Located east of Brandon, in the Rural Municipality of Cornwallis, two concrete structures were constructed in 1907 by Ottawa-based surveyor and building contractor Paul T. C. Dumais (1849-1925), who also built the Brandon Armoury.
They were part of the former Camp Brandon (also known as Camp Aylmer) that were used by local militia for target shooting practice before the First World War. Its facility’s function was superceded in 1910 by Camp Sewell located about 16 miles to the east.
The larger of the concrete structures, to the north, measuring 130 feet long, 30 feet high, 11 feet wide at the base, and 4 feet 9 inches at the top, was a stop butt intended to stop bullets fired at it by target shooters. The smaller of the two structures, exactly 100 feet to the south of the stop butt, also measured 130 feet long. It was a shelter used to protect personnel engaged in target marking.
Brandon Rifle Range stop butt (no date)
Source: Contract Record and Engineering Review, 16 February 1910, page 38.
Brandon Rifle Range stop butt (May 2013)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Identifying plaque on the Brandon Rifle Range stop butt (May 2013)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Brandon Rifle Range shelter (no date)
Source: Contract Record and Engineering Review, 16 February 1910, page 38.
Brandon Rifle Range shelter (May 2013)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Aerial view of Brandon Rifle Range shelter in foreground and stop butt at background (September 2022)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.86416, W99.90635
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Armoury / 26th Field Regiment Museum (1116 Victoria Avenue, Brandon)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Camp Sewell / Camp Hughes (Municipality of North Cypress-Langford)
1901 Canada census [Paul Dumais], Automated Genealogy.
“Rifle Association’s new targets,” Brandon Sun, 17 January 1907, page 10.
“Largest camp ever held here,” Brandon Sun, 2 April 1908, page 1.
“Interesting reinforced concrete construction,” Contract Record and Engineering Review, 16 February 1910, page 38.
Paul T. C. Dumais, FindAGrave.
We thank Bruce Tascona, Tom Mitchell, and Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 14 March 2025
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