CFB Clinton
Encyclopedia
Canadian Forces Base Clinton (also CFB Clinton) was a Canadian Forces Base
located near Clinton
, Ontario
.
(RAF) as RAF Station Clinton in 1941, the base hosted the No. 31 Radio Direction Finding School (No. 31 RDF) as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
(BCATP).
In July 1943, No. 31 RDF was decommissioned and No. 5 Radio School was created in its place by the Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF), with the base becoming RCAF Station Clinton. In June 1944 the BCATP began to scale back and No 5 Radio School was transferred to the RCAF's Home War Operations Training command.
Unlike many RCAF stations across Canada, RCAF Station Clinton was not mothballed at the end of the Second World War and in November 1945 became home to the No. 1 Radar and Communications School (No. 1 R&CS), which it co-hosted with nearby RCAF Station Centralia
.
During the Cold War
, RCAF Station Clinton hosted other units, including No. 12 Examination Unit, No. 1 Air Radio Officer School, School of Food Services, and the Aerospace Engineering (AERE) Officer School.
The February 1, 1968 merger of the RCAF with the Royal Canadian Navy
and Canadian Army to form the Canadian Forces
saw RCAF Station Clinton change its name to Canadian Forces Base Clinton or CFB Clinton.
The merger saw the Canadian Forces rationalize and consolidate many of its facilities to avoid duplication and CFB Clinton was closed by 1971 with its remaining units distributed to other facilities.
Following the closure of the base, the buildings were sold to real estate developer John Van Gastel and now make up the small village of Vanastra, Ontario
.
. After a search which included hundreds of members of the RCAF from the Station, her body was discovered a short distance from the station. Truscott was arrested, denied many of the civilized considerations not yet enshrined in law as 'rights' (such as full disclosure of the evidence against him) and convicted of Capital Murder. Oddly, he was not convicted of Rape yet this was always presented as a motive. His sentence was to be hanged but was commuted to life in prison.
The sentencing of this fourteen-year-old to death is often credited for bringing an end to the death penalty in Canada. In addition Truscott never exhibited any pathological behaviors that would be used by criminal profilers to include him in a pool of suspects. He was eventually exonerated when his conviction was overturned after 45 years.
Canadian Forces base
A Canadian Forces Base or CFB is a military installation of the Canadian Forces. For a facility to qualify as a Canadian Forces Base, it must station one or more major units .Minor installations are named Canadian Forces Station or CFS A Canadian Forces Base or CFB (French Base des forces...
located near Clinton
Clinton, Ontario
Clinton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the municipality of Central Huron. Established in 1831, Clinton first began when Jonas Gibbings, Peter and Stephen Vanderburg cleared out a small area to start. Clinton started to grow in 1844 when William Rattenbury laid out...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
History
Established by the Royal Air ForceRoyal 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...
(RAF) as RAF Station Clinton in 1941, the base hosted the No. 31 Radio Direction Finding School (No. 31 RDF) as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British 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...
(BCATP).
In July 1943, No. 31 RDF was decommissioned and No. 5 Radio School was created in its place by 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...
(RCAF), with the base becoming RCAF Station Clinton. In June 1944 the BCATP began to scale back and No 5 Radio School was transferred to the RCAF's Home War Operations Training command.
Unlike many RCAF stations across Canada, RCAF Station Clinton was not mothballed at the end of the Second World War and in November 1945 became home to the No. 1 Radar and Communications School (No. 1 R&CS), which it co-hosted with nearby RCAF Station Centralia
RCAF Station Centralia
RCAF Station Centralia was a Royal Canadian Air Force training base located just outside the village of Centralia near Exeter, Ontario, Canada. It became one of the largest training stations in Canada....
.
During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, RCAF Station Clinton hosted other units, including No. 12 Examination Unit, No. 1 Air Radio Officer School, School of Food Services, and the Aerospace Engineering (AERE) Officer School.
The February 1, 1968 merger of the RCAF with the 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...
and Canadian Army to form 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."...
saw RCAF Station Clinton change its name to Canadian Forces Base Clinton or CFB Clinton.
The merger saw the Canadian Forces rationalize and consolidate many of its facilities to avoid duplication and CFB Clinton was closed by 1971 with its remaining units distributed to other facilities.
Following the closure of the base, the buildings were sold to real estate developer John Van Gastel and now make up the small village of Vanastra, Ontario
Vanastra, Ontario
Vanastra, Ontario is located in the municipality of Huron East in Huron County, three kilometres south of Clinton, Ontario.It is located on the property of CFB Clinton, a former Canadian Forces Base and prior to 1968, a Royal Canadian Air Force station used for radar training.The present name...
.
The Murder of Lynn Harper
ON June 9th of 1959, a young woman who lived in the private married quarters on the base, disappeared after accepting a ride on the bicycle of classmate Steven TruscottSteven Truscott
Steven Murray Truscott is a Canadian man who was sentenced to death in 1959, when he was a 14-year old student, for the murder of classmate Lynne Harper...
. After a search which included hundreds of members of the RCAF from the Station, her body was discovered a short distance from the station. Truscott was arrested, denied many of the civilized considerations not yet enshrined in law as 'rights' (such as full disclosure of the evidence against him) and convicted of Capital Murder. Oddly, he was not convicted of Rape yet this was always presented as a motive. His sentence was to be hanged but was commuted to life in prison.
The sentencing of this fourteen-year-old to death is often credited for bringing an end to the death penalty in Canada. In addition Truscott never exhibited any pathological behaviors that would be used by criminal profilers to include him in a pool of suspects. He was eventually exonerated when his conviction was overturned after 45 years.