Geography The shore frontage of this parcel, including the park immediately to the west, had been sold to non-aboriginal interests in 1927–1928 (the Crawford/White and the Scott purchases). The property for the park was purchased in 1932 and established in 1936. In April 1942, the
Department of National Defence (DND) sought a voluntary surrender of the remaining property of the reserve behind these parcels to the east of the provincial park, however they were refused. DND then used the
War Measures Act and expropriated the property, with the expropriation agreement indicating that the property would be returned to the First Nation when it was no longer needed for a military purpose.
Military Camp Formation In 1941 the
Department of National Defence (DND) identified a requirement for an army training facility in southwestern Ontario. In February 1942, DND began investigating land on the shore of
Lake Huron northeast of
Sarnia adjacent to
Ipperwash Provincial Park (est. in 1936). This property was a large parcel comprising the eastern third of the
Stoney Point Reserve, controlled by the
Chippewas Stoney Point First Nation. Camp Ipperwash was formed on January 28, 1942, with the A29 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (A29 CITC) being the lodger unit. Following the land expropriation, buildings and a firing range were constructed on the property that spring and summer. By July 1942, sixteen Stony Point families had been moved further west to Kettle Point, giving DND full access to the new military training area. A29 CITC served as a "boot camp" or basic training centre for army recruits from southwestern Ontario (Military District #1) and ceased operations in 1945. Following the end of the
Second World War, DND indicated it was willing to return the majority of the expropriated land and would lease back any areas that were still required for training, however this offer was refused. It was generally thought that Camp Ipperwash would be identified as surplus to DND's requirements, which would enable the expropriated property to be returned to the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point. However, this was not the case and Camp Ipperwash remained in use as a training facility by the regular and reserve forces of the
Canadian Army, as well as serving as a cadet summer training centre (CSTC) for the
Royal Canadian Army Cadets beginning in 1948.
Korean War During the
Korean War, Camp Ipperwash saw use as the "Home Depot" of the 2nd Canadian Rifle Battalion, which unit later adopted the name of
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. Following the
Korean War, Camp Ipperwash saw continued use as a training facility by regular and reserve army personnel as well as army cadets.
Use after Unification The unification of the
Canadian Forces on February 1, 1968, saw Camp Ipperwash remain with its current name, unlike many other CF facilities which were renamed
Canadian Forces Base (CFB) or
Canadian Forces Station (CFS). In 1972,
Jean Chrétien, the then
Minister of Indian Affairs, stated the land claim for the expropriation was valid, however DND still did not relinquish control. Through the 1970s to 1993, Ipperwash saw use as a firing range training facility for the
CFB London-based 1st Battalion,
The Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR), Primary Reserve units, local and provincial police and the
Canadian Cadet Movement. Because of the occupation of portions of the camp during the summer of 1993, the cadet summer training centre eventually moved from Camp Ipperwash to
CFB Borden in 1994 renamed Blackdown Cadet Summer Training Centre. ==Ipperwash Crisis==