Point of Interest

Camp Sussex

Latitude: 45.724102
Longitude: -65.499457

In May 1885 the New Brunswick militia assembled in Camp Sussex to prepare for service in the North West Rebellion. There is a series of colour post cards on display in the Tea House Museum on Maple Street showing Sussex Camp cira 1910. It was a large tented camp. During World War One, the First Training Battalion of the New Brunswick Regiment was established in Camp Sussex. In 1918 it was called the 1st Depot Battalion and was under command of Lieutenant Colonel James McAvity. The Tea House Museum at a composite photograph of this unit. It was still largely a tented camp. When the mobilization of the 3rd Division was approved during World War Two, it was decided to concentrate it in the Maritimes under command of New Brunswicker Major-General E.W. Sansom. One of the areas selected was the existing camp at Sussex. The camp was enlarged to handle a brigade group and the units began to arrive in the autumn of 1940 to undergo training prior to embarkation. When the 3rd Division left for overseas, it was replaced by units from the 4th Division. When it went overseas, it was replaced by the 17th Infantry Brigade of the 7th Division, the general reserve for Atlantic Command. In April 1943 this brigade consisted of the Victoria Rifles of Canada, The Dufferin & Haldimand Rifles of Canada and the Les Voltigeurs de Quebec. In early 1944 A-34 Special Officer's Training Center was established for one year in Camp Sussex to train officers for the CANLOAN programme. Photographs in the Tea House Museum shows the camp was a typical World War Two camp consisting of wooden "H" huts.

The training camp was closed and the land purchased by the Town of Sussex. Leonard Drive runs through the old camp site, but there are few landmarks left. The NB Agricultural Museum is located on the site of a tank hanger and two large pine tree behind the community centre mark the location of the officers' mess. A modern armoury is named in memory of Brigadier Milton Gregg VC and is home to "B" Squadron of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's). There is a Sherman Tank named "Balaclava" on display outside the armoury. Although the old rifle range located on Fowler Ave is no longer used as a firing range, it is still Department of National Defence property.