CFS Debert facts for kids

Canadian Forces Station Debert (also called CFS Debert) was a military base in Debert, Nova Scotia. It was used by the Canadian Forces for many years. Most recently, it was a communications center during the Cold War. It also had a secret underground bunker, often called a "Diefenbunker."

This site first had an airfield and a large army training center. In the 1970s, some parts were closed down. The Government of Nova Scotia took over the airfield and some buildings. They turned it into the Debert Air Industrial Park. The military left CFS Debert completely in 1996. The rest of the base then became Colchester Park.

Debert's World War II Story

When World War II started in 1939, Canada needed a place to train and organize its soldiers. Many troops were heading to Europe through the port of Halifax. They needed a big area to get ready before sailing on troopships.

In 1940, the government decided to build a huge training center in Debert. This area was perfect because it was flat and close to a main railway line. It was also only about 100 kilometers north of Halifax. The Royal Canadian Air Force had already bought land nearby for an airfield in 1938.

Building Camp Debert

Work on Debert Military Camp began on August 9, 1940. Engineers and thousands of workers cleared forests and built roads. They added sewer systems, electricity, and many buildings. The camp covered a large area of 80 square kilometers. It had many quonset huts, dining halls, and warehouses. At one point, more soldiers lived there than the entire population of nearby Truro.

The town of Debert grew quickly with new movie theaters, restaurants, and shops. This brought a lot of business to the area.

Training for War

Camp Debert was the last stop for soldiers before they went overseas. Most troops received their personal weapons and trained with them here. The camp had a large ammunition depot and many firing ranges. Soldiers from all over Canada came to Debert. They were organized into larger groups and then took trains to Halifax. They usually left at night under black-out conditions to avoid enemy detection.

All five divisions of the First Canadian Army stayed at Camp Debert before going to Europe. After the war, the camp helped soldiers return home. Most of the training areas were then closed. However, Camp Debert was used again in 1948 and hosted army units through the 1950s.

RCAF Station Debert: Airfield History

In 1938, the Royal Air Force (RAF) bought land in Debert to build an aerodrome (an airfield). Construction started in 1940 and finished in April 1941. This was around the same time the army's Camp Debert was being built. The airfield had three long runways, each 5000 feet long.

This airfield became No. 31 Operational Training Unit (O.T.U.). It was part of a plan to train aircrew in Canada. These aircrew learned to fly new planes from Canada and the United States across the Atlantic Ocean. They trained on planes like the Lockheed Hudson and de Havilland Mosquito.

In 1944, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) took over the unit. It was renamed No. 7 O.T.U. After the war in Europe ended, RCAF Debert briefly hosted two squadrons, 420 and 425. They used Avro Lancaster bombers to prepare for possible missions against Japan. However, Japan surrendered, and these plans were cancelled. RCAF Station Debert closed soon after, but the RCAF still owned it.

After the War

After closing, the Debert airfield was still used for flight training and maintenance until 1954. In 1960, the RCAF gave the airfield to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The RCN used it for aircraft carrier landing practice. Also in the 1960s, some unused hangars stored medical equipment for all parts of the armed forces.

On February 1, 1968, the three military branches joined to form the unified Canadian Forces. Flight operations at Debert airfield ended. In 1971, the Department of National Defence decided that 4800 acres of land, including the airfield, were no longer needed. The provincial government bought this land. It was developed into the "Debert Air Industrial Park." The airfield is still used today as the Debert Airport.

The Maritime "Diefenbunker"

In 1958, during the Cold War, Debert was chosen for a special project. It would be one of six communication centers and "Regional Emergency Government Headquarters" (REGH) across Canada. This facility would be the only one in the Maritime provinces.

Construction began in 1960 on a secret underground bunker. It had two stories and was designed to survive a nearby nuclear explosion. The bunker had strong blast doors and special air filters. These filters protected against biological, chemical, and radioactive dangers. It also had enough food, fuel, and water to support 350 people for 90 days. These blast shelters were nicknamed "Diefenbunkers" after the Prime Minister at the time.

The Debert Diefenbunker opened in 1964. However, it was already becoming outdated. New missiles could hit targets more accurately, making the bunker less safe. Still, it served as Nova Scotia's Provincial Warning Centre. It was staffed by the 720 Communication Squadron.

On February 1, 1968, the Diefenbunker and its support buildings became Canadian Forces Station Debert (CFS Debert). This was part of the new naming system for military facilities.

Later Years and New Uses

In the 1970s, CFS Debert and other Diefenbunkers were used less. The number of staff was reduced. In the 1980s, some military reserve units trained there. In 1982, CFS Debert got new equipment to relay communications from a nearby satellite terminal.

The Cold War ended, and the Diefenbunker became less important. By the mid-1990s, all military personnel left CFS Debert. In 1998, the facility was given to "Colchester Park," a local development group.

Today, a firing range is the only military part still used by reserve units. Since 1985, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets have used the airfield for glider training. In 2005, they even used the Diefenbunker as their headquarters for glider pilot programs.

In 2008, the Diefenbunker was sold to a private company. They planned to turn it into a data center. In 2012, it was sold again to Jonathan Baha'i. He also plans to use it as a data centre for cloud storage. Parts of the bunker have also been used for filming an independent movie called Bunker 6 and for paintball games. A former CBC studio inside the bunker is now a recording studio called Top Secret Sounds. Since June 2014, the bunker has also offered leased space for self-storage.

Debert Military Museum

The Debert Military Museum helps keep Debert's military history alive. It is a nineteen-room museum located in "Colchester Park." The museum is run by volunteers and has many military items. These items are from both World Wars, the Cold War, and the Korean War.

The museum is special because it has a display of Russian photographs. These were given to the museum by the Russian Ambassador of Canada. You can see uniforms, medals, communication equipment, and documents. These items were donated by Canadian and British military members and their families. The museum no longer offers tours of the Diefenbunker itself, but it still shares information and artifacts about it.