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Naval Radio Section Aldergrove, or NRS Aldergrove, is a
Canadian 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 ...
naval radio communications facility located in both Aldergrove and Matsqui,
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
. NRS Aldergrove is 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 ...
's primary communications relay site for
Maritime Forces Pacific In the Canadian Armed Forces, Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC, ) is responsible for the fleet training and operational readiness of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Pacific Ocean. It was once referred to as Canadian Pacific Station. The commander ...
. The Aldergrove receiving site is located 59 kilometres east of
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
in the community of Aldergrove whereas the Matsqui transmitter site is located 21 kilometres northeast of Aldergrove. The Aldergrove receiving site comprises while Matsqui comprises . About of the Aldergrove site are used for the antenna field, while the remainder is used as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) buffer zone from local development. Currently, Aldergrove and Matsqui are staffed with 1 operator and between 15 and 17 technicians. NRS Aldergrove held the traditional naval designation of HMCS ''Aldergrove'' from 1956 to 1967 and Canadian Forces Station Aldergrove (or CFS Aldergrove) from 1967 to 1996. Downsizing and automation in the mid-1990s led to the facility becoming a detachment of
CFB Esquimalt Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is the Royal Canadian Navy's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters. , 4,411 military personnel and 2,762 civilians ...
, rather than an independent Canadian Forces station.


History

In December 1942, 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 ...
established a wireless telegraph broadcast station in Matsqui, British Columbia. The following November, a wireless telegraph receiver station was established in
Aldergrove, British Columbia Aldergrove is a community in the Langley, British Columbia (district municipality), Township of Langley within British Columbia, Canada, approximately east of Vancouver. The community is urban in nature and, although not List of towns in British ...
. These stations served to meet the regional needs of the RCN during World War II. Staffing levels were reduced following the war. In the 1950s, as the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
erupted in Asia, HMCS ''Aldergrove'' experienced growth common to many North American military bases during the early years of 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 ...
. With the unification of the
Canadian 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 ...
in 1967, the station designation was changed to CFS Aldergrove. By now, the station was providing ship–shore and air–ground communications for Canadian and Allied military forces on the Pacific coast. From 1975 to 1978, CFS Aldergrove once again underwent major building and upgrading programmes to meet the operational and support needs of the fleet. This included the addition of a
microwave radio relay Microwave transmission is the Data transmission, transmission of information by electromagnetic waves with wavelengths in the microwave frequency range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz (1 m - 1 mm wavelength) of the electromagnetic spectrum ...
tower, providing over-the-horizon communications. The station was again upgraded in the mid 1990s replacing older, maintenance-intensive equipment with modern and more reliable electronics. Extensive cutbacks to the defence budget during the post-
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 ...
era of the early 1990s resulted in CFS Aldergrove being placed under remote control and came under the command of CFB Esquimalt. The transmitter and receiver sites became operated by the Remote Control and Monitoring System (RCMS). This resulted in staff reductions from more than 130 personnel to about 20. Current staffing consists of a core of technicians who perform routine maintenance and repair equipment failures. For fault tolerance and backup,
CFB Esquimalt Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is the Royal Canadian Navy's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters. , 4,411 military personnel and 2,762 civilians ...
can operate the receiver and transmitter sites at
NRS Mill Cove Canadian Forces Station Mill Cove (CFS Mill Cove) is a former Canadian Forces Station and currently a naval radio station located near Hubbards, Nova Scotia. Built in 1967, it is remotely operated by the Canadian Forces from CFB Halifax. Histor ...
and
NRS Newport Corner Naval Radio Section Newport Corner (NRS Newport Corner) is a Canadian Forces naval radio station located in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia. Founded in 1942, it is still in operation today but remotely controlled from CFB Halifax. History NRS Newport Corner ...
(in
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
) respectively.
CFB Halifax Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax is Canada's east coast naval base and home port to the Royal Canadian Navy Atlantic fleet, known as Canadian Fleet Atlantic (CANFLTLANT), that forms part of the formation (military), formation Maritime Forces At ...
can also operate the receivers and transmitters at Aldergrove and Matsqui. Between 1996 and 2006, several buildings on the station were dismantled, including the single quarters, the station's water tower, and the junior ranks mess. Since the downsizing, the site has been plagued by crime on its property, and has had several security breaches. This led to the demolition of the housing formerly located on 272 Street. In August 2012 construction began on a new construction engineering facility (CEF) for the air force. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2013. Once completed, the facility will be occupied by 192 CEF. The new building is located on 272 Street, south of the main gate. In the summer of 2019 the Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pac) established a Forward Deployed Office at CFS Aldergrove to support the cadet program in the Fraser Valley and Surrey/Langley areas. Two RCSU(P) Zone Training Officers are based out of the NRS Aldergrove FDO.


