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Canadian Forces Station (CFS) in Bermuda 1963 to 1993

Specialized in radio-direction-finding for anti-submarine warfare and radar surveillance

By Keith Archibald Forbes (see About Us) exclusively for Bermuda Online

To refer to this file use "bermuda-online.org/canadianforcesstationbda.htm" as your Subject

His other files include

• American military bases in Bermuda until 1995
• American Armed Forces Personnel Posted to Bermuda 1941 to 1995
• British Army in Bermuda
• Bermuda Forts by British Army
• Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda.

Artist's impression of CFS Bermuda. It had 17 acres including beaches.

Canadian Forces Station Bermuda, at Daniel's Head in Somerset, Sandys Parish, Bermuda.. Photos taken by author Keith A. Forbes solely for and copyrighted by http://www.bermuda-online.org.  

Once an important site in the Atlantic HF/DF net. Under the operational control of CSE Ottawa and fully integrated in the UK/USA Sigint network. Major tasks included Russian and bloc shipping, general naval tasks, BULLSEYE automated DF system, Project Wideband to copy JUMBO (Soviet naval and sub burst traffic) and other spread spectrum methods. There was also a CDAA (Circularly Disposed Antenna Array) on the base.

Chronology

1944. August. The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) established a small training base at Convicts Bay, St George's, commissioned as HMCS Somers Isles. It was decommissioned in October 1945, after 125 RCN and 12 RN escorts passed through en route to the war.

1951. The Royal Navy Dockyard closed, after being in operation since 1809. Britain handed it over to Bermuda. The dismantling was virtually completed when the large floating dock left Bermuda on July 11, bound for England. It was towed by the Royal Navy tugs Wanden and Reward, with the tug Prosperous in reserve. All reached Falmouth, England, on August 11.

1951. But Bermuda continued to play a major role in the training of the post-war Royal Canadian Navy. From that moment on, the RN Dockyard was virtually a Canadian Base, and on occasion more than 30 ships and 5000 men were training in Bermuda. The Canadian Forces Liaison Office (CFLO) was set up in Bermuda as a new approach to the difficulties associated with training for both ships and aircraft. 

1961. January. In Ottawa, the Canadian Government's Cabinet Defence Committee approved the establishment of an HFDF installation in Bermuda. It  was a direct result of the continued Canadian presence in Bermuda. This decision was noted by the Canadian Cabinet at a meeting in February 1961. It was as the result of a recommendation by Rear Admiral HG DeWolf, RCN.

1961. March. A trial period of one year was approved by the Canadian Government to enable site evaluation in a temporary operational mode. 

1963. January. The long awaited Memo of Understanding was completed. Delays were encountered because of Bermudian demands of right of way and defining the status of the Canadian Forces residing on the Island. Canadian demands for duty-free privileges were reinforced by what had been approved for USA and Royal Navy protocols but still had to be ratified by the Home Government in London. 

1963. The RCN obtained II acres of land at Daniel's Head, Sandy's Parish to build and operate a complex intercontinental Naval Radio Station, to communicate with its headquarters in Canada and surface units spread around the North American and Atlantic areas. The original lease was for 21 years at a cost of £2,000 - some say £6000 - pounds per annum. The lease officially took effect on the 1st of January, 1963. There were specific clauses included to make the beach included in the lease holding available for recreational purposes to those serving at HMS Malabar. It was the beginning of what became CFS Bermuda. Negotiations continued, during this period, for a formal Visiting Forces Agreement between the Bermudian and Canadian governments to finalize the Resolution of Property Acquisition. and Provision of Services and Utilities to support the proposed station. For Daniel's Head, the new arrangement meant a reversion to naval use of the area after 37 years of Royal Navy-approved use by a pig farmer and a Youth Service facility and then a period of general neglect. The same site had been abandoned by the Royal Navy in 1926 following the dismantling of radio masts formerly used as part of an important Wireless Telegraphy station before and during World War I.

