CFB Picton
Encyclopedia
Canadian Forces Base Picton (CFB Picton) was a military installation located in Picton, Ontario
. The base was active from the Second World War to 1969 and served the Royal Air Force
, Royal Canadian Air Force
and Canadian Army. Today the site functions as the Picton Airport
.
. An airfield was built on a high plateau overlooking Picton and the Royal Air Force
's No. 31 Bombing & Gunnery School officially opened in April 1941. Five bombing ranges were also created to allow the students to practice. Aircraft flown at the base included the Avro Anson
, Fairey Battle
, Bristol Bolingbroke and Westland Lysander
. The school offered six week courses in bombing, navigation and air gunnery until it was disbanded in November 1944.
After the Bombing & Gunnery School was disbanded, the Royal Canadian Air Force
established the No. 5 Reserve Equipment Maintenance Unit at Picton. This unit was responsible for aircraft storage and maintenance of the airfield itself. This unit operated until January 1946 when its functions were absorbed by a unit at RCAF Station Trenton.
In July 1960, the base was officially renamed Camp Picton and the RCSA (A.A.) disbanded a few weeks later. Two new units were formed later that year, namely the 1st Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) Battery and the 2nd SSM (Training) Battery of The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. Both units were transferred; the 1st went to Europe in December 1961 to be equipped with Honest John rockets and the 2nd was transferred to Camp Shilo
in 1962. The 1st Battalion of the Canadian Guards then transferred to Camp Picton from their previous base in Germany.
With the unification of the Army, RCAF and Royal Canadian Navy
to create the Canadian Forces
, Camp Picton was renamed Canadian Forces Base Picton. However, reductions in the Canadian military meant that the base was no longer required and CFB Picton was closed in September 1969.
. The Point Petre and South Bay Training Areas were located in the southeast corner of the county, near Cherry Valley
. Point Petre had been in use as an artillery range since 1938, and the area continued in that role with the formation of the RCSA. Sections of the site were also used for test firing of the Velvet Glove
air-to-air missile. The South Bay Training Area was used for mortar
, recoilless rifle
and anti-tank rocket training.
Today, Point Petre is a Provincial Wildlife Area. A transmitter site for the Military Aeronautical Communications System based at CFB Trenton
is also located there.
.
The base and Point Petre were also used to film the movie Dieppe (1993) a TV movie by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
Picton, Ontario
Picton is an unincorporated community located in Prince Edward County in southern Central Ontario, Canada. It is the county seat and largest community. Picton is located at the south-western end of Picton Bay, a branch of the Bay of Quinte, which is along the northern shoreline of Lake Ontario...
. The base was active from the Second World War to 1969 and served the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
and Canadian Army. Today the site functions as the Picton Airport
Picton Airport
Picton Airport is located on the southeast side of Picton, Ontario, Canada, near the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario. The airport is used for general aviation, including glider flying.-History:During World War II, the airport hosted the No...
.
Second World War
The base at Picton originated as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training PlanBritish Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
. An airfield was built on a high plateau overlooking Picton and the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
's No. 31 Bombing & Gunnery School officially opened in April 1941. Five bombing ranges were also created to allow the students to practice. Aircraft flown at the base included the Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
, Fairey Battle
Fairey Battle
The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force. The Battle was powered by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine that gave contemporary British fighters high performance; however, the Battle was weighed...
, Bristol Bolingbroke and Westland Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
. The school offered six week courses in bombing, navigation and air gunnery until it was disbanded in November 1944.
After the Bombing & Gunnery School was disbanded, the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
established the No. 5 Reserve Equipment Maintenance Unit at Picton. This unit was responsible for aircraft storage and maintenance of the airfield itself. This unit operated until January 1946 when its functions were absorbed by a unit at RCAF Station Trenton.
Canadian Army
After the departure of the maintenance unit, most of the base was taken over by the Army for use as the Royal Canadian School of Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) (RCSA(A.A.)). The school provided training for anti-aircraft gunners, gunnery radar operators, technical assistants and artillery instructors. A number of operational artillery units were also located in Picton, including the 127th and 128th Medium AA Batteries, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and the 2nd and 3rd Light AA Batteries of the 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment,RCA. The RCAF also maintained a small detachment at the base to provide aircraft targets for the gunners.In July 1960, the base was officially renamed Camp Picton and the RCSA (A.A.) disbanded a few weeks later. Two new units were formed later that year, namely the 1st Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) Battery and the 2nd SSM (Training) Battery of The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. Both units were transferred; the 1st went to Europe in December 1961 to be equipped with Honest John rockets and the 2nd was transferred to Camp Shilo
CFB Shilo
Canadian Forces Base Shilo is an Operations and Training base of the Canadian Forces, located east of Brandon, Manitoba. During the 1990s, Canadian Forces Base Shilo was also designated as an Area Support Unit, which acts as a local base of operations for south-west Manitoba in times of military...
in 1962. The 1st Battalion of the Canadian Guards then transferred to Camp Picton from their previous base in Germany.
With the unification of the Army, RCAF and Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
to create the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, Camp Picton was renamed Canadian Forces Base Picton. However, reductions in the Canadian military meant that the base was no longer required and CFB Picton was closed in September 1969.
Affiliated facilities
The Bombing & Gunnery School and Artillery School also operated a number of ranges in other parts of Prince Edward CountyPrince Edward County, Ontario
Prince Edward County is a single-tier municipality and a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario.-Geography:Prince Edward County is located in Southern Ontario on a large irregular headland or littoral at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, just west of the head of the St. Lawrence River...
. The Point Petre and South Bay Training Areas were located in the southeast corner of the county, near Cherry Valley
Cherry Valley, Prince Edward County, Ontario
Cherry Valley is a community in the single-tier municipality of Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. It is located at .Located on Lake Ontario within Quinte on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Salmon Point Lighthouse was erected in Cherry Valley in 1871, when the area was already nicknamed Wicked...
. Point Petre had been in use as an artillery range since 1938, and the area continued in that role with the formation of the RCSA. Sections of the site were also used for test firing of the Velvet Glove
Velvet Glove
The Velvet Glove was a short-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile designed by CARDE and produced by Canadair starting in 1953...
air-to-air missile. The South Bay Training Area was used for mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
, recoilless rifle
Recoilless rifle
A recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
and anti-tank rocket training.
Today, Point Petre is a Provincial Wildlife Area. A transmitter site for the Military Aeronautical Communications System based at CFB Trenton
CFB Trenton
Canadian Forces Base Trenton , is a Canadian Forces base located northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad...
is also located there.
After closure
After CFB Picton was closed, much of the base housing was sold to the Government of Ontario. Originally run by the Ministry of Health, it was later transferred to the Ministry of Community and Social Services, and was named Prince Edward Heights. The "Heights" as it was known locally, at its peak was home to approximately 450 mentally handicapped individuals, and employed just as many staff, until deinstitutionalization became the norm and it was forced to close in September 1999. A developer has since purchased the homes, renamed the development "Macaulay Village" and resold them as individual properties. Much of the main base also remains, with some of the original buildings in use for assorted industrial and institutional purposes. The airfield remains in operation as Picton AirportPicton Airport
Picton Airport is located on the southeast side of Picton, Ontario, Canada, near the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario. The airport is used for general aviation, including glider flying.-History:During World War II, the airport hosted the No...
.
The base and Point Petre were also used to film the movie Dieppe (1993) a TV movie by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)