Terrace- WWII Memories

Terrace, British Columbia, Canada

WWII Activities in Terrace Area

During WWII, over 3,000 soldiers called Terrace Home.

Terrace had a civilian population of only 300 at the time.

Feb 26, 1942 the site of Terrace for this camp was chosen.

Prince Edward Island Highlanders occupied this Tent City in what is now Riverside Park area, near the Curling Rink
East End of Terrace, which can be seen in map below
Photo courtesy McRae Collection, Terrace

1942 part of a Dept of Defence Map of the Military Camp in Terrace, ca 1942-43

Map sent to me from a fellow doing an environment study in the area
for a new development, looking for buried gas and oil tanks.
The original came direct from Ottawa.
I see online, after adding this copy, the Heritage Museum has the identical copy.
so you can view it there as well.

I have marked a few of the items on the map
A- No 1, Armoured Train, WWII
D- Drill Hall during WWII, used by BC Tel, see BC Tel Northern District History H- Terraceview Lodge, 300 bed Hospital during the war
W- 70,000 gal Water Tower, fed by an Underground Waterline
Running diagonally thru DL837, wonder if it has ever been dug up, or ever found by accident?
Or one day a big sink hole?

Not marked with a letter, but clearly shown on the map above
between the letters A and D
The Mountain Warfare School, established in 1943.
School was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel William (Bill) Hendrie of Hamilton ON
Located between Park and Lazelle Ave
and Kalum St and Emerson St.

Map shows from the CNR station the “big” communication connection
1 telephone line and 2 telegraph lines.

Whole Map above, which I have broken up into sections below

Area A- Legion, Curling Rink, River Park Area today

Area B- Marsh Cres., Became “The Motel”, now Kermodei Park

Area C- Little Ave, below Hodson Ave (today Birch Ave. Hill)

Area D- see below

Area E- see below

Area F- became what is today Twin River Estates, Senior Housing Area

Area G- Powerhouse, Gas Service Station, Coal Bunkers, Supply Depot

Area H- located south of Keith Rd (now Keith Ave), in Hall St. area The Prince Albert Volunteers (PAV) Camp

Area K- Terraceview Lodge today, 300 bed Hospital area

Can't read the area letter up on the Birch Hill Bench area, D or E?
It was the Les Fusiliers du St. Laurent Camp area

Buildings were constructed by the Carter Halls Construction Company
which was the Carter-Halls-Aldinger Construction Company in 1907,
which built most of the Railway Stations, and Railroad buildings for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad.
Company was based in Winnipeg MB
Albert Henry Aldinger died in 1942, so name was changed

Company became Commonwealth Construction Company in 1944
Taken over by English Construction firms in 1955

W. H. Carter
William Henry Carter
b- Jan 21, 1874 Bismarck, IL
d- Dec 1, 1962 in Winnipeg MB
son of Ninion R. Carter and Elizabeth J. Carter

F. E. Halls
Frank Ernest Halls
b- Apr 20, 1872
d- Feb 27, 1950 Winnipeg MB
son of James Halls and Mary Ann Andrew

Map above from Department of National Defence
Engineer Services Branch
Plan of Terrace Military Camp, Terrace BC

Drawn by SPR. S. B. Barclay,
21st Field Company, R.C.E.
(R.C.E.=The Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers)
(SPR= Sapper)

Topography by SPR. J. C. Mahon,
5th Field Company, R.C.E

Compiled by Ross A. Lort, M.R.A.I.C.

Map was started Dec 1942, completed to Nov 1943.

Ross Anthony Lort
b- Oct 4, 1889, in Birmingham, England
d- May 16, 1968 in Vancouver
Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, (M.R.A.I.C.)
son of John Lort and Florence Plant

When I was a Boy Scout in Estevan Sask, we bought 2 of the Army tents,
We used them for weekend camping trips.
They were huge, and heavy canvas tents.
a lot of kids slept in each one.

List of NW BC Veterans

WWII Armoured Train in Terrace? No 1, Armoured Train, WWII

Mutiny in Terrace
WWII Mutiny

Private Berger, WWII War Mystery

Military Graves- in Kitsumgallum, "Terrace Pioneer" Cemetery Headstones

Ext Links
Note-Not my sites

http://spcoll.library.uvic.ca/schoolnet/digicol/pearkes/mutiny.html

http://www.terracestandard.com/news/180698861.html

Terrace Library History sites, excellent pictures etc.

http://www.terracelibrary.ca/history1/raymond/raymond.htm

http://www.terracelibrary.ca/history1/army_buildings/army_buildings.html

http://www.terracelibrary.ca/history1/allan_brunsden/allan_brusden.html