Camp Hughes
Encyclopedia
Camp Hughes was a Canadian military
training camp, located in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress west of the town of Carberry
in Manitoba
, Canada
. It was actively used for Army training from 1909 to 1934 and as a communications station from the early 1960s until 1991.
training camp named "Camp Sewell" was established 10 kilometers west of Carberry
south of the Canadian Pacific Railway
line. It started out as a city of tents and covered a large area. The name of the camp was changed in 1915 to "Camp Hughes" in honour of Major-General Sir Sam Hughes
, Canada's Minister of Militia and Defence at the time. Extensive trench systems, grenade and rifle ranges, and military structures were built at Camp Hughes between 1915 and 1916, and a variety of retail stores and entertainment complexes on a double-avenued area close to the main camp formed a lively commercial midway. During World War I
more than 38,000 troops of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
trained at the camp, and by 1916 it had grown to such a large size that it had the largest population of any city in the province of Manitoba
outside of the capital city, Winnipeg
. Many of the soldiers who trained at Camp Hughes were later involved in the infamous Battle of Vimy Ridge
in France
on April 9, 1917.
The soldiers and support staff stationed at Camp Hughes maintained very close social and economic ties with the town of Carberry
, which was located only a short distance away from the site.
The Canadian Army continued to train soldiers at the camp until 1934, when the camp closed and the troops were moved to nearby Camp Shilo, now CFB Shilo
, and Kapyong Barracks, a now closed part of CFB Winnipeg
, for financial and logistical reasons. The former camp was saw some use during World War II.
By the early 1960s, the site re-opened as a Cold War
remote transmitter station for Camp Shilo. A one-level bunker was built was built on the property. The bunker was closed in 1992 and has since been demolished.
The Camp Hughes Cemetery, which is located on what is known as Cemetery Hill, also remains at Camp Hughes.
The Camp Hughes site is no longer used for active military use, therefore access is not restricted to the area. It does however continue to be monitored by the Canadian Department of National Defense.
as a Provincial Heritage Site.
There is a roadside park named "Camp Hughes Wayside Park" located 10 kilometers west of Carberry
on the Trans Canada Highway at the west intersection with PTH 351, a short distance north of the actual Camp Hughes site, named in honour of the military camp.
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."...
training camp, located in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress west of the town of Carberry
Carberry, Manitoba
Carberry is the largest town in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. It is home to 1,502 people and is located 50 kilometres east of Brandon, Manitoba.-Economy:...
in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was actively used for Army training from 1909 to 1934 and as a communications station from the early 1960s until 1991.
History
In 1909, a Canadian MilitaryCanadian 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."...
training camp named "Camp Sewell" was established 10 kilometers west of Carberry
Carberry, Manitoba
Carberry is the largest town in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. It is home to 1,502 people and is located 50 kilometres east of Brandon, Manitoba.-Economy:...
south of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
line. It started out as a city of tents and covered a large area. The name of the camp was changed in 1915 to "Camp Hughes" in honour of Major-General Sir Sam Hughes
Sam Hughes
For other people of the same name see Sam Hughes Sir Samuel Hughes, KCB, PC was the Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence during World War I...
, Canada's Minister of Militia and Defence at the time. Extensive trench systems, grenade and rifle ranges, and military structures were built at Camp Hughes between 1915 and 1916, and a variety of retail stores and entertainment complexes on a double-avenued area close to the main camp formed a lively commercial midway. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
more than 38,000 troops of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
trained at the camp, and by 1916 it had grown to such a large size that it had the largest population of any city in the province of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
outside of the capital city, Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. Many of the soldiers who trained at Camp Hughes were later involved in the infamous Battle of Vimy Ridge
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on April 9, 1917.
The soldiers and support staff stationed at Camp Hughes maintained very close social and economic ties with the town of Carberry
Carberry, Manitoba
Carberry is the largest town in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. It is home to 1,502 people and is located 50 kilometres east of Brandon, Manitoba.-Economy:...
, which was located only a short distance away from the site.
The Canadian Army continued to train soldiers at the camp until 1934, when the camp closed and the troops were moved to nearby Camp Shilo, now CFB 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...
, and Kapyong Barracks, a now closed part of CFB Winnipeg
CFB Winnipeg
Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg , is a Canadian Forces Base located within the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Co-located at the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, CFB Winnipeg is home to many flight operations support divisions, as well as several training schools...
, for financial and logistical reasons. The former camp was saw some use during World War II.
By the early 1960s, the site re-opened as a 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...
remote transmitter station for Camp Shilo. A one-level bunker was built was built on the property. The bunker was closed in 1992 and has since been demolished.
Today
Although very eroded after over 85 years, the original trench system at Camp Hughes is still intact and is the only World War One era trench system remaining in North America.The Camp Hughes Cemetery, which is located on what is known as Cemetery Hill, also remains at Camp Hughes.
The Camp Hughes site is no longer used for active military use, therefore access is not restricted to the area. It does however continue to be monitored by the Canadian Department of National Defense.
Official recognition
In 1994, Camp Hughes was designated by the Government of ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
as a Provincial Heritage Site.
There is a roadside park named "Camp Hughes Wayside Park" located 10 kilometers west of Carberry
Carberry, Manitoba
Carberry is the largest town in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. It is home to 1,502 people and is located 50 kilometres east of Brandon, Manitoba.-Economy:...
on the Trans Canada Highway at the west intersection with PTH 351, a short distance north of the actual Camp Hughes site, named in honour of the military camp.
See also
- Carberry, ManitobaCarberry, ManitobaCarberry is the largest town in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. It is home to 1,502 people and is located 50 kilometres east of Brandon, Manitoba.-Economy:...
- Rural Municipality of North Cypress
- RCAF Station CarberryRCAF Station CarberryRCAF Station Carberry was a Second World War air training station located near Carberry, Manitoba, Canada. The Royal Air Force , opened No. 33 Service Flying Training School here in December 1940...
- History of the Canadian ArmyHistory of the Canadian ArmyThe Canadian Army as such originally only existed under that name from November 1940 to February 1968. However, the term has been traditionally applied to the ground forces of Canada's military from Confederation in 1867 to the present...
- Canadian ForcesCanadian ForcesThe 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."...
- Bruce Forsyth's Canadian Military History Page