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 OPCMHVisitor No. Annual Fort Macaulay DayThe 9th Annual FORT MACAULAY DAY will be held at Macaulay Point Park on |
HISTORY OF WORK POINT BARRACKSby Jack BatesPART 10 — 1995 to 20242024OPCMH The Pacific Coast Militia Rangers (PCMR) are not widely known when compared to the fabled Regiments of the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force of the Second World War. However, from 1942 to 1945 they were much in effect in the defence of British Columbia’s coastline, the interior, Vancouver Island and the other islands along the Canadian Pacific shores. The PCMR regularly published information booklets from 1942 to 1945 for the public and had a distinct presence in the British Columbia. At peak strength there were in total 138 Companies, as shown in the following final booklet published, pages 12-15. Final "Stand Down" Issue of The Ranger, 1945. Click to view as a PDF file. No. 1 Company, South Vancouver Island, of the PCMR. It was the forerunner to the current South Vancouver Island Rangers, located on Luxton Road in Langford. Click to view image as a PDF file. Background to the formation of the No. 1 Company - S.V.I. Unit Final Draft (PDF) Photograph of No. 15 Company PCMR (PDF) January 12, 1944 - Correspondence of No. 18 Company (PDF) See TIMES references, April 8, 10, 16 and 27, 1942) The CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum website, under ARTICLES and DEFENDING THE COAST, has two articles on the PCMR and an exhibit pending. HEADWAY - Winter 2016 NEWSLETTER, pages 6-7, by Debbie Towell. Click here to view article as a PDF. ANAVETS Shoulder to SHOULDER - March 2017 publication, pages 8-9, by Bill Nangle. Click here to view article as a PDF. LEGION MAGAZINE January/February 2014, pages 44-47, by Graham Chandler. Click here to view article as a PDF. On May 23, 1947, the Canadian Government, realizing the value of the PCMR, formerly established the Canadian Rangers as a sub-component of the army reserve, to provide a limited military presence in many of Canada’s remote locations. In the Greater Victoria area, over the years, the Canadian Rangers have been headquartered most recently in Work Point Barracks, Belmont Park, and currently at Albert Head in Metchosin. OPCMH Lt. Col. O’BRIEN LETTERS These letters dating back to 1873, mostly in the 1880’s between the War Office in London and the Royal Engineers in Halifax, Nova Scotia, covering proposed strategy for Victoria-Esquimalt coast defence.
OPCMH Following up on the situation of WP 1068 at WORK POINT, the former detention barracks apparently slated for demolition: See November 18, 2023. On April 15, 2013, Jon Burbee, Manager of Real Estate Services, Base Construction Engineering at CFB Esquimalt at the time, delivered a presentation to Esquimalt Council covering the CFB Esquimalt Heritage Design Guidelines Final Report. Link to Esquimalt Council Minutes of 2013-04-15. “I think the HDG’s will not only provide sound guidance for the preservation of cultural values, but will also allow the Navy to focus maintenance investments to meet the minimum requirements.” This report created Heritage Zones for Dockyard, Naden, Signal Hill and Work Point. Heritage Zone 5 in Work Point includes buildings WP 1068, 1070, 1071 and 1075 with a reference to preserving this cluster of the four valued brick buildings. WP 1075 is the RECOGNIZED building in Zone 5, but “Other buildings that reinforce the heritage character of this zone and that should be preserved are WP 1068, 1070 and 1071.” Maintenance spending at CFB Esquimalt has been questioned in the past and was included in the Auditor General’s report in November 2012 placing last of 19 bases reported on in maintenance spending. Unfortunately, neglect of building WP 1068 certainly confirms that. I last recorded WP 1068 being utilized for light urban search and rescue training on November 24, 2015, where military and civilian jurisdictions participated jointly. See LOOKOUT March 20, 2006, for background on this disaster response program, perhaps now in jeopardy. Some activity still remains for Medium Urban Search and Rescue at Macaulay Point, access off Clifton Terrace and Viewpoint / Vaughn Streets. The next previous heritage and use report, dated June 4, 2001 for the Naval Officers Training Centre (NOTC) occupation of Work Point, credited WP 1068 to be of Primary Heritage Importance, recommending “Minor renovations be carried out to allow the buildings continued use as a trainer, alternately, could remain as existing and be used for storage.” Renovation estimates were the lowest of all the buildings by far in the historic artillery precinct. The 1996 CFB Esquimalt Master Facilities Development Plan, included a section (HERITAGE 7.3.6) which states: Maintain and enhance heritage buildings and heritage areas to commemorate military history and promote the military presence in the community. WP 1068, 1070, 1071 and 1075 were not mentioned in the proposed demolition list for Work Point. This report also has a section titled “FAMILY HOUSING,” if one wanted