Military

From recruiting thousands of soldiers in town to hundreds of cadets training regularly, the presence and role of the military in Red Deer has varied throughout the years. Whether large or small, the military and wars have left their mark on Red Deer and our surrounding communities.
Black and white photo of a group of soldiers in winter coats shopping in a ladies wear store in Red Deer with two women assisting them.

Penhold Airbase

Penhold was rapidly expanded for inclusion in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) wartime flying instruction program during the Second World War. Following the war, it continued the legacy with the Harvard training program for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aircrews.

Red Deer During The Wars

From the South African (Boer) War to the Korean War, military conflicts have impacted Red Deer and our surrounding community, even when the battles are far away.

187th Battalion

A few years into the First World War, Canada was facing great losses in Europe, and we needed more men to fill the ranks. On January 24, 1916 the 187th Battalion C.E.F was mobilized in Red Deer, Alberta, with the Red Deer Armoury at 4905 49 Street as their headquarters.

89th Battalion

While this infantry battalion from the First World War was mobilized in Calgary, it recruited from across Alberta including Red Deer and central Alberta.