British Soldiers posted to Canada

[dustinm]

I've recently run across several references online to British Soldiers posted to Canada. What role do these Soldiers playing, and how can a foreign Military have a Soldier posted "indefinitely" to Canada (as one woman online stated her husband as being?)

I assume Canada reciprocally sends Canadian soldiers to British bases, then?

Edit for grammar.

 

[MikeL]

BATUS/CFB Suffield

 

[my72jeep]

BATUS/CFB Suffield

British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) located in Alberta.

 

[aesop081]

BATUS/CFB Suffield

That is only one location.

Few years ago, the British Army also had a training detachment in Wainwright, dont know if that is still up and running.

There are also several other British officers serving in CF units. I remember a UK pilot serving in 408 sqn and MP&EU has a serving RAF officer in its ranks ( last i checked).

and how can a foreign Military have a Soldier posted "indefinitely" to Canada (as one woman online stated her husband as being?)

Whats the big deal here ? We had entire canadian units in England, France and Germany, we used to run our own air weapons unit in Sardinia.......

We also have several US personel in Canada as well in "permanent" positions. Deputy commander CANR is a US general......

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . .  how can a foreign Military have a Soldier posted "indefinitely" to Canada  . . .

I assume Canada reciprocally sends Canadian soldiers to British bases, then?

Besides the (rather routine) practice of foreign military personnel (especially including British) coming to Canada (and Canadians in reverse) on "exchange" postings, attending courses, or in liason and military attaché positions, the British Army maintains a permanent unit/base on Canadian soil - British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS).  At one time (in years long past) the Germany Army had a similar unit at Shilo and the USA also maintained bases (navy and air force) on Canadian (Newfoundland) soil.

 

[aesop081]

the Germany Army had a similar unit at Shilo

GATES - German Army Training Establishement Shilo

IIRC

 

[Nfld Sapper]

At CFSME we have both a British Major and an American Officer as Exchange Officers.....

From time to time there are also some NCO's there too.....

 

[dustinm]

That is only one location.

Few years ago, the British Army also had a training detachment in Wainwright, dont know if that is still up and running.

There are also several other British officers serving in CF units. I remember a UK pilot serving in 408 sqn and MP&EU has a serving RAF officer in its ranks ( last i checked).

Whats the big deal here ? We had entire canadian units in England, France and Germany, we used to run our own air weapons unit in Sardinia.......

We also have several US personel in Canada as well in "permanent" positions. Deputy commander CANR is a US general......

Sorry, I think I came off as having a bit of an attitude; I didn't mean too, it just struck me as odd. It's neat to know that we do have other other militaries here outside of exercises though.

 

[aesop081]

Additionaly, several foreign aircrews are posted to Canada in support of NFTC.

CFSAS has at least one USAF officer ( an EWO) teaching there.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Before Newfoundland joined confederation we hosted both American and Canadian troops.

 

[Roy Harding]

There are, or at least were, two types of individuals belonging to an allied military force who may find themselves in Canada (in general - we'll leave "one offs" aside for now).

The first are "exchange officers".  These folks are dropped directly into the Canadian chain of command - and are treated (by the troops) exactly the same way as a CF officer holding the same rank/appointment.  I once served under a British Para officer in the Canadian Airborne Regiment.  He was the Ops O for the Regimental Signals Squadron - and my direct boss.  Capt Holt left many lasting memories for me - all of them good (to this day I speak to myself "in his voice" when I've f**ked up.)

It should be noted that Canadian officers also serve in other nations' armed forces in exactly the same manner.  IE - they are in the chain of command, and are treated the same as any other officer holding that particular rank/appointment.

The other group are participants in various allied training schools.  BATUS being (I think) the largest remaining one on Canadian ground.  BATUS is a British armoured training school, though which British armoured units cycle for various training.  There are, understandably, a training corps of British personnel POSTED to Suffielfd to support this training.  Perhaps it is in reference to one of these British folks that the original question was raised.

There were/are various other foreign military training establishments existent in other locations - Wainwright and Goose Bay come to mind, but I'm out of date and cannot speak with any authority regarding whether those establishments still exist.

It's not a big deal - does anybody else remember when one of the HRH's (I can't remember which one) came through Suffield and struck up a friendship with a Calgary nightclub waitress?  It was big news for a day or two.


Roy

 

[aesop081]

Goose Bay

Everyone has vacated Goose Bay except us.

 

[SARgirl]

It's not a big deal - does anybody else remember when one of the HRH's (I can't remember which one) came through Suffield and struck up a friendship with a Calgary nightclub waitress?  It was big news for a day or two.
Roy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_monarchy_in_Canada

Prince Henry arrived in Canada to train, along with other soldiers of the Canadian and British armies, at CFB Suffield, near Medicine Hat, Alberta, for a tour of duty in Afghanistan.[101][102] Harry went off base during down time and journeyed to Calgary to take in the nightlife. Though there was some minor controversy over the Prince flirting with a Calgary waitress, generally Harry was well received, with the Calgary Sun front page headline reading: "Wild about Harry!"[103] At the same time, Harry's aunt, the Princess Royal, was in Saskatchewan meeting with family members of Saskatchewan soldiers killed in Afghanistan.[104] This was part of a wider tour of the province that included her participation in ceremonies to mark the centennnial of the Royal Regina Rifles, of which she is Colonel-in-Chief, as well as opening the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Centre,[104] and meeting with First Nations elders at Government House.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

CFB Goose Bay is presently operated as an air force base by Canadian Forces Air Command and is the site of NATO tactical flight training in Canada. The base was home of permanent detachments of the Luftwaffe (Germany) and the Aeronautica Militare (Italy), as well as hosting temporary training deployments from the Royal Air Force (United Kingdom) and the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The base also serves as a forward operating base for CF-18 interceptors. Its primary formation is 5 Wing.

 

[aesop081]

CFB Goose Bay is presently operated as an air force base by Canadian Forces Air Command

That should say "nearly abandoned air force base".

 

[Roy Harding]

Thanks all for the updates.

I DO remember the "Bulldog Club" in Goose Bay (mid -'80s) wherein much "interaction" with the Brits ensued.

 

[SARgirl]

For those who are interested in some historical information about British Soldiers being posted in Canada:

British Regiments in Canada
This website attempts to identify the dates and deployments of various British military units prior to 1870... ... ... more on link.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~crossroads/regiments/

Scroll down for a list of, 'Regimental summaries & links to records'.