MTB Base in Montreal???...

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by John McGillivray

I did a google search and found this site.
http://shipbuildinghistory.com/histo...ada/cpower.htm

A further search revealed that the subject MTB's were actually known as the TM-22 class MTB - see http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/TM22.htm

All eight of them were transferred to the Netherlands West-Indies (yes, we once truly ruled the world's seas ), after serving there they were transferred to other regions and Navies.

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

More info: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canad...r_Boat_Company

See pictures of the construction of these boats here: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/d...pl6smt7nsocuf0

And today: http://quebecindustrialheritage.blog...mpany.html?m=1

H.

[Marc Montgomery]

There were several photos -then and now- in one of the old Convoy magazines, When I took the pics several years ago, the boat basin had been long filled in and was a gravel parking lot (fairly big)

there used to be a road right along the south side of the canal and a small lift bridge gave access to and from the basin...

the canal is not that wide so manoeuvring the 70 plus foot boats in and out would have been interesting.

guarantee that less than a handful of montrealers....0.0000001% know there were MTBs built here.. Few Cdns would even know what MTB is..being brought up on US tv and PT boats (apparently not too successful or reliable)

Also in an old convoy edition were photos of the Angus yards..big locomotive works..BIG..converted to making tanks..... again then and now photos......now..subdivsions and a part of the former building is a very large supermarket. Strange to think in the exact spot where they used to build tanks, is now rows of American grapes, mexican avocados...monsanto GM tomatoes etc..

Also in another Convoy edition....lots of then and now photos. of the Sorel plant (again huge!) were 25pdrs were made... I could find NO evidence to indicate to anyone the importance of the plant or the city..no plaque ..rien!

There was -ONE- very sad condition 25pdr at a kind of run-down, out of the way Legion and I think it might have had a plaque...but I bet again 99% of the people there dont know of the history. Quebec politics...that all I will say.

[Robert Bergeron]

Dear Marc,

Not all Québecers forget..

My uncle Gerry Plammondon played hockey with the Montéal Canadians and Maurice Richard during the war in between shifts working on torpedoes for the MTB ' s out of the Le Guardeur plant just outside of Montéal.

You see, it was the war and unless you were a star like Maurice Richard , you had to work for the war industry AND play hockey.

Gerry is 91 now and going strong. He told me all about the MTB's and the torpedoes is was making for them.One of his torpedoes surely sank the Bismark. i am sure.. well almost.

So let the war stories come out gents, there are plenty to be told.. even in Québec.

Cheers !



Robert

[Marc Montgomery]

Well Rob, youre one of those very few. Again, almost no one knows that two of the biggest munitions plants were near montreal...
One north of the city called "le Plan Bouchard"...a huge operation..now a subdivision..although when I was last there, there were still traces left in the brush where the development hadnt reached..shown in the Convoy Mag

Again in an old Convoy mag there are before and after photos.

Montreal and surrounding area during the war years was a very major supplier..from buiding Canso amphibs, to clothing and webbing, MTBs, tanks, planes, radio equip... you name it.

[Robert Bergeron]

Hey Mark,

My father served at Camp Bouchard after the war and he had fond memories of the courses he attended there. He used to fly to Camp Bouchard in a RCAF DC3 from Sherbrooke. They landed in Cartierville airport now closed and then boarded a Jeep or other transport to Camp Bouchard.

I regularly overfly Camp Bouchard by plane ( my Cessna) and chopper ( Griffon today's RCAF ) and there are numerous remaining buildings and ammunition bunkers . Next door there is a testing oval racetrack were there were safety trials of cars by Transport Canada that is still being used by someone .

There are still munitions plants in Montréal. Grenades , ammunition , and other misc are made . Don't forget that the country's largest military depot is in Longue Pointe.. , Montréal. For example ,there a more Leopard tanks in Longue Pointe than anywere else in Canada. Recently ( in the last years ) a lot of 1000' s of Inglis High Power 9mm pistols were drawn from stores in Longue Pointe for service in a Far East country i will not name . Brand new in the box never fired dated from 1945 . From first hand experience they shoot very well.

Montréal's economy is still very much military oriented. From F-18 refurbishment, to F16/ 18 landing gear manufacture , Simulators , comms, sofware etc....amongst other things.


Cheers !

[Marc Montgomery]

oh...to get one of those inglis....sigh..

hey where do fly your cesnna from? gimme a call I'll go with you! I have like 4 hours in 172.

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

There are still munitions plants in Montréal. Grenades , trip flares , C7/ C9 ammunition , and other misc are made.

Robert,

I've always thought that all of our munitions were made at Valcartier. Has this changed and is IVI closed?

Whereabouts in Montreal is all this ordnance being made?

Cheers,
Dan.