to see the concept in 1996. The 1989 FHBRO report 89 – 205 by Ian Doull, who wrote heritage value reports for the Dockyard, Naden, Signal Hill and Work Point, and other CFB Esquimalt components, reaffirmed WP 1068’s status as a building of primary heritage importance from Nelson and Oliver. The Nelson Oliver report in 1982 assessed WP 1068 as being of primary importance. The Stevenson-Kellogg report on Work Point buildings in 1974 recommends various uses for WP 1068, and to be maintained as it is historically valuable. Not mentioned but somewhat significant to this historic precinct is that WP 1068 has a HILL 70 BUILDING designation; WP 1070, designated ARLEUX BUILDING and WP 1075, designated YPRES BLOCK, all commemorating World War 1 battles in which the PPCLI was involved. The topic of PILT, Payment in lieu of Taxes paid to the Township annually, is rarely mentioned, except in the attempt to justify demolition activity. A local Base Real Property term discovered in emails was “dozer bait,” when it came to that, reconfirming a biased attitude to me! Currently the STETTLER BUILDING, WP 1004, has been repurposed, now the HMCS Venture Orderly Room, and the HAIDA BUILDING, WP 1020, now the Naval Fleet School (Pacific) Seamanship Division – Leadership Cell. These two RECOGNIZED buildings were last painted in 2009 for the Royal Canadian Navy 100th anniversary, obviously in dire need of that again.
Other buildings in the WORK POINT Heritage ZONE 5, the Royal Garrison Artillery precinct, purposed are: The ARLEUX BUILDING, WP 1070, remains utilized as the “Medical Clinic” and the RECOGNIZED building YPRES BLOCK, WP 1075, is now the “Naval Training Group Headquarters and HMCS Venture Training Support Division.” WP 1071, remains as the “Canadian Forces National Counter Intelligence Unit.” WORK POINT Surrounded by the new modular training encampment ! the Haida Building is not very visible as it once was as the Administration Headquarters for Work Point, and for a long period of time, Military District # 11. In the rear of the building where the Officer’s Mess once stood, additional modular training units are being placed. Wherever the ground is disturbed so that concrete pads to anchor the modulars can be placed, First Nations members are screening the soil for artifacts, an ongoing practice in Work Point.
FORT MACAULAY The Township of Esquimalt Public Works Department is undertaking repair of the hand-railings at the Command Post. Photo courtesy Ken O’Connor.
FORT MACAULAY
CC1 and CC2 The image below is an extract from Dockmaster AJ Daniels’ work report on the submarines CC1 and CC2 in Esquimalt 1915-1917. Courtesy Sherri Robinson.
GVMM & HS After the January meeting of the Greater Victoria Military Museums and Historic Sites Working Group, it appears that last week’s visit from the NDHQ - DHH (Directorate of History and Heritage) contained Disaster Response and Recovery as a topic discussed for military museums which is apparently lacking, and apparently extends even further afield from just museums. WP 1068 could be utilized, along with storage, as a Base Central Office for all natural and domestic disaster related components. Just a thought as to the usefulness of the building with a contemporary purpose, in conjunction with Search and Rescue programs. This before it is demolished, targeted by being two points under the FHBRO RECOGNIZED level, ignored for the past decade, and contrary to the 2013 Heritage Guidelines report prepared for CFB Esquimalt, and previous reports. The 2013 report was at the request of Defence Construction Canada (DCC) on behalf of the Directorate of Real Property Management (DRPM), the very department proposing demolition. Locally, the Real Property Operations Unit (Pacific) Section Esquimalt, is in pursuit of demolition. Due to the lack of response to my correspondence in November, I have written Rob Chambers, Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment) DND, in Ottawa.
VICTORIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Excellent historical articles are written by locals in this newsletter, mostly civilian, however military and naval content does appear occasionally. I also guided tours for their members of Work Point Barracks and Fort Macaulay a few years back. With regret, these are only two of the many outdoor sites, along with Fort Rodd Hill of course, open to the public. Click here to view newsletter (PDF). 831 JOHNSON STREET Discovering old World War II installations that have survived the years, 831 Johnson Street is another building, this time in the City of Victoria. It was built in 1943 under permit to the National Defence, RCAF, remained as such until 1946 when it was turned over to Pacific Command, another branch of National Defence. In 1947 it is listed as owned by BC Telephone Co. and known as the “Toll Building.” It remained as such for many years after that. The address was consolidated into 826 Yates Street eventually, the current TELUS property. Apparently this building had a direct cable link to a similar facility in Prince Rupert for military communications.
