History of the Burlington Sea Cadet Corps
The Burlington, Ontario Canada Branch of the Navy League of Canada was established in October of 1942 and the first cadets joined and paraded in the months of February of 1943. The Sea Cadet Corps was named after Her Majesty’s Ship IRON DUKE, the British Royal Navy Dreadnaught and fleet flagship in the First World War. The name seemed the most appropriate as ‘Iron Duke’ was the nickname for the First Duke of Wellington (of the Battle of Waterloo), and the downtown core of Burlington was once called Wellington Square when the town of Burlington was first established. The initial Warrant was issued to the Burlington Navy League Branch on the 6th of March 1943.
The Cadets first paraded in the John Gould residence at 52 Water Street, now the site of Caldon Apartments on Lakeshore Road across from Spencer Smith Park. As the Corps grew, it began parading at the East End Public School, now called Lakeshore Public School from 1945 to 1949. In late 1949, the Navy League Branch acquired the existing facilities at 451 Elizabeth Street as a permanent home for RCSCC IRON DUKE.
The building itself was constructed in 1858 as a Methodist Church and was used as a Sunday school and the local Canadian Legion before it became IRON DUKE’s headquarters. On November 11th, 1980, the building and attached boatshed were gutted by an electrical fire that began in the building’s basement. The outer brick was all that remained after the flames we put out by fire services. For the next 14 months the cadets and officers moved to numerous temporary quarters until the building was finally re-opened for occupation in January 1982. In September 1996 the missing portion of IRON DUKE was restored with the opening of the latest addition the Gordon Powell Tender, known and the ‘Boatshed’.
The Corps most prize possession, an original Tampion from the Dreadnought HMS IRON DUKE. Originally this fixture was one of the two wooden muzzle covers for the thirteen point five inch guns that decorated and protected the upper-deck of HMS IRON DUKE. The other Tampion is with our corps Patron: His Royal Highness, the Duke of Wellington. Fortunately, this namesake memorabilia was not damaged in the fire and it still hangs proudly over the Brow of our ship. The Silver Cup is IRON DUKE’s oldest trophy and is annually awarded to the Top Cadet of our corps. Sadly the fire did destroy many models and memorabilia collected over the years. Surprisingly, however, all of the old photographs and newspaper clippings that managed to survive became the basis of a history book documenting the Corps activities since 1943. Articles currently on display have been collected since 1980.
The Corp has been a mainstay in the community supporting its Veterans and training youth in leadership, physical fitness and generating an interest in the Canadian Navy. The Corp has been standing proud for over 75 years.
The Cadets first paraded in the John Gould residence at 52 Water Street, now the site of Caldon Apartments on Lakeshore Road across from Spencer Smith Park. As the Corps grew, it began parading at the East End Public School, now called Lakeshore Public School from 1945 to 1949. In late 1949, the Navy League Branch acquired the existing facilities at 451 Elizabeth Street as a permanent home for RCSCC IRON DUKE.
The building itself was constructed in 1858 as a Methodist Church and was used as a Sunday school and the local Canadian Legion before it became IRON DUKE’s headquarters. On November 11th, 1980, the building and attached boatshed were gutted by an electrical fire that began in the building’s basement. The outer brick was all that remained after the flames we put out by fire services. For the next 14 months the cadets and officers moved to numerous temporary quarters until the building was finally re-opened for occupation in January 1982. In September 1996 the missing portion of IRON DUKE was restored with the opening of the latest addition the Gordon Powell Tender, known and the ‘Boatshed’.
The Corps most prize possession, an original Tampion from the Dreadnought HMS IRON DUKE. Originally this fixture was one of the two wooden muzzle covers for the thirteen point five inch guns that decorated and protected the upper-deck of HMS IRON DUKE. The other Tampion is with our corps Patron: His Royal Highness, the Duke of Wellington. Fortunately, this namesake memorabilia was not damaged in the fire and it still hangs proudly over the Brow of our ship. The Silver Cup is IRON DUKE’s oldest trophy and is annually awarded to the Top Cadet of our corps. Sadly the fire did destroy many models and memorabilia collected over the years. Surprisingly, however, all of the old photographs and newspaper clippings that managed to survive became the basis of a history book documenting the Corps activities since 1943. Articles currently on display have been collected since 1980.
The Corp has been a mainstay in the community supporting its Veterans and training youth in leadership, physical fitness and generating an interest in the Canadian Navy. The Corp has been standing proud for over 75 years.
