Camp Hughes, WWI Military Training Camp, Recognized for its National Historic Significance
News Release
July 24, 2016 Camp Hughes, Manitoba Parks Canada Agency
Today, Dr. Doug Eyolfson, Member of Parliament for Charleswood–St. James–Assiniboia–Headingley, on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna, recognized Camp Hughes, a former WWI military training camp, as a place of national historic significance. A commemorative plaque and interpretive exhibit was unveiled at Camp Hughes by members of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and the Friends of Camp Hughes Committee.
The event included an authentic WWI battle re-enactment and a guided tour of the Camp Hughes trench system showcasing a number of authentic dugout replications.
Camp Hughes National Historic Site is the most intact WWI battlefield terrain, created for training purposes, remaining in Canada and one of a dwindling number worldwide. It retains many of its original landscape features including training trenches, rifle range, grenade training grounds, artillery observation posts, building foundations and a camp cemetery. It is a rare and highly evocative link to a defining event in Canadian history and a powerful reminder of Canada’s participation, contribution and sacrifices during WWI.
As we approach the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, these treasured places will enable Canadians to connect with our country’s rich heritage in a special and meaningful way.
Quotes
“On behalf of the Government of Canada it is my privilege to commemorate Camp Hughes as a place of national historic significance. Camp Hughes serves as a symbol of Canada’s unwavering readiness to come together to help defend global peace and stability. As the 150th anniversary of Confederation nears, there is no better time for Canadians to reflect on our history as a key contributor in the fight for peace and freedom both at home and abroad.”
Dr. Doug Eyolfson
Member of Parliament for Charleswood–St. James–Assiniboia–Headingley
“The realistic training obtained by soldiers at Camp Hughes played a vital role in their battlefield performance later in war, including the famous victory won at Vimy Ridge in 1917. The Camp Hughes site is one of the few places in the world (and the only place in North America) where trench works of the time remain in existence.”
Friends of Camp Hughes Committee
Quick Facts
- Camp Hughes was named after Sir Sam Hughes, Canada’s Minister of Militia and Defence (1911–1916).
- In 1916, over 25,000 troops were trained at Camp Hughes, making it the second-largest community in Manitoba outside of Winnipeg. In its heyday, Camp Hughes boasted six movie theatres, numerous retail stores, a hospital, post office, prison and a large heated in-ground pool.
- Our national historic sites reflect the rich and varied heritage of our nation and provide an opportunity for Canadians to learn more about our diverse history.
- Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national historic significance of places, people and events that have marked Canada’s history. Parks Canada manages a nation-wide network of national historic sites that make up the rich tapestry of Canada’s cultural heritage and which offers visitors the opportunity for real and inspiring discoveries.
Related Products
Backgrounder: Camp Hughes
Associated Links
Parks Canada’s Military History
Canada’s Historic Places
Military History Society of Manitoba
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Contacts
Jodi Duhard
Public Relations and Communications Officer
Manitoba Field Unit
Parks Canada
204-984-1758
jodi.duhard@pc.gc.ca
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca
“Visitors’ Day” at Camp Hughes, c. August 7,1916.
Manitoba World War One Museum
“Sifton Avenue” trenches, Camp Hughes, 1916.
Manitoba World War One Museum
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