The facility now serves as the campus of Royal Roads University, a public university that offers applied and professional academic programs on-campus and via distance education.
Military Colleges at Royal Roads commemorative paverstoneRoyal Roads Military College Stained-Glass WindowMemorial Stained Glass window, Class of 1958, Royal Military College of Canada features an image of Hatley Castle, then home of Canadian Service College Royal RoadsRoyal Roads Military College Stained-Glass Window Grant Pavilion
The property owned by industrialist James Dunsmuir, along with his mansion Hatley Castle, was acquired by the Dominion Government in 1940. The initial plan was that the site would be used to house the British royal family during World War II. However, as the Queen Mother put it, "The children will not go without me and I will not go without the King and the King will never go".[2]
Designed to support Canada's naval war effort, the facility began operating in December 1940 as an officer training establishment known as HMCS Royal Roads (named after the Royal Roads naval anchorage). Many of the 600 volunteer reserve officers who underwent training during this time served in the Battle of the Atlantic. HMCS Royal Roads was used to train short-term probationary Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) sub-lieutenants to serve in World War II.
In 1942, because of wartime expansion, the Royal Canadian Naval College was established. In 1947, the facility became known as the RCN-RCAF Joint Services College where Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel were trained. The facility changed its name to Canadian Services College, Royal Roads in 1948 where personnel from all three services - the Navy, Air Force, and Army were trained during a two-year program.
In 1968 the college's name was changed to Royal Roads Military College, and in 1975, the college began granting degrees.
The gentlemen cadets of RRMC were not only required to excel in their respective academic fields, but to achieve the standard in the three other components as well, the Second Language Training component, Physical Fitness component and the Military component. Failure in any of these four components resulted in the officer cadet not being awarded the coveted RRMC degree.
In February 1994, after the end of the Cold War and under the pressure of massive spending cuts from the Government of Canada, the Department of National Defence announced that it would close Royal Roads Military College. The final class graduated in May 1995.
Hatley Park and former Royal Roads Military College was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995 to commemorate the Dunsmuir family (1908–1937) and RRMC (1940–1995). The site was plaqued in 2000 as a Canadian example of an Edwardian park, with gardens, which remains practically intact.
The name Royal Roads was drawn from geography. The name refers to an anchorage located in Juan de Fuca Strait between the city of Victoria, British Columbia and Albert Bay. HMCS Royal Roads was located on a property originally purchased by James Dunsmuir in 1902. Dunsmuir was a former British Columbian premier and lieutenant governor. The Hatley Park Estate originally comprised 650 acres (2.6 km2). The Dunsmuir family added Hatley Castle, which was completed in 1908. The Canadian Department of National Defence purchased Hatley Park, almost in its entirety, in 1940, for $75,000. This sum was roughly the value of the fence surrounding the property.
As Executive Officer, Commander Reginald Amand (Jumbo) Webber D.S.C., C.D. served there till late 1942. On June 21, 1995, after negotiations with the Department of National Defence and the Government of British Columbia, the British Columbia government passed the Royal Roads University Act, creating Royal Roads University. The campus is currently leased from the federal government under a $1, 50-year lease agreement with Royal Roads University which was announced in 2001. The Department of National Defence leases approximately 55 hectares of land for the campus to Royal Roads University, and has entered into a five-year Renewable Management Agreement with the University for the maintenance of the remaining 175 hectares of property owned by the Department of National Defence.
The athletic facilities at Hatley Park included a swimming pool, five tennis courts, two squash courts, three soccer pitches, one rugby field, two ball diamonds, a quarter- mile track, a 6.1 km cross country course, jetty and boat house. Cadets played sports including rugby, soccer, baseball, golf, scuba diving, track and field, wrestling, ball hockey, broomball, and ice hockey.
Squadrons of the Cadet Wing
Royal Roads Military College Squadron No. 3 patch
The undergraduate student body, known as the Cadet Wing, was sub-divided into four smaller groupings called squadrons, under the guidance and supervision of senior cadets. Until the late 70's the four squadrons were populated by undergraduate cadets. When the college started training NCMs it was reorganized so that the first three squadrons were for cadets while 4 Squadron was for mature students from the University Training Program Non-Commissioned Members program. Although squadrons were not named, they were represented by embroidered patches bearing mythological figures, which were worn on the sleeves of the cadet workdress. The squadrons were subdivided into flights, which were named after historical figures (explorers). Cadets competed by squadron in drill and intramurals.
