Toronto's Historical Plaques
Learn a little of Toronto's history as told through its plaques.
Little Norway
Here in this park setting, at the south-west corner of Bathurst Street and Queen's Quay West, is a 1976 plaque located at the base of an old flagpole. It that tells us about the World War II camp that was located on this site. A second plaque shows drawings of what the area looked like then and now. Here's what the first plaque says.
In April 1940 Norway was attacked by overwhelming forces. King Haakon, Crown Prince Olav and the government left Tromso 7 June for Great Britain in order to continue the fight for freedom in exile. Negotiations had started 2 June and a base for training air force personnel was erected in Toronto using Island Airport. A camp was built on the harbourfront and officially opened 10 November 1940. The national emblems of Canada and Norway have been flying side by side from that date. Recruits were escaping Norway from behind enemy lines, 6500 km away, and also volunteers from Canada and other parts of the free world. Island Airport and the camp in Toronto soon became overcrowded. On 4 May 1942 Dominion Airport, Muskoka, officially became the training base for elementary flying training. At one time 86 Fairchild Cornell PT 19 and PT 26 were in use. From 1941 advanced training took place in Canada within the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Technical servicing continued at Island Airport. Ground schools were gradually transferred to Muskoka and on April 1943 this camp was sold and became Lakeside Camp Royal Canadian Air Force. Vesle Skaucum formerly Interlaken was acquired in the spring 1941 as a recreation centre and for the training of recruits. It was sold to Kiwanis Club Toronto 1 June 1945. From these training establishments known as "Little Norway" more than 2,000 trained personnel were sent to Great Britain. Norway was able to re-establish its Air Force and to maintain 4 national squadrons of aircraft and one air transport unit in the European battle-area throughout the war, operating under allied operational command. In addition some became members of RAF units in Bomber Command, Fighter Squadron, Ferry Command, Transport Command, Coastal Command and others. On 8 May 1945 the struggle was over and we could return to a free country. Veterans taking part in the unveiling ceremony of a memorial stone in gratitude to Canada place the above information on this flagpole-base in order to remind future generations of the facts.
Location Co-ordinates: 43.635299 -79.398515
Photo by Alan L Brown - June 2007
Photo by Alan L Brown - June 2007
Here are the comments for this page.
Posted July 16, 2008
Thanks for keeping the memory alive , my father served at 'Little Norway' and i hope history never forgets what happen during wwii and how it changed peoples life (my father married a Canadian).
David, Greenwich,Ct.
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