Royal Canadian Air Cadet Summer Camp: Survival Training, 1979

Canadian Forces Base Trenton - Royal Canadian Air Cadet Summer Camp. 1979

The total length of this camp is six weeks, total number of cadets 1,260. The six weeks of training is further sub-divided into two week courses; three week courses and six week courses. The accommodation are tents and barracks.

Two week - Junior and Senior Basic Course; Three weeks - Junior Leader and Air Studies course and Six week Military & Pipe Band course and Glider Pilot course. Included with the courses: Drill; Range; Flight Line Tours; Beach Tour; Sailing; First Aid and Sports.

I missed a course, two week Aircrew Survival: this course provided information on how to obtain assistance should you become lost and how to survive should you become the victim of an accident or breakdown in the Canadian Wilderness.

One part of the course is Survival Technique: How to build a campfire: how to find firewood, types of material for Tinder - birch bark, pine needles or small twigs, Kindling-dry sticks and twigs and Fuel - good firm piece of wood. Kind of wood: Softwood - pine or spruces; Hardwood - maple, oak; Green stick - stick which will not break but bend instead will not burn only in a hot fire; Rotten wood- wood which will crumble at touch.Types of fires: Teepee: quick, hot fire - used for cooking; Trench-fire: protection from the wind; Log-cabin & Criss-Cross: solid and long burning fire. How to build a Lean-to-shelter with campfire. When making a fire or shelter have a check list to make sure it is done right.

Check list:

Lean-to-shelter with campfire:

Positioning: 1 - Parallel to prevailing wind ____ 2 - Close to water ___3 - Access to firewood ___ 4 - Proper use of natural shelter___ 5 - Clear of overhangs and low ground ___6 - Flat ground ___ 7 - Proposed location of fire is correct___

Construction: 1 - Proper height of ridge pole, well secured ___ 2 - Suitable use of available materials __ 3 - Proper spacing of support poles___ 4 - Correct angle of support poles (45 degrees) 5 - All poles secured___ 6 - Frame secured___ 7 - Fire log is proper position _____

Campfire 1 - Firepit properly prepared____ 2- Fuel readily available___ 3 - Proper construction of a Lean- to-shelter campfire___ 4 - Light firm up-wind side by striking match away from from body___ 5 - Observe all safety rules, safely extinguished fire_____.

Seven enemies of Survival: Pain, Cold, Hunger, Thirst, Fatigue, Boredom & Loneliness. In this course you learn how to over come the seven enemies of Survival.

Cadets are taught how to: make Traps, set Snares, Fishing and identification of Edible Plants, here are some points:

1 - It is generally safe to eat what you can see the animals and birds have eaten.

2 - Porcupines: If you see bark chews off tree trucks look for porcupines in the trees. You can either shake them down, or knock them off. When you kill it,cut down the middle of the underside. Avoid injury from the quills.

3 - Roasted grasshopper or grubs are edible, have a nutty flavour.

4 - Water in the summer, spring or fast running water is best. Water in Winter, if open water can be found, or can be obtained through a hole in the ice, is preferred. Do not eat snow, it tends to dehydrate the body.

5 - A simple rabbit or squirrel snare can be constructed from fish line, shoe lace or wire if you have it.

6 - General -fish is the main source of food supply in the forest area.

Another part of this course is learning Ground Air Signals - Attracting Attention for help eg. smoke or flames produced by any means whatsoever; any light, flares or mirror; signals should be of contrasting colour to their surrounding and piling snow blocks, sod or even log.

Best part is learning how to make different types of Survival Kit, this is my favourite - Pocket Survival Kit:

Get a small metal tin box - the lid for reflection of light and the container used for cooking and drinking.

Inside the container place:

S - Small Compass, it is an instrument for determining direction by a needle pointing to the magnetic north.

U - Used for lighting a fire, have some paper.

R - Roof for a shelter or poncho - large plastic trash bag.

V - Vial of rubbing alcohol - as disinfectant & band-aids.

I - Items: fishing hook & fishing line, snare wire - for food; small Swiss army knife-large & small blade, can opener, toothpick, scissors and tweezers.

V - Vial of water - to drink.

A - Small candle for light.

L - Lighter or waterproof matches.

When you go hunting, camping, hiking or just a walk in the forest, don't forget the pocket survival kit.

We did a week of class room work. Then the next week, what was learned in class, was practice in the forest for five days: This is the equipment list for the five days, (for each cadet) - change of clothing, pocket knife, combat boots, poncho, two pair of socks, web belt, beret, toilet gear, backpack and sleeping bag, and girls, no hair dryer. In forest we made our shelters, campfire and looking for food. It was fun being around the campfire each night and talking about the unique supper.

I spent five summers at Air Cadet Summer Camp in the 1970's - two summers taking courses and three summers on staff...2012 - I still use some of my survival training when I am camping.

C.F.B. Trenton Ontario: Royal Canadian Air Cadets Summer camp. I can not find a video for this time period - the 1970's. Although, I found a video! (the quality is not good) that shows what it is like for Survival Training in Air Cadets, year 2008.

My Survival training was in the 1970's at C.F.B. Trenton Ontario. This video is from C.F.B. Cold Lake, Alberta, year 2008. It is the same type of Survival training.

There are many summer camps that Air Cadets offer across Canada.