Pennfield, New Brunswick
Through his 20-year quest, Christian Larsen has created a much needed public resource which preserves the history of the former RCAF/RAF Station Pennfield Ridge and A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (Camp Utopia) and the contributions made by their associated personnel.
Since 1999, Christian Larsen has worked with Beaver Harbour Community Ventures Ltd. to compile a listing of all those who served from Pennfield Parish communities, namely Beaver Harbour, Blacks Harbour, Pennfield & Pocologan. Through the years, he’s also assisted in their annual Remembrance Day services.
In January 2007, Christian began to gather and compile information on the former Pennfield Ridge Air Station and A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (Camp Utopia). Due to overwhelming interest by Veterans and their family members, in November 2007, the Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society was incorporated. Christian has interviewed 27 Veterans and 188 family members between 2007 and today. He has dedicated thousands of hours for research and travel to gather and compile documents, interview surviving Veterans or the surviving family members. He has made the information available via the Society, expanding the reach by using its Facebook page, through memorial site plaques, group tours, community television, assistance to area students for heritage projects and responding to many requests for information from Veteran’s families and the general public. For almost a decade, he had organized the annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Services which drew in Veterans and their families from near and far. For many, it was the first opportunity they had to reunite with their comrades of so many years ago.
He has also conducted four Walking the Ridge group tours and dozens of private tours of the former Pennfield Ridge Air Station. He has worked with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to replace a military marker to reflect the proper service number and rank of the fallen service member. In April 2011, he started the Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society Facebook page which has continually added daily posts honouring those who served or trained there, in particular, the “forgotten heroes” – 11 Royal Air Force, 38 Royal Canadian Air Force, eight Royal Australian Air Force, 12 Royal New Zealand Air Force service personnel, one member of the Royal Navy and six civilians who were killed or died there. He’s helped to sponsor and research several memorial plaques at local historical sites. In February 2020, he produced an artifact display from Pennfield Ridge Air Station and Camp Utopia at the Charlotte County Heritage Fair. That same year, he provided photographs and historical information to Charlotte County Television and Charlotte County Archives to assist in the production of a short documentary entitled “The Story of Pennfield Ridge Air Station”. For the past three years, Christian has continued to gather information on the Pennfield Ridge Air Station and A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre to ensure the next generation know what occurred there.