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Camp Sussex is one of the oldest military facilities in Canada, informally established in 1885 and given official designation in 1893. Because of its central location and its proximity to the railway, the camp has served as an annual training ground for many New Brunswick militia units. In fact, one estimate suggests that over 300,000 military personnel trained at this site in the Kennebecasis River Valley stemming all the way back to the time of the Loyalists.
Originally 253 acres, the camp expanded in 1912 to meet the ever-growing training needs of the military. It couldn’t grow fast enough, and as early as 1914 there was some concern that the camp was too small for the task. Nonetheless, the camp soldiered on through two World Wars and now houses the 8th Canadian Hussars armoured reserve unit.
The Hussars’ exhibition covers the establishment of the camp, its early years and the eras of both World Wars. Using documents and other arcana, it celebrates this historic site, which has played so important a role to the town of Sussex, to the region and to Canada at large.
