The military engineers of France and England planned and constructed their vital fortifications in the New World. At the end of Queen Anne’s War in 1713, France gave up her claim to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, except for the island of Cape Breton (Isle Royale) and planned a fortress at Louisbourg to control the sea approach to Quebec.
The All Sappers Memorial Park in Vedder Crossing, British Columbia was conceived by Lt-Col Coulson Norman Mitchell, VC, MC in 1945 when he was Commander of Camp Chilliwack. After a year of design and intense labour by Sappers, it was dedicated on 14 July 1946 to Sappers 'Everywhere' by His Excellency Viscount Alexander of Tunis, Governor General of Canada.
Six Nations Onondaga marathon runner Tom Longboat wins the 11th Boston marathon in a record time of 2:24:24. In 1909 he wins the title of Professional Champion of the World.
Prior to the Great War, Tom Longboat was arguably one of the most famous athletes in the world at the time. He served as a Sapper in the 107th Pioneer Battalion as a Dispatch Runner on the Western Front. He was wounded twice and once was wrongly reported killed. He would survive the war.
On this day in 1941, British Special Operations Executive opened Camp-X in Whitby, ON under the auspices of Sir William Stephenson, DFC, MC, the Man Called Intrepid. Stephenson was born in Winnipeg and served in the Canadian Engineers during the First World War.
On this date in 1944, several officers and 750 sappers were transferred to the Infantry – an action that would later cause operational problems.
On this day in 2001, the CFB Chilliwack Historical Society was incorporated to preserve the heritage of the CME family in and around the base.
The personnel and organization of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force were unified into a single organization, the Canadian Forces.
On this date in 1943, Bandmaster WO1 Hardy and 24 bandsmen from the Rifle Brigade were taken on strength as the first RCE band. On 14 Aug 1943, the band went to Italy.