Comox

[Robert Bergeron]

An easy Sunday morning on CFB Esquimalt.

Taken from the Wardroom on the 6 th floor.

[Jes Andersen]

Spring is here... Nice view from the Wardroom and a lot nicer than the old one up on Colville Road. Now that you've been to Fort Rodd Hill, you should see if you can arrange a side trip to Mary Hill or to the installation on the far side of the Rocky Point facility. View from Mary Hill gives you the whole Victoria and Esquimalt harbour waterfront and Juan de Fuca Strait. On a clear morning, inactive volcanos Mt Baker and way south, Mt Rainier are visible. Lots of military history around Victoria if you know where to look and can have access to those inside the barbed wire. Have fun!

[Robert Bergeron]

Hi Jes,

As a matter of fact and in pure coincidence , the Rocky Point facility CO called me yesterday ...

Guess what ? I am invited to visit the remains of the batteries at Mary Hill to my heart's content !

Will be doing that in the coming weeks as the weather improves.

Anyone interested in tagging along for the tour ?

It will have to be during daytime / week -day. Current photo ID required , I can be your sponsor.

Do not post interest here, send me an email please .

Cheers,

Robert

[Robert Bergeron]

Being from the East, I noticed since my arrival on the Island last September that there are a few differences in the lifestyle here.

First I noticed the smell of pot while walking the streets of Comox and Courtenay .

Then while cycling I spotted this sign...only on Vancouver Island I say. Only on Van Isle...

For the record that is not in Esquimalt but in nearby Saanich.

They are more spiritual up there.

[Bruce MacMillan]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

First I noticed the smell of pot while walking the streets of Comox and Courtenay and even on Base sometimes.... I would ask and the folks would say : That's Sage Sir, not pot oh no , never, oh gosh !
.

Well I see the Liberals just announced that pot will be legal July 1st, 2018.
Puts a whole different meaning to "the smoking lamp is lit"

[Robert Bergeron]

Hey Bruce,

I don't do politics but nice hearing from you. Hope they catch the associates of the bad guy that so terribly acted out against poor unsuspecting citizens last week in your part of the world..

I was hunting for old coastal gun batteries at Fort Rodd Hill, Albert Head, Marie's Head and anywhere else they had them.

Every time I looked out my window I would see this strange concrete structure with a steel deck. Then this morning I realised my balcony had a plunging view on a gun emplacement. Hidden in plain view we might say !

For those who are interested , it is on Signal Hill in Esquimalt behind the Wardroom.

[Jes Andersen]

Years ago, I tried to get access to the then fenced off Signal Hill area. Never had any luck an always wondered what else was in there. A lot has changed in almost 50 years. At one time there was a battery located at the entrance to Victoria Harbour on the end of one of the piers. It was a rather tall concrete structure with the gun emplacement on top. Along with a lot of this type of stuff around here, it was demolished many years ago. The searchlight battery is located across the harbour and is still there. The Capital Region is building their new sewage treatment plant adjacent to that area so I am not sure about access. Near where I used to have a home, on Gonzales Hill, there is the remains of an observation structure with sweeping views of the Juan de Fuca Strait. Its part of a park now and there is a pleasant walking path up to the view point. On a clear day, you can see forever....
Enjoy your exploring and post up some pictures of those places us regular folks aren't able to get to without going over the wire... Part of the Mary Hill property used to have a mortar range and was always an interesting place to sneak around. It was cleared when they cut off a chunk of the land to create the Pearson College of the Pacific or whatever its called now. There were APC tracks around the area and I think its still used for some training exercises now. Below the Mary Hill Battery is the William Head prison. It once was a quarantine station for arrivals on ships from the Orient. Many stories to be told from those days.
Enjoy Spring in Victoria. We are hoping it will warm up a bit more up my way.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thanks Jes. Monday morning i am going for a meeting over at Rocky Point. Afterwards i will go for a recce of the batteries just for a peek. I hope to post some pictures but i have to check first with the CO. Meanwhile here is a picture of a visitor in port last night .

