1909 – Armoury, Brandon, Manitoba

The Canadian government constructed many drill halls between 1896 and 1918 to house the regional headquarters of the Active Volunteer Militia. The structure was built to house the Brandon Squadron of the 12th Manitoba Dragoons. The unit served in battle in North West Canada in 1885, in South Africa in 1900, and it was part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. They also served in North West Europe during the Second World War. The armouries constructed contained a large open space for drilling and parades, as well as small ancillary spaces. Finished externally with a stone foundation, brick walls and a metal roof, the unobstructed interior space is spanned by an overhead Fink truss system, a standard in drill hall construction from approximately 1900 until the First World War. Like many, it now also contains a small museum.