, consists of 16 Wing Headquarters and three schools: the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering (CFSATE), the Royal Canadian Air Force Academy (RCAF Academy), and the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control (CFSACO), located in Cornwall, Ontario. * The Canadian Army's (CA)

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, caree ...

and

Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces () is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (f ...

army units use a number of training schools and large portions of the base's training area for manoeuvres. In addition to these specific environmental element commands, CFB Borden houses a variety of other

purple trades In the Canadian Armed Forces, the purple trades are occupations and careers that are not strongly linked to one of the three major 'environments' or 'elements': sea, land, or air. Purple trades include – but are not limited to – those a ...

training facilities and headquarters within the Canadian Forces, including a fire-fighting school,

Military Police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...

(MP) school, a chaplaincy school, the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group, medical, dental and language schools, and supports local cadet and reserve units. The

Toronto Police Service The Toronto Police Service (TPS) is a municipal police force in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the primary agency responsible for providing law enforcement and policing services in Toronto. Established in 1834, it was the first local police se ...

's Emergency Task Force also trains there occasionally. CFB Borden hosts the Blackdown Cadet Training Centre, a facility established for training army cadets. This facility has also hosted air cadets and

sea cadets Sea cadets are members of a cadets youth program sponsored by a national naval service, aimed for young people with an interest in waterborne activities and or the national navy. The organisation may be sponsored in whole or in part by the navy or ...

since 2003, when the Borden Air Cadet Summer Training Centre was closed. CFB Borden's residential area houses one regulation-sized golf course (Circled Pine Golf Course, par 72). Circled Pine Golf Course opened in 1952. The course is open to the public and serving Military. The base previously housed a 9-hole links style course, Anderson Park, which originally opened in 1917 but closed after the 2015 season. Base Borden has multiple facilities available to Canadian Armed Forces members that include the Terra theatre, Circled Pine Bowling Centre, two gyms (Buell Fitness & Aquatic Centre and the sub gym, aka 'the bubble'), multiple soccer fields, baseball diamonds, Andy Anderson arena and biking trails. The

Base Borden Military Museum Base Borden Military Museum is a military museum located on the grounds of CFB Borden, in Borden, Ontario, Canada. Combining four separate museums, it has numerous items, equipment and vehicles from all eras of Canadian military history, including ...

(combining four separate museums) has numerous items, equipment and vehicles from all eras of Canadian military history, including a large number of armoured vehicles and aircraft displayed outside in Worthington Park and around the headquarters area of the base. In December 2017, a

military parade A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as Drill team, drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the ...

of the RCAF took place in honour of the anniversary of the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...

. In August 2010, the Canadian department of Defence announced a C$209 million series of projects to construct new facilities, and upgrade existing facilities, at CFB Borden. * A voluntary Canadian military band is maintained at the base. A band at Borden was first formed in the late 1930s, before becoming the No. 6 Bomber Group Band under the leadership of Clifford Hunt. It was stationed in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

from 1942-1946. The modern band is organized only during the summer and consists of reservists from all three services who serve at the Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre. file:RCACC Badge.svg,

Royal Canadian Army Cadets The Royal Canadian Army Cadets (RCAC; ) 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 Defence Act, the program is administered by th ...

. File:GSFCrest.jpg,

Aerodrome

In approximately 1942, the aerodrome was listed at with a variation of 8 degrees west and elevation of . Three runways were listed as follows: At some point after the Second World War, runway 11/29 was abandoned and the other two runways were shortened. Just prior to 2004, the runways were listed as follows: In 2004, the decision was made to close the remaining runways to all aircraft other than helicopters. Only the taxiway and a small section of runway 05/23 remain today (the rest is covered with grass). A helicopter pad is still active at the base of the former runway.

Units

The main units of Canadian Forces Base Borden are:

Integral

*HQ * Technical Services * Base Operations * Administration Branch * Comptroller Branch *

Management Advisory Services Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a Government agency, government bodies through business administration, Nonprofit studies, nonprofit management, or the political s ...

* Military Personnel Generation Training Group (MPGTG) HQ

Lodger

* Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Angus * Canadian Forces Recruiting Group HQ * 31 Canadian Forces Health Services Centre * 32 Signal Regiment, 1 Squadron * Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre * 1 Dental Unit Detachment Borden * Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineering School * Canadian Forces Military Police Academy * 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group *

400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron 400 "City of Toronto" Tactical Helicopter and Training Squadron is part of 1 Wing, and as such a lodger unit of Canadian Forces Base Borden. The squadron operates the CH-146 Griffon. History The squadron was formed as No. 10 Army Co-Operati ...

