Fort Charlotte, George's Island, Halifax Harbour, 2018

This weekend was the 25th Anniversary weekend of the Halifax Citadel Regimental Association. As I was in the unit during the summer of 1995, and 1996, I was able to partake of events.
The only one I could attend due to work and family commitments was the tour of George's Island. The island is a drumlin, the same as Citadel Hill. The island was a fortified site from 1749-1945.
 We went with a member of my other regiment, the 84th, Alistar Hamilton as he was in the unit for 7 years.
As it was family friendly, I also took my wife and children.

Jeff our guide, Ali and myself

Ian and Leena enjoying the hike up the hill

its amazing this place is in the middle of the city and is untouched

Ali and I

Jeff and I

The kids looking toward the Dartmouth shore

Looking towards the Citadel

from the upper battery embrasure

the ditch. My wife was the only one in our group to find any of the famed garter snakes (just a baby) and several mice)

inside one of the cannopiers in the ditch. 

looking out the musket loophole

the main gate entrance

one of the several guard towers

inside the gunner's barracks

still holding up well

not so in others. 

the original drawbridge mechanism

looking down the ditch

the main gate

looking towards Halifax

another cannopier

Parks Canada is hoping to eventually have the site open to the public but it will take several more restoration projects to allow for regular access

with the brush, it's easy to mistake how deep the ditch would be

Pier 21 from the harbor side. 

anti-submarine mine chamber ruins. Several structures on the island are in ruins or are being stabilised. 

the lower magizine for the mines

approaching the dock

coming to land

Halifax from the harbor

off we go

and Ali and I hoping the weather will clear up, which it did. 

78th Highlanders Halifax Citadel

My family standing with a sentry

myself with a L/Cpl, who is in charge of the gate guards.

One of the squads doing some drill, they later did a firing demonstration.

The 78th Highlanders; The Rosshire Buffs were raised in 1793 by Sir Francis Humberstone MacKenzie to help Britain in its war against France. Sir Francis went on to become the governor of Jamaica I believe. 

The 78th were sent to Canada from 1866-69 first garrisoning Montreal and were then sent to Halifax in 1869-71. When the Halifax Citadel, National Historic site was redeveloping in the 1980's, Parks Canada was looking for a regiment which could be recreated as the garrison regiment. A Scottish Highland Regiment was chosen as it fit the bill for Nova Scotia. As well, this regiment was the inspiration for the 78th Colchester and Hants Regiment, as part of the Victorian Britain militia volunteer movement. The Pictou Highlanders also took many of their regimental distinctions from the 78th. In 1881, the 78th Highlanders were re mustered as the Seaforth Highlanders who were made up of the 78th and 72nd Regiments. The 78th was made the 2nd Battalion and was refereed to as the old 78th.

I served in the 78th Highlanders as a private during the summers of 1995 and 1996. I was also a gunner of the 3rd Brigade, Royal Artillery. The program is designed for high school and university students to have a full time summer job to help pay for their education, but in no way, are they members of the military. Once you have served, you become members of the Halifax Citadel Regimental Association.