All about Aldershot in the modern age

It was a quiet but special event.

Historic Camp Aldershot landed a new detachment commander August 6: Major Scott Bland of the Princess Patricia’s, late of the Canadian Airborne. He replaces enthusiastic cavalryman Major Jamie Hunter, headed to a posting in New Brunswick.

Hunter has been a tireless promoter of camp/ community neighbourliness and will be missed.

Over the past two decades or so, past commanders have also promoted the facility and its place in the community. The late Major Ben Cheney, a local boy of the Black Watch, oversaw the first moves to bring the Second World War-era facilities into the modern era. This was accelerated under Major John Harrison’s tenure in the late 1980s and early ‘90s. Harrison had guest engineers come in to conduct work on some pretty major projects: a great way to get work done and achieve profile in the community. The Gurkha engineer squadron, for example, was extremely popular and well behaved. As for the British engineers who followed the next year; well, we’re sure their mothers loved them.

Just as I thought no one could replace Harrison, along came Major John Sutcliffe, who would oversee tens of millions of dollars in infrastructure and upgrading work. He served two terms as commander, during which time the site literally transformed into the 21st Century. He promoted and advertised the new facility locally and beyond, making it a chosen venue for not only military and police, but other government agencies as well.

Again, just as I thought no one could replace Sutcliffe, along came the whirlwind that was Hunter. Most of the major physical stuff at the camp had been done, except for a couple of pertinent facilities. But there was still plenty of other work to do.

First, we’re now in a war situation, a new thing for most of us in this community. The camp has seen far more activity than it has in decades – and year round.

Partly due to that, there has been a greater public awareness of the military and its roles in the world and the country. Hunter has been a great interpreter of that message at the local level, all the while overseeing the accelerated pace of things at the facility. We wish him well in his future postings.

The change of command parade August 6 was very telling. Shiretown Mayor Dave Corkum was on hand to represent the community, and the esteem camp officials hold for Kentville and surrounding communities was in evidence.

Superintendent David Fudge represented the Southwest Nova RCMP. Kentville Fire Chief Shawn Ripley represented the fire services. (Shawn’s dad, Don, wrote the extremely popular book on wartime Camp Aldershot and Kentville.)

Legion officials and representatives of the Black Watch (Atlantic) Association were front and centre. The Black Watch organization still calls the facility its home station.

Initially, I was taken aback somewhat by the fact gone were dress uniforms and the like for participants: combat dress was the order. I realized that’s in keeping with the times.

Though a quiet neighbour – except, perhaps on range days and night exercises - the facility continues to have at least some involvement in headlines being made around the world.