THE FORTYNINER - Alberta Genealogy Research "The Recents"

The Forty-Niner
Rural Company Armouries
A Company Vermilion
The Lt. Col Craig Armouries Vermilion Alberta, now home of the 2645 The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Cadet Corps
By Captain (Retd) Don Henry
Construction began on the new armouries for “A
Company Headquarters,” Loyal Edmonton Regiment
(LER), Vermilion, during September 1951.
Construction was completed in September 1952.
An official opening was held during October of that
year by J. S. Ross, Officer Commanding, Western
Command, and Lt. Col. A. Macdonald, Commanding
Officer, LER Edmonton. The Officer commanding A
Company at this time was Capt. Bernie Ackerman.
The building had a 120 foot by 36 foot drill hall,
offices on the second floor, supply room, rifle range,
and lecture rooms in the basement. The original
cost of the building was reported as $85,000. The
January 1953 edition of the Forty-niner reported
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that this fine new armouries would set the standard
for all future armouries for the Canadian
Army. This was not the first armouries for the LER
in Vermilion. The original armouries were located
in the Immigration Hall east of the Railway Station.
Immigration Hall was used for the C Company of
the 151 st Battalion during World War 1 and then
later in June of 1929 for the Squadron of the 1 st Alberta
Mounted Rifles. During October 1946, Major
General Worthington and Captain Hayter of the LER
were guests of the Vermilion Board of Trade, and
they urged support for the newly formed company
of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.
From 1946 to the late 50s, The Vermilion Standard,
our local newspaper, reported numerous times
on the training of A Company of the LER. Special