HMCS STADACONA

RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX

All Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) shore-based facilities followed the naming tradition of the Royal Navy, whereby the prefix HMCS was affixed. The entire bases at the deep water ports of Victoria, British Columbia, and Halifax are now referred to as a Canadian Forces Base or CFB but some components of the base are still referred to by their historic RCN name.

HMCS Stadacona was originally built as the British Army's Wellington Barracks, later known as the Nelson Barracks, as part of the Halifax Defence Complex. After the departure of British military forces from Canada in 1906, the facilities were transferred to the Department of Marine and Fisheries. The RCN appropriated the site when established in 1910 and it was named HMCS Stadacona and commissioned on 1 July 1923. The Stadacona Barracks, frequently referred to as "Stad", is an adjunct to HMC Dockyard located west of the waterfront in the north end of the Halifax peninsula.

With the unification of the Canadian Forces, the establishment was paid off on 1 April 1966 to become Canadian Forces Base Halifax. The base is Canada's east coast naval base and home port to the Atlantic fleet. HMCS Stadacona contains the base headquarters, hospital and gymnasium, the Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School, the Canadian Forces Naval Operations School, the Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare Centre and messes and accommodations.

Course & Staff Photos          The Ship's Bell          Sports and the RCN

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

Photos and Documents

(STAD001) Main gate at HMCS STADACONA - 1969  //  Courtesy of Brian Lapierre

(STAD002) Main Gate at STADACONA - 1985  //  DND Neg # HS 85B-4718  //  Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax

(STAD003) Main gate at STADACONA - 2019  //  Courtesy of Brian Lapierre

Funeral procession for an Admiral in Halifax while Ken Medford was on training at HMCS STADACONA

In photo 2, Ken Medford is in the left column, 4th from the front (beside the officer)

From the collection of Kenneth Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

(TS01) Electrical school at HMCS STADACONA - 1949  (TS02-TS04) "The Wets" - ratings mess at HMCS STADACONA - 1949  (TS05-TS08) Ratings at "The Wets" - 1949

(TS09) Ratings at "The Wets) - 1949  (TS10-TS11) Outside "The Wets" (TS12) Mac and Carleton  (TS13) Steve and Jack  (TS14) Tom Smith at HMCS STADACONA - 1949  (TS15) Tom Smith (left) John & Sid at HMCS STADACONA - 1949  (TS16) John, unknown and Tom Smith at HMCS STADACONA - 1949

From the collection of Tim Smith, C2ET, RCN

(GB-STAD-001) Unidentified sailors in front of the Seamanship Division at HMCS STADACONA 1949

(GB-STAD-002) Gordon Broster (right) and friends by the Seamanship Division Bldg at HMCS STADACONA 1949

(GB-STAD-003) Gordon Broster (middle) and friends by the Seamanship Division Bldg at HMCS STADACONA 1949

(GB-STAD-004) Gordon Broster by the Seamanship Division Bldg at HMCS STADACONA 1949

From the collection of Gordon Arnold (Art) Broster

Courtesy of Cathy Robinson

(NMoh001) H.M. Canadian Ship "Stadacona" Naval Band and British Commonwealth Associations upon the occasion of the International Soccer Match (England versus U.S.A.) at Yankee Stadium, New York City, Sunday, June 7, 1953

(NMoH002) Divisions at HMCS STADACONA - 1942

(NMoH003) HMC Dockyard and HMCS STADACONA - 1962

(NMoH004) Staff of the CF Hospital at STADACONA - 1966

(NMoH005) HMC Dockyard and STADACONA - 1986

(NMoH006) Division at STADACONA - 1985

(NMoH007) Divisions at STADACONA - c1980s

(NMoH008) Inspectiom during division in front of the Pullen Building, STADACONA - 1985

(NMoH009) Base gym (foreground) and Pullen Building - undated

(NMoH010) STADACONA early 1990s

Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax

Course and Staff Photos