The camp at the fairgrounds
" The Woodstock Fairgrounds played a very necessary role during the war effort of 1939-45. On August 8th, 1940, the Department of National Defence of Ottawa, decided to use the 15-to-20 acre site of the fairgrounds as the No.11 Militia Training Centre. Mr. Vance of James A. Vance Construction Ltd., of Woodstock, was chosen to supervise the construction of 30 buildings to house and accommodate 1,000 trainees and staff; which had to be completed on a very tight timetable.This major undertaking was a very large community effort. There were as many as 400 workmen employed at one time; drawn from almost every walk of life. From Woodstock Collegiate, Mr. James A. Vance 'drafted' Ed Ferguson the head of the Commercial Dept., Stan Blair the head of Classics, and Frank Hogg the Principal of Chapel School.
Wilf Shrimpton was also an indispensable help, running errands by truck all over Woodstock,. There was nothing he couldn't do or find. A.J. McKinney, owner of McKinney Lumber Co. of Woodstock, supervised the carpentry, making his rounds on a large white horse.
The 30 buildings were located at the rear and either end of the grandstand, leaving the front open for a parade ground. Some of the buildings were in an "H" shape, and used to accommodate sleeping quarters, washrooms and showers, (these were also built on posts, which expedited building time). Also they had mess halls, kitchens and other larger buildings for lecture rooms, library, recreation, etc.
On September 19, 1940, it was announced that command of the Training Centre, by [then named] the No.11 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre, had been given to Lt. Col. R.B. Crouch, of London, Ontario. Officers of the Oxford Rifles Company named were: Company Commander Major Arthur Farmer, MM; 2nd. Lts. Phil Johnston, M. Longworth, and Sheldon S. Carroll; Camp RSM was to be Walter Heard.
The camp at the fairgrounds received its first recruits for training on October 9, 1940. The camp was [later] used mainly as a Canadian Driving and Maintenance School. The camp was [originally] set-up as a Basic and later as an Artillery Training Centre. With the end of the war it became a selection depot, where men were held until their turn came for discharge from the service.
During the operation of the camp, more than 28,000 men and women were trained. During the four years as a Driving and Maintenance School, 16,828 of them learned how to operate the 600 vehicles; which were, Harley-Davison motorcycles; (Ford Motor Company of Canada, Armoured Universal Carriers) Bren gun trucks, and other large trucks. The mileage put on these vehicles, day and night for four years, approximately equals 550 times around the earth.
Many Woodstock residents served at the school, including Jack Swerdfeger, L.S. 'Sparky' Weiler, and D.W. 'Bill' Yates as instructors. The training and driving was dangerous and tricky. They drove these vehicles on some of the worst terrain just outside of Woodstock, mostly on the flats and hills of the Thames River of East Zorra, which is now covered by the Gordon Pittock Lake. Four lives were lost during the training . . . The training centre closed on March 14, 1946.
A few of the buildings are still in use today: one is the renovated Club Cartier at the west end next to Rathbourne Ave., and another [is] at the east end next to Nellis St. This building is the most original one left. It has not changed much in 60 years.
At the fairgrounds, next to Club Cartier building, a stone Memorial Cairn was erected by the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #55 of Woodstock, on August 13, 1995, the plaque reads:
DEDICATED TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE PART OF NO.11 MILITIA TRAINING CENTRE, S11 ADVANCED DRIVING AND MAINTENANCE SCHOOL, SITUATED HERE ON THE SITE OF THE WOODSTOCK FAIRGROUNDS 1940-1946
Sources:
- Smith, Julia A., booklet, On The Home Front, Woodstock Public Library Historical Files,
- Thanks to Mr. Bill Powell (of Woodstock), a Veteran of the Merchant Navy.
Wilf Shrimpton was also an indispensable help, running errands by truck all over Woodstock,. There was nothing he couldn't do or find. A.J. McKinney, owner of McKinney Lumber Co. of Woodstock, supervised the carpentry, making his rounds on a large white horse.
The 30 buildings were located at the rear and either end of the grandstand, leaving the front open for a parade ground. Some of the buildings were in an "H" shape, and used to accommodate sleeping quarters, washrooms and showers, (these were also built on posts, which expedited building time). Also they had mess halls, kitchens and other larger buildings for lecture rooms, library, recreation, etc.
On September 19, 1940, it was announced that command of the Training Centre, by [then named] the No.11 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre, had been given to Lt. Col. R.B. Crouch, of London, Ontario. Officers of the Oxford Rifles Company named were: Company Commander Major Arthur Farmer, MM; 2nd. Lts. Phil Johnston, M. Longworth, and Sheldon S. Carroll; Camp RSM was to be Walter Heard.
The camp at the fairgrounds received its first recruits for training on October 9, 1940. The camp was [later] used mainly as a Canadian Driving and Maintenance School. The camp was [originally] set-up as a Basic and later as an Artillery Training Centre. With the end of the war it became a selection depot, where men were held until their turn came for discharge from the service.
During the operation of the camp, more than 28,000 men and women were trained. During the four years as a Driving and Maintenance School, 16,828 of them learned how to operate the 600 vehicles; which were, Harley-Davison motorcycles; (Ford Motor Company of Canada, Armoured Universal Carriers) Bren gun trucks, and other large trucks. The mileage put on these vehicles, day and night for four years, approximately equals 550 times around the earth.
Many Woodstock residents served at the school, including Jack Swerdfeger, L.S. 'Sparky' Weiler, and D.W. 'Bill' Yates as instructors. The training and driving was dangerous and tricky. They drove these vehicles on some of the worst terrain just outside of Woodstock, mostly on the flats and hills of the Thames River of East Zorra, which is now covered by the Gordon Pittock Lake. Four lives were lost during the training . . . The training centre closed on March 14, 1946.
A few of the buildings are still in use today: one is the renovated Club Cartier at the west end next to Rathbourne Ave., and another [is] at the east end next to Nellis St. This building is the most original one left. It has not changed much in 60 years.
At the fairgrounds, next to Club Cartier building, a stone Memorial Cairn was erected by the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #55 of Woodstock, on August 13, 1995, the plaque reads:
DEDICATED TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE PART OF NO.11 MILITIA TRAINING CENTRE, S11 ADVANCED DRIVING AND MAINTENANCE SCHOOL, SITUATED HERE ON THE SITE OF THE WOODSTOCK FAIRGROUNDS 1940-1946
Sources:
- Smith, Julia A., booklet, On The Home Front, Woodstock Public Library Historical Files,
- Thanks to Mr. Bill Powell (of Woodstock), a Veteran of the Merchant Navy.