1963. April 24. The advance party, without dependants, arrived on site

A Communications Technician was later sent to augment the station for the duration of the cryptographic installation phase. At the outset, station personnel were rationed and quartered at the US Naval Operations Base, or NOB (later, the US Naval Annex, now Morgan's Point), approximately 3 miles away, in Southampton Parish. Canadian personnel were still not receiving Foreign Service Pay nor duty-free privileges because the Memo of Understanding still had not been approved by the Government in London. Personnel were not then allowed to have their dependants with them. 

1963. May 22. Eleven more sailors arrived from Canada, in a special airlift, accompanying classified equipment for installation. Present and new personnel moved all the first-fitting stores from the Hamilton Dock sheds into temporary storage in the Bermuda Container Line (BCL) warehouse in HM Dockyard to avoid exorbitant demurrage charges. As the station waited for the arrival of its two AN/FRT39D 10 Kilowatt Single Sideband high frequency transmitters, it managed to obtain a factory fresh AN/FRT17 from the US Navy. It was installed as a tertiary backup in case of catastrophic failure of the other two transmitters.

At about this time, building work began in earnest on both renovating old structures left behind by the UK's Royal Navy (such as its Operations Building, later the Canadian Administration building) and adding others specifically for the Canadian forces. They included:

• Operations/Stores Building
• Administration Building
• Technical Workshop
• Stores Building
• Office-in-Charge Residence - c. 1940s
• Barracks Block
• Mess and Recreation Building
• Dormitory
• Tool Shed
• Transmitter Building
• Generator Building - Diesel
• Inflammable Store
• Transmitter
  • 2 AN/FRT39D 10kW Single Sideband high frequency on Ireland Island
• Canex building
• Commanding Officer's official residence at "Mara Leah"
• CE workshop
• Longtail Barracks
• Cycle Shelter
• Beach Canteen and the Sailing Club boat house
• Senior Ranks Mess
• Junior Ranks Mess
• VIP Suite
• Community Centre

1963. July 4. The station became operational. It was ready on July 1 but it was not invited to join the American-led Atlantic HFDF Network until this date to coincide with US Independence Day ceremonies. The Atlantic Net Control at Cheltenham, Maryland, or Alternate Net Control at HMC NRS Coverdale, New Brunswick, originated flash directives which were picked up on broadcast frequencies by the net's outstations. The received flashes were decoded, targets searched and target bearings observed, then encoded and reported to Net Control, either by HF radio or landline. This station's response unit consisted of a loaned AN/TRD4 HFDF trailer sited about 450 feet northwest of the Operations Building at Daniel's Head. It was operated for a few weeks on auxiliary power while awaiting shore power installation. It involved a great deal of trenching and burying power cables and upgrading power distribution panels throughout the station.

1963. August. The effectiveness of this station's operations was such that it soon became obvious it was in Bermuda to stay. It had passed its probationary period with flying colours. But the opposite was experienced at HMC NRS Frobisher Bay. It subsequently closed down as a direct result of this station's proficiency. It had delivered its mission - "to effectively provide cut-off bearing for accurate fixes on transmitting targets."

1963. November 11. The station marked observance of Remembrance Day in the City of Hamilton with a wreath was reverently committed to the sea and appropriate prayers. 

1964. March. Ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement made living in Bermuda a whole lot easier. For some winter-weary Canadians, it was the nearest they had come to living in paradise. 

1964. An unforeseen budget surplus created by the closure of the Frobisher Bay Naval Radio Station permitted this station to receive an additional $1.5 million for more equipment, better accommodations and increased personnel costs. Renovations continued on the Accommodation Building to house 20 of the 30 members permitted under the latest updated Visiting Forces Agreement. 

1964. November 11. For the second time, station marked observance of Remembrance Day in the City of Hamilton  with a wreath was reverently committed to the sea and appropriate prayers. Battle of Atlantic Sunday was also observed. 

