Camp Hughes

Camp Hughes was a Canadian military training camp, located in the Rural Municipality of North Cypress west of the town of Carberry in Manitoba, Canada. It was actively used for military training from 1909 to 1934.

History

In 1909, a Canadian Military training camp named "Camp Sewell" was established 10 kilometers west of Carberry south of the Canadian Pacific Railway line. It started out as a city of tents and covered a large area. The name of the camp was changed in 1915 to "Camp Hughes" in honour of Major-General Sir Sam Hughes, Canada's Minister of Militia and Defence at the time. Extensive trench systems, grenade and rifle ranges, and military structures were built at Camp Hughes between 1915 and 1916, and a variety of retail stores and entertainment complexes on a double-avenued area close to the main camp formed a lively commercial midway. During World War One more than 38,000 troops of the Canadian Expeditionary Force trained at the camp, and by 1916 it had grown to such a large size that it had the largest population of any city in the province of Manitoba outside of the capital city, Winnipeg. Many of the soldiers who trained at Camp Hughes were later involved in the infamous Battle of Vimy Ridge in France on April 9, 1917. The Canadian Military continued to train soldiers at the camp until 1934, when troops were moved to nearby CFB Shilo and CFB Winnipeg for financial and logistical reasons.

The soldiers and support staff stationed at Camp Hughes maintained very close social and economic ties with the town of Carberry, which was located only a short distance away from the site.

Today

Since the time that the Camp Hughes training facilities were dismantled, the site has seen many uses over the years. It was the site of a large underground bunker built for the protection of government and military officials during the Cold War, which has since been decommissioned. Also, before the existence of satellite and internet communication, Camp Hughes was home to many military communication and radio towers.

Although very eroded after over 85 years, the original trench system at Camp Hughes is still intact and is the only World War One era trench system remaining in North America.

The Camp Hughes Cemetery, which is located on what is known as Cemetery Hill, also remains at Camp Hughes.

The Camp Hughes site is no longer used for active military use, therfore access is not restricted to the area. It does however continue to be controlled and monitored by the Canadian Department of National Defense.

Official Recognition

In 1994, Camp Hughes was designated by the Government of Manitoba as a Provincial Heritage Site.

There is a roadside park named "Camp Hughes Wayside Park" located 10 kilometers west of Carberry on the Trans Canada Highway at the west intersection with PTH 351, a short distance north of the actual Camp Hughes site, named in honour of the military camp.

Further reading

* [http://mhsmb.taniwha.ca/hughes/hughes.html Military History Society of Manitoba]

ee also

*Carberry, Manitoba
*Rural Municipality of North Cypress
*RCAF Station Carberry
*History of the Canadian Army
*Canadian Forces