Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Canadian SIGINT sites past and present

Here’s a list I’m working on of the main Canadian SIGINT operating sites past and present and their years of operation. The information that I’ve seen on the Second World War sites tends to be spotty, so a lot of the dates associated with those are guesses. I hope to get better information on those and other stations as time goes by. Any suggestions readers can make for additions, corrections, etc would be gratefully received!



Canadian SIGINT sites past and present


Location Years of operation
Aklavik, Northwest Territories (RCN) 1949 - 1961
Alert, Nunavut (RCAF/RCCS/SRS/CFIOG) 1956 - present
Amherst, Nova Scotia (RCCS) 1941 - 1942
Augsburg, Germany (SRS detachment) 1989 - 1992?
Bermuda (RCN/SRS) 1963 - 1993
Botwood, Newfoundland (DOT) 1939? - 1945?
Cap D’Espoir, Quebec (RCN @ RCAF) 1941 - 1945?
Churchill, Manitoba (RCN/SRS) 1948 - 1968
Coal Harbour, British Columbia (RCN @ RCAF) 1941 - 1942
Coverdale, New Brunswick (RCN/SRS) 1944 - 1971
Darwin, Australia: McMillan’s Road Camp (RCCS) 1945 - 1945
Esquimalt, British Columbia (RCN intercept for RN) 1925 - 1940?
Esquimalt, British Columbia (MARPAC support element) ? - present
Flin Flon, Manitoba (AFTAC only?) 1959? - ?
Forrest, Manitoba (DOT) 1940 - 1942
Fort Chimo (now Kuujjuaq), Quebec (RCN) 1949 - 1952
Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit), Nunavut (RCN) 1953 - 1967
Gander, Newfoundland (RCN/SRS/CFIOG) 1940 - present
Gloucester, Ontario (RCN HF-DF/training/admin site) 1943 - 1972
Gordon Head, British Columbia (RCN) 1940 - 1945
Grande Prairie, Alberta (RCCS) 1942 - 1947
Halifax, Nova Scotia (MARLANT support element) ? - present
Harbour Grace, Newfoundland (RCN) 1940? - 1945?
Hartlen Point, Nova Scotia (DOT) 1941? - 1945?
Inuvik, NWT (RCN/SRS) 1961 - 1986
Kingston, Ontario (SRS/CFIOG training) 1972 - present
Kingston, Ontario (2 EW Sqn of 1 CSR/1CDHSR/CFJSR) ? - present
Kingston, Ontario (Res EW Sqn/772 EW Sqn) 1986 - present
Ladner, British Columbia (RCCS/SRS) 1949 - 1971
Leitrim, Ontario (RCCS/SRS/CFIOG) 1941 - present
Louisbourg, Nova Scotia (DOT) 1939 - 1945?
Lulu Island, British Columbia (DOT) 1945 - 1945
Masset, British Columbia (RCN/SRS/CFIOG) 1944 - 1945 and 1949 - present
Ottawa, Ontario (various headquarters) 1939 - present
Ottawa, Ontario (DOT) 1939 - 1945?
Ottawa, Ontario (771 CRS) 1987 - 2002
Pennfield, New Brunswick (RCN @ RCAF) 1941? - 1944?
Point Grey, British Columbia (DOT) 1940 - 1945?
Portage la Prairie, Manitoba (RCN @ RCAF) 1942? - 1945?
Prince Rupert, British Columbia (RCN) 1946? - 1948?
Riske Creek, British Columbia (RCCS; never operational) 1944 - 1946
Rivers, Manitoba (RCN @ RCAF) 1941? - 1945?
Rockcliffe, Ontario (RCCS) 1939 – 1941
Shediac, New Brunswick (DOT) 1939 - 1945?
St. Hubert, Quebec (DOT) 1939 - 1945?
Ste. Hyacinthe, Quebec (training) 1944 - 1945?
Strathburn, Ontario (DOT) 1939 - 1945?
Sydney, Nova Scotia (RCN @ RCAF) 1941? - 1945?
Ucluelet, British Columbia (RCN @ RCAF) 1941 - 1942
Victoria, British Columbia (RCCS) 1942 - 1949
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory (RCAF/SRS) 1948?- 1968
Winnipeg, Manitoba (DOT) 1942 - 1945
Winnipeg, Manitoba (AIRCOM support element) ? - present

The list does not include the various operating sites of the Special Wireless Sections Type “A” and Type “B” in Britain, Italy, and North-West Europe from 1941 to 1945 or similar operations that may have taken place in the years since the Second World War when Canadian forces have been operationally deployed. Also not included are the covert intercept sites reported to operate in some Canadian embassies and consulates.

Canadians are also posted to a number of U.S. sites under the CF-USN Personnel Exchange Program. Currently, these sites include Fort Meade, MD; Kunia RSOC, HI; Medina RSOC, TX; and possibly San Diego, CA; Norfolk, VA; and Whidbey Island, WA. At various times, Canadians have also been posted to other U.S. sites under this program, including Northwest, VA; Homestead, FL; Skaggs Island, CA; Imperial Beach, CA; Wahiawa, HI; and Naval Security Group Headquarters (Washington, DC).


[Update 1 May 2006:
See updated version of the list here.]

2 Comments:

Blogger G.Christian Larsen said...

Pennfield Ridge operated as a base from 1941 until 1945.

Regards,
G Christian Larsen
President Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society

September 09, 2010 2:50 pm  
Blogger Bill Robinson said...

Hi, Christian.

Thanks for the information! Do you know whether the RCN radio unit was still operating at Pennfield Ridge in 1945?

- Bill

September 09, 2010 3:09 pm  

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