X Squadron, Camp Rathbun, WW1 Royal Flying Corps - Canada

NATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE REMEMBERED BY ONTARIO FARM

A Napanee area farm located on Deseronto Road now known as Gold-Wing Ranch has strong ties to the history of Canada.

In the year 1784 Mohawk Chief John Deserontyon, who fought with the British during the American Revolution was given a portion of the land by the Crown for his military allegiance to the British.

Later, Sir John A. MacDonald owned and/or held the mortgage on the property from 1847 to 1875 including the year he became our first Prime Minister.

About 6 years later, the farm served as a Canadian Experimental Farm Station, owned by the Rathbun Family providing information on such topics as sugar beet production, soil quality, water quality and fruit production.

During the First World War, the farm transitioned to a new role to serve the county. The Royal Flying Corps used the farm as a pilot training camp, known as Camp Rathbun. Sadly, over 50 men lost their lives while training between 1917 and 1918. A local paper reported that a German spy was killed by a firing squad by the oak grove near Sucker Creek. To this day, it is tradition to not cut the hay in front of where the barracks once stood; the alleged burial site.

The current farm owners, the Kimmett family, can trace their roots on the property to 1933.

This summer, on June 10th the Kimmetts are welcoming the public to their farm to celebrate the 100th anniversary of WWI Pilot Training and to remember the daring young men who lost their lives locally. This is a grassroots non-funded heritage event in celebration of the WW1 RFC Pilot Training Camps in Canada and to pay an ode of remembrance to all the airmen stationed while in Deseronto (Camp Mohawk and Camp Rathbun). Over the next two years the Kimmett family in remembrance of the 55 Airmen and Cadets whom died during WW1 in Deseronto will fly flags at half-mast at the farm on those anniversary dates marking Cadet and Airmen deaths. The first death was May 30, 1917 of Allan Walton Fraser from Winnipeg Manitoba, age 19. His horrible death was reported on in a Toronto Star Newspaper article (attached). Also is a picture of Cadet Fraser and the newspaper article about his death.

The Canadian Government designates Canadian participation in the Royal Flying Corps as an event of national historical significance, despite this designation a request by the Kimmett family to have flags and flag poles donated by the Federal Government to mark this anniversary have been turned down.

The Kimmett family is seeking the community’s support to help bring recognition and to preserve this local identity and heritage; their hope is to save this forgotten heritage; to boost an appreciation for our Canadian roots; and to remind our community about the sacrifices made by our Canadian Forces/Military. For more information about this event you may visit the Kimmett Family Farm website at www.kimmettherefords.com