Cornwallis Museum Online: Preserving the Legacy of a Place That Shaped Us
Some places leave a mark on history. Others leave a mark on people.
Cornwallis did both.
Cornwallis Museum Online was created for one purpose: to honour every individual whose life intersected with HMCS Cornwallis and CFB Cornwallis—from the civilians who kept the base running day after day, to the instructors who shaped generations of recruits, to the Veterans who marched through its gates and carried its lessons into service across Canada and around the world.
I built this site because Cornwallis is more than a former military base.
It is a shared experience.
A rite of passage.
A community.
And for many of us—including myself—it is where our military story truly began.
Why This Museum Exists
When the physical Cornwallis Military Museum closed, a gap opened. The artifacts were dispersed, the displays went dark, and a central gathering point for memory disappeared. But the history didn’t vanish. The stories didn’t fade. The people who lived them certainly didn’t forget.
Cornwallis Museum Online exists to ensure that:
- The legacy of HMCS and CFB Cornwallis remains accessible to everyone.
- The contributions of civilians, staff, and Veterans are preserved with respect.
- Future generations can understand what Cornwallis meant to Canada’s military identity.
- Those who trained there—myself included—have a place to reconnect with their past.
This is not just a digital archive. It is a living memorial.
Honouring Everyone Who Served—In Uniform or Not
Cornwallis was a small city built on teamwork.
Behind every recruit platoon was a network of people who made the base function: - Cooks, clerks, cleaners, and carpenters
- Instructors, technicians, and tradespeople
- Medical staff, chaplains, and administrators
- Local residents who supported the base for decades
Their contributions mattered just as much as the recruits who marched across the parade square. Cornwallis Museum Online recognizes all of them.
A Place for Veterans to Remember
For those who trained at Cornwallis, the memories are vivid: - The first night in the barracks
- The shock of inspection
- The pride of graduation
- The friendships forged under pressure
- The discipline that stayed with us long after we left
This site is a tribute to every recruit who pushed through those weeks and carried the spirit of Cornwallis into their military career.
A Digital Home for a Historic Base
Cornwallis Museum Online brings together: - Historical timelines
- Photographs and documents
- Personal stories and submissions
- Research on the base’s wartime and postwar roles
- The legacy of both HMCS Cornwallis and CFB Cornwallis
It is a place where history is preserved, shared, and kept alive—not behind glass, but in the hands of the community that lived it.
A Personal Commitment
I trained at Cornwallis.
I know what it meant.
And I know what it still means to thousands of Canadians.
This site is my way of giving back—to the base that shaped me, to the people who served beside me, and to the generations who came before and after.
Cornwallis deserves to be remembered.
Its people deserve to be honoured.
And their stories deserve a home.
Cornwallis Museum Online is that home.