5 Cdn Div Support Group Detachment Aldershot Kentville (Camp Aldershot) Heliport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Owner | Government of Canada | ||||||||||
| Operator | Department of National Defence | ||||||||||
| Location | Kentville, Nova Scotia | ||||||||||
| Built | 1890s | ||||||||||
| Time zone | AST (UTC−04:00) | ||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | ADT (UTC−03:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 100 ft / 30 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 45°05′39″N064°30′32″W / 45.09417°N 64.50889°W /45.09417; -64.50889 | ||||||||||
| Website | 5 Cdn Div Support Base Detachment Aldershot | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  CKM9 Location of 5 Cdn Div Support Group Detachment Aldershot in Nova Scotia | |||||||||||
| Helipads | |||||||||||
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| Source:Canada Flight Supplement[1] | |||||||||||
5th Canadian Division Support Group Detachment Aldershot (also5 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 0.5nautical miles (0.93 km; 0.58 mi)[1] northwest ofKentville on a well-drained sandy plateau along the north side of theCornwallis River. Surrounded by the agricultural heartland ofNova Scotia in theAnnapolis Valley, 5 Cdn Div Support Group Detachment Aldershot is situated primarily on marginalagricultural land not suitable for crops. Relatively few military personnel are stationed at the camp as it serves primarily for training regular force andPrimary Reserve units of the Canadian Army's5th Canadian Division.
5th Canadian Division Training Centre conducts year-round courses forRegular Force andPrimary Reserve 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, theRoyal Canadian Navy, theCanadian Army and theRoyal Canadian Air Force conduct training at Aldershot, as well as elements of Canada'sCanadian Special Operations Forces Command. 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 andRoyal Canadian Army Cadets exercises for units from theHalifax metro area, and other locations in theMaritime Provinces.
During the 1890s and the lead up to theBoer War, theBritish Army, which was responsible for Canada's defence until 1906, establishedMilitary Camp Aldershot (also shortened toCamp Aldershot) as a training area on land in the western part of Kings County between the villages ofAylesford andKingston. Camp Aldershot was intended to trainCanadian Militia units from Nova Scotia and was served by theCornwallis Valley Railwaybranch line of theDominion Atlantic Railway line running through the area. It received its name in honour ofAldershot inHampshire,United Kingdom, the site of the home of the British Army.
In 1904, the facility was moved to its present site on 1,136 ha (2,810 acres) 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 toKingsport, providing efficient transport of troops and supplies. TheDepartment of Militia and Defence took over administration of the facility from the British Army in 1906.
Used almost exclusively as amilitia facility from its inception, various militia units ofcavalry,infantry andartillery 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 theFirst World War with in excess of 7,000 soldiers being trained for the infantry at any particular time. Temporary buildings were constructed to housemesses 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 thearmistice 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 theSecond World War 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 namedAldershot for postal purposes),firing ranges and parade squares established and various support buildings andbarracks.
Despite the construction of barracks, the huge influx of soldiers required the use of tents for housing along with temporary cookhouses. Camp Aldershot hosted theCanadian 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 forOperation Downfall, the invasion ofJapan.
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 theCold War. In 1953The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada returned from service in theKorean War and the First and Second Battalions were stationed at Camp Aldershot, along with additional units atCamp 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 toWest Germany in 1959 and was stationed at the newly constructedCamp Gagetown inNew Brunswick 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, primarilyThe West Nova Scotia Regiment, however the Royal Canadian Army Cadets also used the camp as a Cadet Summer Training Centre (CSTC) from the late 1940s-late 1960s.
The late 1960s saw numerous changes to Canada's military during theunification of the Canadian Forces. Camp Aldershot underwent more decline as facility rationalization throughout the military took place and the army cadets establishedACSTC 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 ofAldershot Range and Training Area.
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 termedLFAA 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.
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.
Land Force Atlantic Area Training Centre Aldershot was awarded theFreedom of the Town ofKentville,Nova Scotia on October 14, 2012.[2]
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