[Robert Bergeron]

Friends , after looking closely i found another former coastal artillery emplacement on Signal Hill. Under the crumbling wood structure is the former gun emplacement.

[Robert Bergeron]

Went behind the wire today with the help of a Restricted Area pass. What a discovery i made ! What the public can see and visit at Fort Rodd Hill has it's duplicate on Signal Hill ! In better condition i would venture to say . Everything is there as if the garrison had left 20 years ago. I intend to get the keys to enter the underground bunkers eventualy but i have seen enough to believe this is the exact duplicate of the upper battery found at Fort Rodd Hill. Will post pictures later WiFi issues right now

[Robert Bergeron]

So, I went inside the battery. Like I said , it looks like the garrison left a little while ago except that was in the 50's ..

Found .303 Lee Enfield ammo clips ,tables, furniture .

It is a time capsule. Incredible.

[Robert Bergeron]

If there is interest , I could post more pictures.

[Robert Bergeron]

Incredible, just like a time capsule.

[Jes Andersen]

All the years I drove past Signal Hill, I knew there was something interesting up there behind the wire. I was never successful in getting permission to access that area although I've been in pretty much all the other areas of the Dockyard. That battery is likely the most original of all of them in Canada, given the location and restricted access.
I can't speak for the other members on here, but as a long time Victoria resident, this stuff is very interesting and brings back a lot of fond memories exploring before any effort was made to preserve this history. Please post more pictures that you think will be of interest here.

[Robert Bergeron]

I woke up to see this in the harbour this morning.

Wainwright has it's buffaloes at the main gate, Esquimalt has it's submarines I guess....

I never get used to it.

[Robert Bergeron]

This does not render it justice at all but what a nice demonstration of gunnery skills we had at Fort Rodd Hill.

6 guns did a 100 round quick fire gun salute and it was amazing.

2030 hr local Esquimalt and 0530 hr Vimy France time, the instant it all started 100 years ago.

We shall remember them.

[Harry Moon]

You had to be standing next to us on Belmont Battery. We had the chairs! Thats the back of Claire's head in the bottom right of your picture!!

[Harry Moon]

4 guns from 5th Field in Victoria and 2 guns from 15th field in Vancouver.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thanks Harry for the information.

Here is another picture of this most historic event.

[Robert Bergeron]

Went on a sail yesterday on a MCDV ( Mine sweeper ) HMCS Yellowknife.

I was very impressed by the CO and his crew .

True dedicated professionals .

While I was very interested in their work, I could not help notice a very nice pair of ... .50 cal BMG's on the upper deck .

That box is full with 100 rds of live ammo and ready to go !

I like pairs of anything. Pairs are good.

These would look good on some of our member's vehicles for sure .

[Robert Bergeron]

Here are some other views of the nice pair of BMG's I saw onboard .

That mount is gorgeous and would look very good on one of my vehicles for sure....

[Dave D.]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

If there is interest , I could post more pictures.

If you have the required permission to post pics, I'd love to see more. Visited Fort Rodd a few years back and every time you post, I can hear the ocean!

I'll do a search for what's available on Signal Hill online but if you have any historical info, or timelines, that would be appreciated.

We're real interested in the Civil Defence aspect of the area, the nuclear story and we're just simply bonkers for bunkers and tunnels.

Appreciate all the west coast shots and the smell of the breeze coming off the ocean.

http://civildefencemuseum.ca/ VOLUME WARNING

[Robert Bergeron]

I have sadly left the West Coast on July 1 st , Canada Day.

I am now posted in Montréal and have been trust into the breach of the refugee claimant situation here.

It is called Operation Element. Don't know where the name came from.

So this will be my final post on this tread.

To all the people I have met , spoken to or heard from , it was nice knowing you. I had a grand time on Van Isle and the West Coast of BC . So Farewell and see you again , i hope .

Thank-you all.

Smooth seas and following winds .

Rowebear .