1

Over the past 50 years the Carbonear 589 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron has had many headquarters or "orderly rooms". The parade and drill area may not have been in the same building. Presently, the orderly room is in the basement of the Princess Sheila Senior's Centre(formerly the W. J. Moores building) while parades are held at Carbonear Collegiate. However, the squadron has somehow managed to survive these interruptions in their home base.

2

The United Church schools.
17 August 1954
Carbonear, Conception Bay, NL

3

The United Church Academy was the first headquaters for the 589 Carbonear Air Cadets. This lasted form 1954 to the mid sixties.

Audio Transcript:
Fred Saunders recalls... I grew up in Carbonear and attended school there during the Forties and Fifties. In the Forties and early Fifties there was very little to do with your spare time except the usual pastimes involving some crude attempt at organized sports, movies at the Bon Theatre, girls and mischief. It was immediately before the days of television although Test Pattern had reached us and that along with the anticipation of television fascinated us for a time. The biggest event in my life at that time was getting my first bike and exploring the other parts of Carbonear and the neighbouring communities. In addition to the enjoyment of riding, a bike gave you a degree of independence and put you in touch with other teenagers in other parts of the community. Life was not boring, but it lacked purpose and organization and there was very little else to soak up your energy and create a sense of accomplishment on a daily, a monthly or yearly basis except for school and school work.

That all changed in 1952 when Hudson Davis arrived in Carbonear to teach at the United Church College. Harold French arrived at the same time and was appointed Principal while Hudson became Vice-Principal. The school was renamed United Church Academy and the improvements implemented by the Principal and Vice-Principal over the next couple of years brought education in Carbonear into the Twentieth Century. Out of Hudson's desire to fill a gap in the lives of the young boys of Carbonear, he and other interested citizens of the town were successful in forming an Air Cadet Squadron. 589 Carbonear Squadron. I was fortunate to be one of the first six menbers of the Squadron and in the summer of 1954 along with Keith Taylor, Ern Cole, Ern Pike, Dave Pike and Art Oates attended Air Cadet summer camp in Greenwood, Nova Scotia at the invitation of 514 Kiwanis Squadron of Saint John's. That was the beginning of my involvement with the Air Cadets I attended other camps and leadership courses and was very fortunate to receive an exchange visit to England, Scotland and Germany in the summer of 1957 and that was the highlight of my cadet life.

The cadet experience was the highlight of my teenage years. I often wonder what path I would have taken in life if it had not been for the training and guidance I received from the leadership and comradeship of 589 Carbonear. As a squadron we acheived the highest distinction of the province and in competion at the regional summer camps in Greenwood, Nova Scotia. We achieved hockey, softball, volleyball and shooting supremacy and had several of our cadets win individual awards in provincial competitions. It was a time when everything we did revolved around cadets. We learned to be proud in victory and humble in defeat. But most of all we had a purpose. We had goals and we learned that goals were achieved through hard work and team spirit. We were taught that there was nothing we couldn't achieve if we tried and we learned how to have fun trying. The leadership and devotion provided by Hudson Davis, Lloyd Powel, Roy Noel, Johnny Clarke and the many civilian instructors was first class and molded the lives of many of us who were fortunate to be members of 589 Carbonear Squadron.

4

Carbonear Boys' and Girls' Club.
9 May 2005
Carbonear, Conception Bay, NL

5

The Carbonear Boys and Girls Club served as headquarters from about 1965 to 1970. Many records and photographs were destroyed here by water in a heavy rain storm. Ern Cole was Commanding Officer at that time and also the Director of the Boys and Girls Club.

6

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 23.
29 May 2005
Carbonear, Conception Bay, NL

7

The Royal Canadian Legion Club has served as the main headquarters for the 589 Carbonear Cadets. During that time, the orderly room was in the adjacent Town Council building and parades and drill were held on the top floor of the Legion building.

8

Carbonear Lions Club.
29 May 2005
Carbonear, Conception Bay, NL

9

The Carbonear Lions Club has also been used on parade nights and for Annual Inspections. At that time most Squadron equipment was stored in a room at the Carbonear Swimming Pool across the street.

10

Present Headquarters of 589 Air Cadet Squadron.
7 May 2005
Water Street, Carbonear, Conception Bay, NL

11

The squadron now has a permanent "orderly room" in the basement of the former "W. J. Moores" building on Water street.

12

Carbonear Collegiate.
16 May 2005
Carbonear, Conception Bay, NL

13

Most Annual Inspections and parades for the past 15 years have been held in Carbonear Collegiate.

14

For the past several years the Town of Carbonear has provided the Air Cadet Squadron with a permanent home in the basement of the Princess Sheila Senior's Centre on Water Street.