Royal Roads Military College albumMurray of Atholl Tartan
By 1955, Royal Roads had a drum and bugle corps. The Brass and Reed Band had already been formed by 1975. WO George Dunn, the first full-time Bandmaster, served from 1975 to 1979. The Pipes and Drums performed at parades, public relation trips and recruit shows. The Pipe Section and the Drum Section performed at mess dinners; parades; sporting events; ceremonies (official or squadron); weddings; funerals; public relations; wing events; Christmas and Graduation Balls; private events; and holidays.
Notable historical milestones
Year
Significance
1940
The Canadian Government purchased the land for Royal Roads.
1941
HMCS Royal Roads was used by the Royal Canadian Navy to train five classes of officers, each with 100 Acting Sub-Lieutenants.
A decision was made to phase out the Sub-Lieutenant Officer training at HMCS Royal Roads and to establish a Naval College which would open in September 1942.
A recruiting campaign to attract 100 Naval Cadets was conducted in 1941–1942.
Auxiliary buildings on the Hatley estate such as the Mews stables and garage were converted into classroom space.
A new building called the Grant Building located behind Hatley Castle was built in order to provide a mess hall and dormitories, as well as classrooms and laboratories.
Architects John Young McCarter and with Robert W. Chadney constructed the Royal Canadian Naval College buildings 1942–3.[3]
1942-47
The Royal Canadian Naval College was established to train marine and naval officers.
Vice-Admiral Percy W. Nelles, Chief of Naval Staff: "While you are here, work hard and play hard, and make yourself tougher than any enemy you will ever meet."[4]
Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) offered the first two years of university-level programs to Royal Canadian Air Force and Navy officers.
1975
The Royal Roads Military College Degrees Act was passed by the Government of British Columbia, allowing RRMC to grant degrees.
1983/4
The Royal Roads Military College band consisting of 15 pipers and drummers and 30 brass-and-reed musician recorded an LP.
Petty Officer First Class Gabby R. Bruner, RRMC bandmaster from 1979-85 composed "Hatley Park" as the official quick march for RRMC and "Dunsmuir Castle", for the Visit of Queen Elizabeth to RRMC in 1983.[6]
1984
The first female cadet enrolled at RRMC creating a slight shift culturally in the Canadian Military Colleges, as well as in the CF as a whole.
May 11, 1986
RRMC was granted the Freedom of the City for outstanding military service to the community.
1990
Prometheous and the Vulture, an abstract stone sculpture was created by Jay Unwin for the 50th anniversary of Royal Roads Military College.
1995
following the end of the Cold War and massive government cutbacks on defence spending, the Department of National Defence closed Royal Roads Military College (RRMC).
RRMC Royal Roads Military College is no longer a military institution, and is now maintained by the Government of British Columbia as Royal Roads University.
The loss of RRMC along with their many traditions and history as military colleges still remains a bitter event for many cadets and alumni.[7]
The Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings lists 9 recognized buildings and 1 classified building on the former grounds of the Royal Roads Military College.
Name
Address
Coordinates
Government recognition (CRHP №)
Image
Belmont Road Main Gatehouse BEL 13 (1908), Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College
Grant Block, Building 24 (1942) Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College
Hatley Park National Historic Site; main academic building, laboratories, cafeteria, and offices named for first Commanding Officer of HMCS Royal Roads, Captain John Moreau Grant. The building, which was designed by architects John Young McCarter with Robert W. Chadney,[9] was recently renovated. Colwood; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 1990 BC
2005 Sooke Road; administrative centre of Royal Roads University. From 1941 until 1943 when Grant Block was completed, the Castle served as dormitory and mess hall for cadets and staff officers at RRMC. Classified Federal Heritage Building 1986, Registry of Historic Places of Canada Colwood BC
Nixon Block RR24A (1954 to 1956) Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College
Hatley Park National Historic Site classrooms, dormitories named after the former LCdr. Edward Atcherley Eckersall Nixon, Royal Navy (RN), Commandant of Royal Naval College of Canada 1911-22, in particular when it was re-established in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1918 Colwood; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 BC
Hatley Park / Former Royal Roads Military College (1908–13)
designated National Historic Site of Canada 1995[13]
Mews Conference Centre (1912)
James Dunsmuir's stables and garage later converted to classrooms, dormitory, social centre and conference centre. Registered Federal Heritage Building[14]
Millward Wing (of the Nixon Building) (1991)
Offices, dormitories, named for former Commandant Air Vice-Marshal James Bert Millward DFC (Bar), GdG(F), CD, RCAF 1949-52 the 4th Commandant of RRMC.
