Researching the sites in my own back yard, I discovered a few things about where I live that I didn't know, as always.I thought CFS Carp was previously RCAF Station Carp - not true.
Previous to being called CFS Carp, it was the "Experimental Army Signal Establishment" - Oh, an "establishment", I'm familiar with other establishments, and they usually do some pretty cool science!
I then found out that CFS Carp had 3 associated locations, detachments (I didn't know what a detachment was in context)
- CFS Carp Detachment Richardson
- CFS Carp Detachment Almonte
- CFS Carp Detachment Dunrobin
Well, that answers my questions regarding what those antenna farms were in Dunrobin and Almonte, but it also makes me sad to think they sealed up Richardson's little bunker.
The antenna arrays at all the sites are long gone, but I would like to understand better what these facilities were being used for. Radio? SIGINT? Experimental field radio testing? I have more questions than I have answers.
Canadian Forces Station Carp Richardson Detachment
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| CFS Carp Richardson Detachment Courtesy The Atlas of Canada Toporama |
Canadian Forces Station Carp Dunrobin Detachment
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| CFS Carp Dunrobin Detachment Courtesy The Atlas of Canada Toporama |
Canadian Forces Station Carp Almonte Detachment
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| CFS Carp Almonte Detachment Courtesy The Atlas of Canada Toporama |
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| CFS Carp |
Full Name: Canadian Forces Station Carp
Preceeding Unit(s):
701 Comm Sqn
Experimental Army Signal Establishment
Information:
In its first Canadian Forces Organization Order 1.16, dated 27 May 1968, the Experimental Army Signal Establishment was redesignated as Canadian Forces Station Carp. On 14 September 1970 the stations consisted of a receiver site at Carp and a transmitter site at Richardson, Ontario, reporting to Canadian Forces Communication Command. CFS Carp was to provide the administration, security and housekeeping services needed to maintain a constant state of operational readiness for all sites under its command; most importantly, the communication facilities at Carp, Richardson, Almonte and Dunrobin. It also administered support services to terminal stations at Renfrew, Arnprior, Carleton Place, Smith Falls and Kemptville. The NATO Satellite Ground Terminal and some elements of the Canadian Emergency Measures Organization at Carp also fell under its operational command. On 1 July 1971 CFS Carp was disbanded and reformed by amalgamating 701 Communication Squadron (formed on 1 April 1965) whereby it was given an increased operational emphasis on providing strategic communications for the Canadian Forces. CFS Carp was closed in 1994.
- http://www.rcsigs.ca/ViewUnit/59/
A two-story communications bunker was also constructed near Perth (Richardson Detachment), which was staffed exclusively by members of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (RCCS), later 701 Communications Squadron post-Unification.
Although the bunker was never used for its intended purpose, it did serve a valuable function as a government communications station staffed by RCCS personnelNo. 1 Army Signals Troop.
Following the end of the Cold War, most of the Diefenbunkers were decommissioned, including CFS Carp and the Richardson Detachment in 1994. Communicaitons functions were taken over by CFS Leitrim outside of Ottawa.
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Source Material: Cobourg: "Abandoned Military Installations of Canada Volume I: Ontairo" by Paul Ozorak, information supplied by the Diefenbunker Museum (2004) & information supplied by the Carp branch of the Ottawa Public Library (2011).
- http://www.militarybruce.com/history/base-history_13.html