* Regional Cadet Support Unit Central * Regional Cadet Instruction School Central * Blackdown Cadet Training Centre * Shared Services Canada Detachment Borden * Military Police Detachment Borden * Real Property Operations Detachment (Borden) *

Civilian Human Resources Centre A civilian is a person who is not a member of an armed force. It is illegal under the law of armed conflict to target civilians with military attacks, along with numerous other considerations for civilians during times of war. If a civilian enga ...

* Deputy Judge Advocate – Borden * Learning and Career Centre * Dispute Resolution Centre * Complaint Management Centre * PSP National Training Centre * 16 Wing Borden HQ * Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering * Royal Canadian Air Force Academy

MPGTG

* Canadian Forces Chaplain School and Centre (CFChSC) * Canadian Forces Fire and

CBRN Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense (CBRN defense) or Nuclear, biological, and chemical protection (NBC protection) is a class of protective measures taken in situations where chemical, biological, radiological, or nucl ...

Academy (CFFCA) * Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre (CFLTC) * Canadian Forces Training Development Centre (CFTDC) *

Canadian Forces School of Music The Canadian Forces School of Music, CFSM (French language: École de musique des Forces canadiennes, EMFC) was an educational institution that supported the music branch and all Canadian military bands in the Canadian Forces. It was created in ...

(CFSM) * Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering (CFSATE) * Canadian Forces Military Police Academy (CFMPA)

Tributes

The aircraft control tower is dedicated to the memory of

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

Cadet James Harold Talbot. Talbot became the first fatality at Camp Borden when his Curtiss J.N.4 'Jenny' aeroplane crashed on April 8, 1917. The Air Force Annex of the Base Borden Military Museum is dedicated in memory of First World War

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

recipient Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod, the youngest Canadian airman to receive the award. Worthington Park, a part of the Base Borden Military Museum complex, is named after Major-General F. F. Worthington (Frederic Franklin Worthington), the father of the

Royal Canadian Armoured Corps The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC; ) is the armoured corps within the Canadian Army, including 3 Regular and 18 Reserve Force regiments,The Regiments and Corps of the Canadian Army (Queen's Printer, 1964) as well as the Royal Canadian Armo ...

. General Worthington is buried in Worthington Park.

Air shows

On specific days, CFB Borden organised

air show An air show (or airshow, air fair, air tattoo) is a public event where aircraft are trade fair, exhibited. They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without which they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground. The ...

s. For example: *In 2016, CFB Borden organised an air show for the centennial of the

. *In 2017, CFB Borden organised an air show for the 150th anniversary of Canada. *In 2018, CFB Borden organised an air show for Canadian Armed Forces Day.

Economy

*CFB Borden local spending impact: $296,062,000CFB Borden
/ref> *CFB Borden estimated local spending impacts: $472,387,000 (direct & indirect) *CFB Borden estimated direct employment: 5,158 *CFB Borden estimated indirect employment: 518

Federal heritage

The Building O-102 at CFB Borden was recognized as a federal heritage building in 1995. Constructed in 1948 to plans prepared in 1945, Building O-102 is associated with the massive construction and modernization program undertaken by the

Department of National Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...

at the end of the Second World War.

Architecture

CFB Borden has several federal heritage buildings on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings: *Alexander Dunn Public School P-148 recognized - 1995 *Barrie Armoury recognized - 1997 *Croil Hall Building A-142 recognized - 2003 *Dyte Hall A-78 recognized - 1995 *Hangars 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 classified - 1988 *Headquarters Building O-102 recognized - 1995 *Hennessy Block Building S-136 recognized - 1995 *Junior Ranks Quarters T-114 and T-115 Recognized - 1995 *Maple Mess A-74 recognized - 1995 *Museum Building E-108 recognized - 1995 *Non Commissioned Officer Building O-109 recognized - 1995

References

Bruce Forsyth's Canadian Military History Page

External links

Department of National Defence Canada - CFB Borden
- official site
16 Wing Borden
- official site
''The Citizen'' - official newspaper of CFB Borden

Base Borden Military Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borden Canadian Forces bases in Ontario 1916 establishments in Ontario Airports of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Simcoe County Heliports in Ontario Military airbases in Ontario