Yesterday, MY Jane, Steven and Chris told me it was up to me what we would all do that day. I decided that I would like to go back to the Base Borden Military Museum. Jane and I had been there once before after attending Remembrance Day ceremonies last year. But last year the weapons display room was not open while security upgrades were being done.
Fortunately, yesterday they just re-opened it and we had had a chance to look at all kinds of weaponry from the First and Second World Wars.
In addition to that, there is a huge display of tanks, personnel carriers, jeeps and amphibious carriers that allows you to get up close and see just how big and solid some of the stuff is. None of the equipment was built for comfort, that’s for sure. It helps you realize how tough it was for our veterans in those wars.
In another section, there is a lot of memorabilia related to Air Force and Navy. Included is an actual jet that you can climb up stairs and get a close up look at the cockpit.
In that same area there is a wall with pictures of our soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in Afghanistan.
I looked at these pictures with an overwhelming sense of pride and sadness. Pride that these men and women were so brave as to put themselves in harms way for all of us; profound sadness that they gave their lives in doing so. The youngest was only nineteen years of age. Then you realize that there were thousands more men and women before them who did the same in the First and Second World Wars and Korea.
In addition to all the weapons and equipment, there were vast displays of medals, uniforms and insignia that have been used over the years.
After spending about 2 hours inside this area, we were given directions by the Commissionaire to a hangar some distance away where several planes were on display including a Tiger Moth that is still operable.
I talked with the Commissionaire in that section and he told me that all the runways were no longer usable because the government of the day had all the asphalt torn up when the decision was made to stop using them.
The Control Tower sits empty and the hangars, many of which were built in 1916, sit vacant, unused and decaying. It’s an eerie feeling in this area. There are old jets sitting around on the ground, and the absence of any activity makes it feel like a ghost town.
Yesterday I posted numerous photos of the Military Museum in which you may be interested.
If you’re ever in the area of Base Borden, I would recommend you spend a couple of hours visiting the Military Museum.
Life Unfolding 