Primary reserve and cadets

NRS Aldergrove is home to several primary reserve and cadet units *B Troop,
15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA, is a Primary Reserve Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) regiment based in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Bessborough Armoury. 15th Field Regiment is part of the 39 Canadian Brigade Group of 3rd Canadian Divi ...
*B Company,
The Royal Westminster Regiment The Royal Westminster Regiment (commonly referred to as the Westies) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is currently part of the 3rd Canadian Division's 39 Canadian Brigade Group and is based in New Westminster, Brit ...
*169 ''Columbia'' Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps *1922 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, "Royal Westminster Regiment" *Navy League Cadet Corps 125 ''Columbia''


Commanding officers

*Lt Riddell, R.M.     1 December 1942 – 14 December 1945 Deceased *Lt Blackmore, DSK     14 December 1945 – 2 March 1947 Deceased *C.O. Hibbert, W     3 March 1947 – 1 January 1949 Deceased *Lt Hall, J.S.     2 January 1949 – 22 February 1951 Deceased *Lt Miskimmin RR, WH     23 February 1951 – 24 February 1952 Deceased *Lt Cupples, A.M     25 February 1952 – 22 July 1952 *Lt Miskimmin, WH     23 July 1952 – 30 May 1955 Deceased *LCdr Stewart, J.R.K.     31 May 1955 – 26 October 1958 Deceased *LCdr Pearce, G.D.     27 October 1958 – 3 November 1960 *LCdr Machan, S.G     4 November 1960 – 28 May 1963 *Lt Siddons, J.N.     29 May 1963 – 25 July 1965 *LCdr Ellerton, J.H.     26 July 1965 – 11 November 1969 Deceased *LCdr Henderson, W.D     12 July 1969 – 18 September 1972 Deceased *LCdr Dykes, R.M.     19 September 1972 – 14 May 1974 Deceased *LCdr Hall, W.H.     15 May 1974 – 9 September 1976 *LCdr Cameron, M.D.     10 September 1976 – 19 June 1979 *LCdr Johnston, P.L.     11 September 1979 – 26 July 1981 *LCdr Poole, W.J.     27 July 1981 – 11 July 1984 Deceased *LCdr Stanley, M.E.     11 July 1984 – 22 July 1988 Deceased *LCdr Van Ek, O.     22 July 1988 – 26 July 1991 *LCdr Wolfe, T     26 July 1991 – 22 July 1994 *Lt Munro, D.J.     22 July 1994 – 26 August 1994 *LCdr Darlington, C.A.H. *     27 August 1994 – 31 March 1996 Note: LCdr Darlington was the last C.O. of CFS Aldergrove before it was downgraded to a detachment of CFB Esquimalt. On 31 March 1996, Aldergrove was disbanded and ceased being a Canadian Forces Station, instead being referred to as Naval Radio Section Aldergrove.


Detachment commanders

*LCdr Darlington, C.A.H.     31 March 1996 – July 1996 *Lt(N) Lafontaine, P.J.     July 1996 – July 1997 *Lt(N) Duke, Peter     July 1997 – July 2000 *Lt(N) Hansen, Garry     July 2000 – July 2002


Badge

Blazon: Barry wavy of ten Argent and Azure, a
Caduceus The caduceus (☤; ; , ) is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The same staff was borne by other heralds like Iris (mythology), Iris, the messenger of Hera. The s ...
from the head of which issue three forks of lightning pointing to the dexter, centre and sinister chief respectively, Or, between two
alder Alders are trees of the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus includes about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few species ex ...
leaves conjoined on one stem Gules. Significance: The Caduceus is the attribute of
Hermes Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...
of
Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
, who was the messenger or herald of the gods. It is used here as a symbol of one who carries, sends or receives messages. The fact that these particular messages are transmitted by means of radio is indicated by the three flashes of lightning that shoot out from the head of the Caduceus. The name Aldergrove is indicated by a sprig of two alder leaves; these are shown red because there is a subspecies of red alder common in the area where the base is located. Ship's colours: white and red Motto: Loud and Clear


References


External links


Information on NRS Aldergrove
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldergrove Canadian Forces bases in British Columbia Royal Canadian Navy bases