Construction of a bridge on the National Transcontinental Railway in Moncton circa 1910.
Credit: Wikimedia/
The city of Moncton was an important transport hub over the first half of the 20th century because of its position as an eastern end of the National Transcontinental Railway, an ambitious rail line that stretched all the way from New Brunswick to Winnipeg. The First World War temporarily halted construction on the railway, but Moncton nonetheless served an important role in funneling war materiel eastward. Its logistical importance grew even more during the Second World War. In 1940, the Canadian military established a permanent supply base in the city. Many thousands of tonnes of war and civilian materiel would be shipped to and sorted in Moncton before being sent to ports further east and then overseas. The Royal Canadian Air Force also recognized the importance of the city. During the war, the RCAF established two bases near Moncton, RCAF Station Moncton and RCAF Station Scoudouc. The former housed No. 8 Service Flying Training School until 1944; the latter served as a maintenance depot.
Moncton training pilot Donald McClure served in World War II under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame in 2002 for his dedication to the advancement of flight training.
Credit: Virtual Museum, A Century of Aviation in New Brunswick/
Moncton is also one of the most important sites of Acadian heritage and learning in Atlantic Canada. Many French speaking Acadians served in New Brunswick regiments, like the 165th (Acadian) Regiment during the First World War and The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, which in 1944 landed at D-Day with acadiens from across the province. Moncton is home to the Université de Moncton – the largest French-language university in the Maritimes. The university boasts one of the oldest museums in Canada. The Musée acadien, built in 1886, holds a collection of over 35, 000 artefacts related to Acadian culture, including military life. A temporary exhibition hall regularly hosts temporary and travelling exhibits.
Sources:
1. Abandoned Military Installations of Canada, volume III: Atlantic. Paul Ozorak.
2. DND publication on the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.
3. “New Brunswick at War” publication by the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.
4. Père Clément Cormier, c.s.c., Cahiers de la Société historique acadienne, 42e cahier, 1974.
5. Wikimedia.
6. Virtual Museum website. A Century of Aviation in New Brunswick.
7. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick website.
Featured Image: Credit: Provincial Archives of New Brunswick/