Royal Roads Military College Museum
Royal Roads Military College Museum
Location
Hatley Castle, on the campus of the Royal Roads University
Hatley Castle is home to the Royal Roads Military College Museum.
The museum is located in Hatley Castle, on the campus of the Royal Roads University and former campus of the Royal Roads Military College of Canada. The Museum mandate is to collect, conserve, research and display material relating to the history of the Royal Roads Military College, its former cadets and its site.
The Royal Roads Military College Museum is a member of the Canadian Museums Association and the Organization of Military Museums of Canada Inc. The Royal Roads Museum is an accredited museum within the Canadian Forces Museum System.[15]
The museum has formed a cooperating association of friends of the museum to assist with projects.[16]
Royal Roads Military College mace
Royal Roads Military College chair
Canadian Military College uniforms
Canadian Military College rank and year bars
Canadian Military College badges and buttons (post-1953 crown)
Symbolizes the authority of the college, as granted in the name of the Sovereign (currently His Majesty King Charles III). When carried into the ceremony and placed on stage, the mace signals the opening of the convocation. It was last used at the RRMC postgraduate convocation in 1995. The mace's four sides commemorate the sequence of institutions at Royal Roads. It was made prior to the first graduating class from Royal Roads Military College in May 1977.
'Change of command ceremony'
The former commandant offers farewell and best wishes to the college and to the new commandant. The new commandant accepts a first salute as the cadet wing marches past.
Christening bell
Following naval tradition, a ship's bell was used as a baptism font in the college chapel for christenings and the names of the children were later inscribed on the bell. The ship's bell from RRMC is currently used in the chapel at Royal Military College of Canada.
HMCS Royal Roads' bell
During the life of the college, HMCS Royal Roads' bell was displayed in the porte-cochere of Hatley Castle. After the closing of RRMC, HMCS Royal Roads' bell was kept in the museum at CFB Esquimalt. It was officially repatriated on 10 September 2010 during the Royal Roads University 2010 Homecoming. The bell is prominently displayed in the new entrance to Grant block in the foyer that links Grant block and the new academic building.
College toast
RRMC club toast to absent comrades meaning those who have fallen in action or otherwise died
Colours
After the last parade of RRMC in spring 1995, the colours were deposited into the care of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia where they are on display with several other retired colours including "Royal Canadian Navy" and "Royal Canadian Air Force".
Feu de Joie
An honour guard perform a rifle salute with field artillery, or more commonly, rifles using blank ammunition.
Ghosts and haunting
The B.C. Society of Paranormal Investigation and Research into the Supernatural have investigated stories of paranormal activity in and around Hatley Castle[17]
Grace
Officer cadets ate meals cafeteria style;
A senior term was responsible to say a traditional Navy grace for the table “For what we are about to receive, thank God. Carry on…”
Graduation and Commissioning Parade
in honour of graduating cadets:
Graduating students are presented with their Officer's Commissions in the Canadian Forces.
Officer Cadets display their foot drill and sword movements,
Feux de Joie an honour guard performs a rifle salute with field artillery
Jacket exchange
The RRMC Director of Cadets exchanges tunics with a I Year Officer Cadet at RRMC Christmas Dinner.
Just Passing By
When a graduate of the RRMC pilots an aircraft in the vicinity of Victoria, British Columbia he or she conducts an impromptu airshow over the college.
