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In 1955 a large number of improvements to the camp were done prior to camp starting. Dieppe Parade square was built and paved, the remaining sports fields were sodded and the roads at the camp were named after battle sites from the Boer War, WWI and WWII.
The Senior Leaders and the Driver Machines courses ran for 7 weeks, Rifle Coach for 4 weeks and the National Cadet Refresher Course for 2 weeks in Vernon before continuing in Banff. For the first time Junior cadets were trained at Camp Sarcee in Calgary instead of Vernon. The 65th Light Anti Aircraft (LAA) regiment, (Irish Fusiliers) cadet Bugle Band attend camp as a unit. this marked the first year band training was part of the camps curriculum. Senior bandsman was Cadet Drum Major Darrel Dean. The band played at the North Okanagan and Kelowna Regattas. The Signal Wing Cadets provided communications for the Hydroplane boat races in Kelowna. These cadets were positioned around the course on board small boats and would relay information about the race to officials. "This Vernon Camp has come to be something of a treasured institution throughout the Army Cadet movement and throughout the Army in Western Command. For though the army changes day by day as a living thing must change, and the faces under the sun helmets are different faces each year, there is something enduring and rewarding about 'Vernon' and something of a sense of accomplishment that is hard to equal for those who have been here.' Lt M.B. Gausden British High Commissioner of Canada, Sir Archibald Nye Visited the camp in mid July and Maj General Vokes inspected the camp for a fourth year in a row. This was the year that Lt. Camp Leblond began his long career as camp photographer and Public Information Officer (PIO) Cadet Morley Smith, representing the camp took top honours at the annual Summerland Rifle Shoot. Western Command Trophy (Top Cadet) winner: Cadet R.D. Cuthbert, 2136 C. Scot R Army Cadet Corps Commanding Officer: Brig Kitching, CBE, DSO, CD, Legion of Merit (USA) |
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