Suffield Experimental Station
Encyclopedia
The military research facility located 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Suffield, Alberta
, operated under the name of the Suffield Experimental Station from 1950 to its renaming to the Defence Research Establishment Suffield
in 1967.
was transferred from the Canadian Army to the Defence Research Board (DRB) on April 30, 1947 by Order in Council PC 101/1727. In the August of this year, approval was given for the construction of 60 prefabricated housing units at a site named after the Honourable J.L. Ralston
. Due to delays, major construction did not complete until 1953.
The Suffield Experimental Station (SES) came into official existence when the Experimental Station Suffield
was renamed in August 1950. The station was responsible for the administration and operation of the 2690 square kilometer Suffield Block. The DRB's annual report for 1951 listed various major construction projects in progress at station: Shopping and Recreation Centre, Transport Garage, CMHC Housing (76 homes), the Ralston School (a Recognized Federal Heritage Building), and a Fire Hall. The designs for the Central Laboratory were to be completed by December, 1951. On September 29, 1955, the Central Laboratory (Building 1) was opened by Major General William M. Creasy, Commanding General, U.S. Army Chemical Corps and is now a Recognized Federal Heritage Building. In July 1967, the Suffield Experimental Station was renamed to the Defence Research Establishment Suffield
(DRES).
These experiments helped to understand how meteoric craters are formed and shaped
Suffield, Alberta
Suffield is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within Cypress County. It is located on the Trans-Canada Highway approximately northwest of Medicine Hat.- History :...
, operated under the name of the Suffield Experimental Station from 1950 to its renaming to the Defence Research Establishment Suffield
Defence Research Establishment Suffield
The military research facility located north of Suffield, Alberta, operated under the name of the Defence Research Establishment Suffield from 1967 to its renaming to DRDC Suffield in 2000.-History:...
in 1967.
History
Control of the Experimental Station SuffieldExperimental Station Suffield
The military research facility located north of Suffield, Alberta, operated under the name of the Experimental Station Suffield from its inception into 1941 to its renaming to the Suffield Experimental Station in 1950....
was transferred from the Canadian Army to the Defence Research Board (DRB) on April 30, 1947 by Order in Council PC 101/1727. In the August of this year, approval was given for the construction of 60 prefabricated housing units at a site named after the Honourable J.L. Ralston
James Ralston
James Layton Ralston, PC was a Canadian lawyer, soldier and politician.Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Ralston graduated from law school at Dalhousie University in 1903 and practised law in Amherst...
. Due to delays, major construction did not complete until 1953.
The Suffield Experimental Station (SES) came into official existence when the Experimental Station Suffield
Experimental Station Suffield
The military research facility located north of Suffield, Alberta, operated under the name of the Experimental Station Suffield from its inception into 1941 to its renaming to the Suffield Experimental Station in 1950....
was renamed in August 1950. The station was responsible for the administration and operation of the 2690 square kilometer Suffield Block. The DRB's annual report for 1951 listed various major construction projects in progress at station: Shopping and Recreation Centre, Transport Garage, CMHC Housing (76 homes), the Ralston School (a Recognized Federal Heritage Building), and a Fire Hall. The designs for the Central Laboratory were to be completed by December, 1951. On September 29, 1955, the Central Laboratory (Building 1) was opened by Major General William M. Creasy, Commanding General, U.S. Army Chemical Corps and is now a Recognized Federal Heritage Building. In July 1967, the Suffield Experimental Station was renamed to the Defence Research Establishment Suffield
Defence Research Establishment Suffield
The military research facility located north of Suffield, Alberta, operated under the name of the Defence Research Establishment Suffield from 1967 to its renaming to DRDC Suffield in 2000.-History:...
(DRES).
| Chief Superintendent | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Dr. H.M. Barrett | 1947 to fall 1949 |
| Dr. E.A. Perren | fall 1949 to 1951 |
| Dr. H.M. Barrett | 1951 to 1952 |
| Dr. G.O. Langstroth | 1952 to Sept 1957 |
| Mr. A.M. Pennie | Sept 1957 to ? |
Large Explosive Events
- A 100 ton detonation occurred on 3 August 1961
- The Snowball 500 ton detonation (hemisphere form) on 17 July 1964 formed a 87 meter diameter crater
- The Prairie Flat 500 ton detonation (spherical form)
These experiments helped to understand how meteoric craters are formed and shaped