CampSussex

Lead-up to the Creation of Camp Sussex

• In 1794, the first New Brunswick Parliament created its own Militia Act. Men from age 16 to 60 were to attend annual musters to train for few days. No funds were provided, but absentees were fined
  
  

• Camp Sussex became a focal point for militia around the province because of its central location, easy access to rail, long flat stretch of soil, and proximity to clean water for horses
  
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• In 1876, a soldier's daily pay started at 50 cents, but horses were paid 75 centsPay was not always available, and many times militia volunteers did not expect it or the provision of rations
  
• At the time, soldiers were so short of rucksacks and other equipment that men had no method of carrying their daily rations
  
• Due to the chronic lack of government funding, the Hussars built their own stables for the horses by collecting money from members of the regiment

• The Brighton Engineers were formed in Woodstock in 1881. The following year, equipped only with five augers, seven axes, one handsaw and one crosscut saw, the Engineers cut 450 trees over two days, going on to build a 111 ft bridge across Trout Creek in just over four hours. The bridge was then tested by a horse pulling an artillery cannon across

• Whereas soldiers were often transported by rail, sudden movements of railcars could give horses concussions and other injuries. As a result, many soldiers were against the rail transport of horses
  

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The Heyday of the Militia

• In 1891, the area around what became Camp Sussex was thoroughly examined by military planners and became a potential candidate for the establishment of a military camp
  
  

• Prior to the formal establishment of Camp Sussex, much of the land in the area was rented out for military use
  
  

• In the Spring of 1893, the Dominion of Canada purchased Morrison Farm, a 344 acre site just east of the present-day Town of Sussex, to be used for militia training. This date marked the formal establishment of Camp Sussex
  
  

• 1894 - 1914 saw the greatest growth of the Canadian militia. In this time period, more men and horses were trained than ever before
  
  

• The typical day of the militiaman began at 0530 and continued on until 2200 hours. A archetypal daily routine was as follows:
  
  

-Reveille: 5:30 AM
-Collection of Daily Rations: 6:00 AM
-Breakfast: 6:30 AM
-First Drill 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
-Officer Hour: 9:00 AM
-Second Drill: 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
-Dinner: 12:30 PM
-Third Drill: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
-Tea: 5:00 PM
-Rations - Groceries: 5:30 PM
-Guard Mounting: 5:30 PM
-Retreat: 5:30 PM
-First Post: 9:00 PM
-Last Post: 9:30 PM
-Lights Out: 9:45 PM

• Sick parade for ill soldiers was at 11:00 AM, but horses were to be attended to at 06:30 AM regardless of any ailments a soldier may have been suffering from
  
  

• The loss of a horse would prompt an investigation and possibly even corrective action, as the animals were so valuable to the militia at the time. Nevertheless, there was a marked lack of veterinary kits
  
  

• 1893 was the first year since 1881 that the Hussars could come to camp to train as a single unit. Before then, financial troubles made this difficult
  
  

• The caretaker house was built in 1896, and permanent armouries in 1901. The rifle range was completed in 1906, and was in operation during both World Wars. During the same period the officer's mess, known as the Bungalow, was constructed and went on to become a major social hub in the Town of Sussex
  
  

• In 1895, there were 395 horses stationed at Camp Sussex, but by the eve of WWI, that number increased to just over 1000
  
  

• In 1897, members of the Militia represented the area at Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
  
  

• As the camp became larger, brush clearing was conducted and dykes were built along Trout Creek. The Officers Bungalow
  
  

• In 1913, no less than one-hundred automobiles visited the camp. The automobiles spooked horses, and many soldiers were sceptical of the new technology. Within three years, plans to manufacture tanks were being discussed
  
  

• A company of 2nd (Special Service) battalion 2RCR was raised for the Boer War and consisted of 1000 men. Following the end of the Second Boer War, Camp Sussex served as one of the first military instillations to teach lessons learned from the conflict
  
  

• Camp Sussex artillery fired a "feu de joie" for the Coronation of George V in June, 1911
  
  

• In July 1914, on the eve of the First World War, military planners started to realize the size limitations of Camp Sussex and began to discuss construction of a new, larger military base in New Brunswick at either Gagetown or McGivney. However, the outbreak of the Great War in the following month shelved these plans for almost 40 years
  
  

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The Interwar Years

• The first summer camp after the First World War took place in 1920; however, given that the public viewed the First World War as "the war to end all wars", there was very little support from the general population for any military activity
  
  

• Soldiers would sometimes go on half pay to double the number of camp attendees. On one occasion all pay was forfeited to cover the expenses of the camp. This went on until the mid-1930's
  
  

• In the summer of 1931, only the 8th Hussars and the 74th Battalion (New Brunswick Rangers) trained at Camp Sussex
  
  

• Camp repairs were funded at the expense of unit officers, and the Federal Government gave only partial reimbursements
  
  

• Between 1923 - 1926 funds were so restricted that camp attendance was often limited to officers and NCOs
  
  

• Between 1931 - 1936 volunteer soldiers continued the military presence without pay
  
  

• Nevertheless, the 8th Hussars traveled to a machine-gun competition in Valcartier and won the national competition, all at the expense of the commanding officerThe first training on motorized vehicles took place in 1936. Vehicles (mostly Model T Fords) were rented from local owners for $10.00 a day. Bootleggers'' cars that had been seized by the Mounties were also used. Many had rumble seats that the officers would stand up on. Naturally, many accidents occurred
  

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WWI and WWII

• Shortly after the First World War broke out, Camp Sussex was established as the 1st Training Depot Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel James McAvity
  
  

• Units established or trained in Camp Sussex during WWI included the 40th Battalion (Moncton), the 64th Battalion (Moncton), and the 104th Battalion (Sussex)
  
  

• During the First World War, Camp Sussex hosted the Serbian Mobilization Camp, where Serbs recruited in Canada were mobilized before being sent overseas to fight in the Serbian Army.
  
  

• During both World Wars, the camp rose to prominence due to its easy rail access and proximity to Halifax. Troops could be transported by rail from Sussex to Halifax in a single night, under the cover of darkness to aid in secrecy
  
  

• During WWII, the camp was built to hold 10 000 men, so entire divisions could be moved in and out easily
  
  

• Units trained in Camp Sussex during this time included the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Divisions
  
  

• During WWII, it was common knowledge that once your husband was posted to Camp Sussex, it was not long until he was deployed overseas
  
  

• By 1944, the camp focus changed to individual training of soldiers and became the A-34 Special Officers Training Center, under the command of Brigadier Milton Gregg, VC
  
  

• At the conclusion of the Second World War, a significant portion of Camp Sussex was soon decommissioned. This meant that a large portion of the Camp infrastructure was sold or else demolished
  
  

• Many of the buildings were towed across the frozen Trout Creek during the winter, as there was no bridge crossing Trout Creek until the 1970s. Other buildings were repurposed as homesteads on Peter Street
  
  

• The larger buildings, including the Drill Halls, were repurposed as Sports Centres. One became the King's County Stadium, and the other was taken to Fredericton were it became the York Arena.
  
  

• The Headquarters of Camp Sussex became the King's County Hospital.
  
  

• The death of Camp Sussex was not swift, it continued until 1971, which saw the majority of the land that was formerly Camp Sussex sold to the Town Sussex. This land became what is today the Industrial Park, our ball parks, and the 8th Hussars Sports Centre.
  
  

• The only remnants of Camp Sussex are the Gregg Armoury, which houses B Squadron of the 8th Hussars.
  
  

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