A replica of the quote, "Duty is the great business of a sea officer: All private considerations must give way to it however painful it is." was returned to Royal Roads University campus for Homecoming in 2011.
Course for recruits set up by the cadets' immediate predecessors
Old Brigade
Alumni who entered military college 50+ years before wear unique berets and ties, have the Right of the Line on reunion weekend memorial parades, and present the College cap badge to the First Year cadets on the First Year Badging Parade. Each class traditionally marks its 50-year anniversary and entry into the Old Brigade with a gift.
Apples taken from the Commandant's trees at 2am were brought back to the doors of popular seniors.
A whaler was taken to dockyard and the Navy Dockyard flag was liberated and run up the RRMC mast.
A dinghy was strung up the mast in front of the Castle and left there.
A cow was chained to the top of Neptune stairs where the Director of Cadets held his morning parade.
The Cadet Wing Commander had the 1st year cadets muster in the common rooms while 2nd years took their rooms apart, moved their mattresses out and ran their sheets from building to building. The cadets scrambled back to their rooms to prepare for an inspection of their rooms to find no beds.
During 100 days to grad parties, 4th years were not allowed to sleep in their dorm. Instead, the 1st years took their beds and moved them around the college. Cadets might find their bed - up a tree or in a hall. The DCadet found a cadet's bed in the DCadets residence and another in the yard.
The University of Victoria copper dome was painted 'RRMC #1' in 1981 by second year cadets who formed a rep skylark team completing several skylarks on and off campus.[19]
Cadets took a whaler to Esquimalt dockyards and attached a can painted to look like an explosive device to the side of destroyer.
Cadets would routinely kidnap senior cadets and/or staff members, transport them to the rock (a tiny rock island in the lagoon) and maroon them there. On at least one occasion, tables were turned and the "victims" were able to maroon one or more of the kidnapper cadets themselves.
Sweetheart brooch
Officer cadets gave their dates an enamelbrooch in lieu of a corsage for formal dances at Christmas, and Graduation.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, was killed in the performance of his duties near Millet, Alberta, on 7/4/2005. He is remembered on the Canadian Police and Peace Officer's Memorial (panel 14-26).[24]
"Be it resolved that this House strongly condemn the Government of Canada's unfair decision to close five defence installations in British Columbia, including the Royal Roads Military College, resulting in the elimination of nearly 900 civilian and military jobs; and be it further resolved that this House, noting the reputation of academic excellence offered at the Royal Roads Military College during its 55-year history, and in light of the recent $20 million upgrade, urge the Government of Canada to re-examine the utility of closing the only military college in Western Canada, affecting 230 civilian and military jobs."[26]
Prometheous and the Vulture, sculpture by Jay Unwin 1995, Royal Roads Military College
Filming location
The campus of Royal Roads has been used as a film set for:
Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in the "X-Men (film)" movies.[27]
The Shady Glen School in the 1997 movie, Masterminds
The hideout in MacGyver, season 5, "The Legend of the Holy Rose, part 2"
The home for the Royal Family in the Seven Days TV series, episode 9, season 2, "Love and Other Disasters"
Little Women, starring Winona Ryder (1994)
The Changeling, starring George C. Scott (1979)
The Queen mansion in the CW series "The Arrow" (2012)
Books
Royal Roads Military College carving
Doug Cope "The Roadants" (Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, BC 2013)
Peter J.S. Dunnett & W. Kim Rempel Royal Roads Military College 1940-1990, A Pictorial Retrospective (Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, BC 1990)
Maurice Robinson, Bev Hall, Paul Price Royal Roads : a celebration (Natural Light Productions, Victoria, BC, 1995)
"Royal Roads - a public university with a difference" : a proposal prepared by Hatley Educational Society for presentation to the Advisory Panel on the Future of Royal Roads (Hatley Educational Society, British Columbia 1995)
Karen Inkster 'The best two years...: Narratives of Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) Ex-cadets (1940–1995)' at the Military and Oral History Conference: Between Memory and History on May 7, 2010, Victoria University, British Columbia.
Karen Inkster 'Coming Full Circle: Remembrances of Royal Roads Ex-Cadets' DVD documentary Victoria, British Columbia
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