 Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick, Canada Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan - B.C.A.T.P.)
"Construction on the airport, designed to training pilots for WWII action in Europe, began during the Summer of 1940. The facility would be part of the "British Commonwalth Air Training Plan". It was part of the No.3 Training Command with it's headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. Pennfield was first No. 2 Air Navigational School (ANS) and later took on No.34 Operational Training Units (OTC). In August 1940, there were over two hundred men working on the project. Dexter Construction Company was contracted to construct the runways which were to be finished by November 1940. The first test flights (day/night) were completed on January 1, 1941. The air base official opened for training on July 21, 1941. By the end of the Summer 1941, there were over 40 buildings including 4 large hangers, observation tower, barricks, drill hall, mess halls and classrooms. The air base was also had its own water supply and internal telephone system. The runways would be lenghtened in the Fall of 1941. With the end of the war, Pennfield became operational location for Heavy Transport and a few years later was purchased and operated by Canadian Airlines. When Saint John airport was opened, Pennfield closed as an operational airfield. Some small private plans would use the field from time to time. It was also used by the New Brunswick Drag Racing Association. Today, the field is used to dry out seaweed, which once dried, is used as fertilizer for plants. There is a fuel reserve tank at the field used by Irving and Natural Resources."
The "Pennfield Ridge Research Project" is a private endeavor of Jason Gaudet, a researcher from eastern Charlotte County.
The project's goal is to compile a detailed history on the former air station at Pennfield Ridge, NB Canada. Once completed, this project will be published into a book and its holdings will be donated to the Provincial Archives. This project began in 1998 and over the last decade its holdings have grown to include accident reports, photographs, first-person/witness accounts, original artifacts/memorabilia, government records and microfilms.
However the project's overall focus is to pay honor to those men that perished while training at Pennfield Ridge air station.
To date, over 70 names are on the project's "Roll of Honour" with over 150 accidents/incidents being logged.
The project has also aided in the erection of a memorial, located several miles west of the former airfield. The memorial was dedicated on September 24, 2006 by members of the Air Force Association and the local community. The roll of honour was read aloud during the ceremony. The Pennfield Ridge project would like to thank the continued cooperation and assistance of the Ventura Memorial Flight Association, the Canadian Aviation Historical Society and the Air Force Association of Canada.
Future objectives of the project include a published book, several aircraft excavations (Lockheed Ventura), an extensive survey of the airfield (on-going), a memorial site (completed/revisted) with museum/interpretive center or park. The project also has several associated research initatives on-going such as compiling a history of the former Canadian Infantry training facility of Camp Utopia and details on the Trans-Atlantic flight of aviator Jim Mollison.
Total Training Casualities (1941-1945): 71
Supporters: Air Force Association of Canada, Royal Canadian Legion (Branches 39 & 40), Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Acadian Seaplants Ltd., Moran-Howe Research, Heritage Resources/Harold Wright, Chris Charland, CFB Gagetown Museum, Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum, HMS St. Vincent Association, Bruce Atkinson (CAHS), Loyalist City Coins, Mr. Dennis Slater (ret.), Mr. Walter Henry (ret.), Bill Walker, the Harju family, the Davidson family, the Brier family, the Burnham family, Elaine Rattee/William Manton, Donald Hickson (ret.) and many individuals. Thank you for your support!
Anyone looking for specific details on the former Pennfield Ridge air station and/or the project, or willing to provide information on the air station, please contact me directly.
Jason N. Gaudet
Tel: 506.755.6494
Jason Gaudet is a member of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS Member No.5489), a member of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Airfield Researchers Network (BCATP-Researchers) and a proud supporter of the Ventura Memorial Flight Association (VMFA).
Newspaper Articles: St. Croix Courier Newspaper, September 2007 & September 2008.
|
