

Published in the Alliston Herald, 23 March 2019
Published in the Springwater News, 4 April 2019
Published in the Canadian Military Family Magazine, 9 April 2019
At 1pm on Wednesday, March 20, a small contingent from Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Angus at Base Borden gathered at the cenotaph in the Village of Angus, just north of the base. Lead by Depot Commanding Officer Major Melissa Manley, they were there to honour the six civilians and one airman who died 61 years ago in one of the worst peacetime munitions explosions in Canada at what was then known as Royal Canadian Air Force 13 “X” Depot.
The depot had been established in 1940 to supply munitions to the RCAF flying schools that had been established in Ontario and Quebec under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, including No. 1 Service Flying Training School at nearby RCAF Station Camp Borden.
The depot continued this function after the war and was actually a separate defence establishment from Camp Borden, with its own barracks, messes, Permanent Married Quarters, RCAF Police and RCAF Fire Brigade.
On 20 March 1958, at around 4 o’clock in the afternoon, an explosion demolished building #20, the receipts and issues building, located near the entrance to the depot’s explosive storage area, killing six civilian employees and one airman.
Killed in the explosion were Leading Aircraftman Earl Boughner , 27, single, originally from Guelph, Edwin Elliot Bush, 42, married, of RR2 Utopia, Lawrence Dobs, 31, married of Glencairn, Wayne Charles Kennard, single of RR2 Angus, Robert C. McGillivray, 39, of RR2 New Lowell, Howard Thompson, 32, single, of Barrie, and Edward Trott, 54, of Avening.
A second airman in the building, Corporal Thomas Cartwright, emerged from the building unhurt, although he was later transported to the Camp Borden hospital suffering from shock.
McGillivray left behind a wife and six children. Kennard had only started working at the Depot the previous fall and his father was a Commissionaire working security at the main gate of the Depot.
The explosion was heard in nearby Angus, although no one paid much attention as explosions were a common occurrence around the Depot. The resulting fire was fought by the Depot fire brigade, along with fire fighters from Camp Borden. Adding to the danger usually associated with fighting fires, the fire brigade had to deal with munitions exploding in the fire, including a bullet that struck a nearby ambulance.
When the fire was finally extinguished, all that remained was a brick chimney and charred remains of the roof trusses. The ruins were demolished and a parking lot now occupies the former site of the building.
In August 2005, 47 years after the tragedy, a ceremony was held at the Angus Cenotaph to dedicate the memorial plaque to the victims the 13 “X” Depot explosion.
The inscription on the stone reads:
IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO
LOST THEIR LIVES IN 13X
EXPLOSION MARCH 20, 1958
LAC EARL C. BOUGHNER
EDWIN ELLIOT BUSH
LAWRENCE DOBS
WAYNE CHARLES KENNARD
ROBERT C. McGILLVARY
HOWARD THOMPSON
EDWARD TROTT
- Ammunition Technicians from CFAD Angus marching to the Cenotaph. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Ammunition Technicians from CFAD Angus marching to the Cenotaph. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- CFAD Angus Padre saying a prayer for the lost men. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- CFAD Angus Padre saying a prayer for the lost men. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Grave of Leading Aircraftman Earl C. Boughner in Woodlawn Cemetery in Guelph, Ontario. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- The veteran’s section in Woodlawn Cemetery in Guelph, Ontario, where LAC Boughner was laid to rest. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Photos the sole survivor (far left) and three of the dead from the explosion at RCAF 13 X Depot in 1958. Photo: Barrie Examiner.
- Photo of the aftermath of the explosion at RCAF 13 X Depot in 1958. Photo: Barrie Examiner.
- Photos of the aftermath of the explosion at RCAF 13 X Depot in 1958. Photo: Barrie Examiner.
- View of right wing of Airmen’s barracks with PMQ opposite at RCAF 13 “X” Depot. Historical photo.
- View from explosive area entrance looking towards main gate. Historical photo.
- View of Administration Building (left); Fire Hall; and M.E. Section. Historical photo.
- Entrance to explosive area. Nissan Huts 1 & 2 contain paints and varnisheds, etc. Building in background is the armament section workshop. Sheet metal building on the right houses practice bombs. Historical photo.
- Entrance to explosive area. Nissan Huts 1 & 2 contain paints and varnishes, etc. Building in background is the armament section workshop. Sheet metal building on the right houses practice bombs. Historical photo.
- Ammunition bunker at 13 “X” Depot. Historical photo.
- Administration Building (left), SWO’s EMQ (right). Historical photo.
- Domestic area buildings, front; combined mess; combined lounge; barracks; EMQ’s; pumphouse and water reservoir. Historical photo.
- Historical photo.
- 13X Depot PMQs. Historical photo.
- 13X Depot PMQs. Historical photo.
- Empty field where the PMQs once stood, June 2019. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Empty field where the PMQs once stood, June 2019. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Former sports field for the PMQ homes, June 2019. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Pumphouse in the former PMQ area, June 2019. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Former main entrance to the depot, now closed off, June 2019. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
- Site plan, originally dated 4 Nov 1955 but revised 15 March 1962. Bldg 20, destroyed as a result of the explosion 20 Mar 1958, was erased but can still be seen (circled red).
- Site map of RCAF 13X Depot.
- Site plan of the ammunition bunker area.
- Aerial view of CFAD Angus. Photo: Google Maps.
- Aerial view of CFAD Angus.
Sources: https://army.ca/forums/index.php?topic=33522.0, https://www.facebook.com/memoriesofAngus2015/posts/just-going-through-some-angus-historyi-vaguely-remember-this-sad-and-tragic-day-/408122282724791, The Barrie Examiner, 21 March 1958, https://clarencesimonsen.wordpress.com/2017/09/13/gordon-mckenzie-hill-chapter-two-2/
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