1964. November 12. The Galley/Recreation Building was ready to victual those on ration strength thanks to the acquisition of two navy cooks from the West Coast.

1965. February 15. Royal Canadian Navy officers and other ranks said goodbye to the white ensign and introduced the new Canadian Flag. The station's Commanding Officer read the CANAVGEN Proclamation before the assembled Ship’s Company and invited dignitaries. Chief Petty Officer "Boots" Dunbar presented the new decommissioned white ensign to the trusting hands of Rear Admiral HG DeWolf (Ret’d) who was the principal proponent of establishing the station in Bermuda while he was Chief of Naval Staff. He was touched by the ceremony, probably by the accompanying nostalgia of seeing his beloved ensign flown for the last time. After the laying-up of the ensign, Mrs. Mabel Ruymer presented the new Canadian flag to the duty signalman for hoisting during the salute and the cheers which accompanied it.

1969. The station's name was changed from Naval Radio Station Bermuda to Canadian Forces Station Bermuda. It was one of the first Canadian stations to be manned by unified Canadian Forces personnel.

1974. January. The new Canex building became operational.

1976. January. The Commanding Officer's official residence at "Mara Leah" was rewired.

1976. February. The communications link between the station and USNAS VP Squadron based at the US Navy base (now civilian Morgan's Point) in Southampton was completed.

1977. March. The CE workshop was built.

1977. August. The FCC circuit changed from DC landline to microwave system at the US Naval Station Annex. It affected this station too.

1978. March. The cycle shelter for personnel below Longtail Barracks was built. Also completed was the kitchen extension, housing the new hot water system.

1979. June. A new switchboard was installed.

1979. September. The operational system was shut down for the removal of the old antennae.

1979. November.  The new Pusher was installed and CFS Bermuda returned to the net.

1980. May.  Self-help projects were completed on the beach. These included the Beach Canteen and the Sailing Club boat house.

1980. November. The Senior Ranks Mess (SRM) was handed over to the CO.

1982. February.  An addition to Canex was built.

1982. March.  Renovations were completed for the Junior Ranks Mess (JRC).

1982. May. New VIP suite was completed. 

1989. "Once the initial shock of acclimatization wore off and we became accustomed to drinking the cement-flavored rainwater upon which the Islands depend and by ingesting lots of salt tablets to diminish our listlessness and aching joints, we were able to concentrate on the primary mission - get on the air and get on with the one-year trial period so we would know whether we were staying or leaving." - Lieut. Michael A. Ruymar. 

1992. February. Canada's Budget announced the decision to close the station. It was a shock to everyone of the base.

1992. May.  As a result of the decision above, the communications Link between USNAS VP Squadron and this station was deactivated.

1992. May. The last major project completed was the new Community Center. It was originally planned as a station gym. 

1992. September. Official notice was given to the Bermuda Government to terminate the lease effective 31 December 1993. From its small beginnings, Canadian Forces Station Bermuda had grown to nearly 220 military and family members over time, before the wind down began. Canadians stationed in Bermuda had developed excellent relationships with the community, participating in local ceremonial and cultural occasions and daily life. Many close friendships resulted.

4th December 1995. The Bermuda Government issued a series of postage stamps on Military Bases formerly in Bermuda. The one relating to the former Canadian Forces Station has the following description for this BD$1 stamp on the liner details of the First Day Cover issued with this issue. "The Royal Canadian Navy leased some fourteen acres of former British Admiralty lands at Daniel's Head towards the western end of Bermuda in 1963. The installation was established as a signals intelligence unit to support the Canadian Forces and to aid in search and rescue operations.  Due to changes in international relations and with increased fiscal constraints, the Canadian Government closed the site in December 1993."

Since leaving, the Canadians cleaned up the pollution they once had. No buildings at all remain of the former Canadian Forces station. Since then, a new and unusual hotel, Daniel's Head Village, opened in August 2000 (but since closed as uneconomic, it was replaced with the 9 Beaches Hotel). 

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