FORT MACAULAY DAY The 9th Annual Fort Macaulay Day, missing two years due to COVID, will be held on May 25, 2024. The Friends of Fort Macaulay and the Township of Esquimalt are working on the site now as the weather allows, and looking forward to showing it off that day.
ESQUIMALT ESQUIMALT WALKING TOURS With the changing landscapes within the Township of Esquimalt, it is enjoyable to do these very well organized and described walking tours, see the transition of the neighborhoods, and perhaps recall “your” days! or to set your own bench marks. Click to view Esquimalt Walking Tours 2021 (PDF). Watch for the 2023 revised edition. BAY STREET ARMOURY Noting today that security fencing and gates are being place around the Bay Street Armoury parking lot, keeping people out!
NATIONAL DEFENCE In response to my “Contact the Minister” email to the Minister of National Defence on November 14, 2023 regarding the proposed demolition proceedings for WP 1068, I received the following response: and answered in kind. Hopefully this will prove a positive and maintained outcome for the building and of course the other buildings in Zone 5 as well. The 2013 CRG Consulting Heritage Guidelines Final Report formally commenced in October 2010, utilizing data collected from May 2008 to September 2010 in the CFB Esquimalt Master Real Property Development Plan (MRPDP) followed by workshops, site visits, and revisions. So, all in all, a total of five years to produce the Final Report in March 2013. Let’s hope the recommendations will be followed and attention paid to these historical buildings. I again note that the default argument for demolition is the series of 1989 FHBRO reports, in this particular case, 89-205 Work Point, is now 35 years out of date, with a points system long in dispute. Read the response as a PDF document.
WESTERN FRONT ASSOCIATION This year’s annual WFA Association seminar, held in the C Scot R Officer’s Mess at the Bay Street Armoury, was the usual success. Bill Glover and I, along with Shannon King of Fort Rodd Hill, provided WW 1 artifacts and displays for the event called the Collector’s Showcase. This included the actual six-foot by eight-foot map of Europe and the last 100 days, property of General Sir Arthur Currie, contributed by the 5 th (BC) Field Regimental Archives. Anyone wishing more information on this local event, or the WFA, go to the Western Front Association, Pacific Coast Branch website.
FORT MACAULAY Thanks to Drew McCredie from Campbell River who found a walking stick at Buxton Green. Through his reaching out we were able to find the owner with a military family background dating back to an Artillery Gunner in 1939 at Fort Macaulay. BC AFGHANISTAN MEMORIAL
Today, a ceremony of commemoration to mark the 10th anniversary of the end of Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan at the memorial location on Quadra Street in Victoria will be held. The idea was a result of discussions with Veterans Affairs Canada which started here in Victoria in August of 2023, coincidental ceremonies will be held in other cities across Canada. FORT MACAULAY As Friends of Fort Macaulay we are currently painting the buildings and structures, cleaning around the buildings and concrete outlines in anticipation of a large crowd on May 25th, FORT MACAULAY DAY. VEMRA A CANUCK IN ENGLAND Thank you to Don Thomas of the VICTORIA-ESQUIMALT MILITARY RE-ENACTORS ASSOCIATION for the acquisition of the book titled above. In 1939 Howard Clegg joined the PPCLI at Work Point Barracks in Esquimalt. This is his diary! VICTORIA VOLTIGEURS The history of the Victoria Voltigeurs is told in the following two articles. There is also a display in the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum, building N 39, at NADEN. For more on this era in British Columbia and Vancouver Island History, see the book by Barry Gough titled: "The Curious Passage of Richard Blanshard – First Governor of Vancouver Island" – 2023. Barry will attend Fort Macaulay Day again this year.
TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT The Township will be holding its first Volunteer Recruitment Fair at the Jubilee Hall, in the Recreation Centre on Fraser Street, from 3 pm to 7 pm. This is an opportunity to showcase, advertise and meet prospective volunteers. The Friends of Fort Macaulay will have a table! See May 1, 2005, ongoing, our “Fort Macaulay Field Force” has maintained the painting, including the grey concrete, black trim, and doors of the other structures and gun emplacements. This includes the “cable pit” at Fleming Beach. All activity is done in conjunction with the ETAG program in Esquimalt and the Township Parks and Rec Department. As well, we facilitate historic interests of the Fort, and hold the annual Fort Macaulay Day. LEGION MAGAZINE A Canadian Gamble at Kapyong — an article on the Battle of KAPYONG by Alex Bowers, with mention of the overlooked heroics of Lt. Mike Levy. Click here to view the article from the Legion Magazine.
“Courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues, |
