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Chapter 4:
After the evacuation of Dunkirk, France, by British Forces between May 26 and July 4, 1940, large contingents of Canadian troops began arriving in Newfoundland and in Labrador. The highest number of Canadian troops on the island of Newfoundland during the Second World War was in December 1943 when they totaled 5692 personnel. The Newfoundland Regiment that manned the Bell Island heavy artillery numbered 569 personnel. In March 1943 the total number of Canadian troops in Goose Bay, Labrador, was 1300 (for the defense of the airport).
After the attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, by Japan on December 7, 1941, the Americans began to lease land in Newfoundland, Labrador, and Bermuda from England for the establishment of military bases. Bases were established at Stephenville on the west coast of Newfoundland, at the airport in Gander, at the airport in Torbay near St. John’s, and at Argentia in Placentia Bay for a naval base. A number of repeater stations to improve communications were also established in the general area.
In exchange for the leased land, England received a loan of 50 destroyers to bolster their navy. This became known as the Lend Lease Agreement. The Americans have since passed their leases back to the Crown and the destroyers (if they survived the war) were returned to the lender. With the return of the land came hundreds of buildings located in Newfoundland and Labrador. Many were occupied by the Newfoundland Government as there was a shortage of buildings after World War 2. A number of the buildings are occupied today.
The Canadian military also left a large inventory of buildings and equipment in both Newfoundland and in Labrador when they returned to Canada from Newfoundland. They had a number of buildings on the south side of St. John’s Harbour that were removed in a harbour development project. The Canadian military also had facilities at the airports at Torbay, Gander, and Goose Bay in Labrador, which were returned to Newfoundland.
Chapter 5