Hello for the first time! A while ago I discovered that Anticosti Island is reasonably bland IOTL. So, I decided to make a little timeline to make it a bit more interesting. Enjoy!
Go Habs Go!
On November 29, 1937, international journalist William Glyn realised upon arrival at the Québec/Ontario border that he had forgotten his wallet at his home in Toronto and he would be delayed his journey to Montréal. A shame, really, because the Canadiens had done so incredibly well this season! Five wins and no losses! There was much rejoicing throughout the city, even into the first week of December. The headlines in the papers all professed their local pride, and not one of them had any mention of an otherwise suspicious exchange that was taking place...
December 24, 1937, after much discussion and planning, the ownership of Anticosti Island, a small logging outpost of the Consolidated Paper Corporation ltd., was given over to a small group of German scientists, claiming to the few that asked that they were representatives of a private German company looking into more efficient pulping methods. The leaders of the group were Capt. Mueller and Dr. Wollert. That night, they sent a letter describing their success to the Fuhrer. What a nice Christmas present.
The existing mill at Port-Menier, the major settlement on the island, was renovated and expanded, as well as several other buildings around the town. A few German immigrants arrived, some to work at the mill and others to fish. The Germans took up headquarters in the magnificent Villa Menier.
After a small addition to the existing railroad, a sulphite mill was created in late January 1938 at the other end of the island, in the new settlement named Shotbuck (the frontman for the officers' plan had advised them to steer clear of German names, as this would raise suspicion. They had initially named it Ostbucht) at Baie du Renard. Advertisements were put out in Gaspé and Newfoundland, promising a part in the grand development of the island, a picturesque "Island of Eden, unsoiled by Man", so claimed one flier. The settlement grew to a population of 94 by March, again including several German immigrants and-- unknown to most-- 3 U-boats, which remained stationed a bit down the coast from Shotbuck. They were U-20, U-21, and U-23, referred to jokingly by high-ranking officers as the Antikostimarine.
As a result of the growth in Shotbuck and Port-Menier, a much smaller outpost was developed at the eastern tip of the island, called Pointe Mérimac. It soon became the major logging hotspot, providing the raw materials for the mills. A lighthouse and train station were also built here. The laying down of a second track of rail began in May 1938, with the total population of the island by summer 1939 a bit less than 350.
Upon Canada's declaration of war on 10 September, 1939, the "Antikostimarine" began its operation of raiding Canadian and Newfoundland merchant ships. The two dominions' respective navies send forces to pursue the U-Boats, and the Germans are captured, but not before they raid St.-Pierre et Miquelon, sinking three ships, killing 23 and injuring 30. The islands were occupied by Newfoundland forces, and several hundred Newfoundland Dollars were set aside for rebuilding. The Nazi prisoners were sent to the internment camp in St. John's and eventually executed.
Anticosti Island was seized by the Canadian Government. Mackenzie King ordered the creation of a military base on the island, to also serve as an internment camp for those proven to be Nazi officers and any German civilian of the island who refused to comply with Canadian instruction. It was named Fort King, and it was built on the railroad, so as to monitor land traffic (a train station was built), and on Pointe Carleton, so as to monitor traffic in the Jacques-Cartier Strait (a lighthouse was also built). All in all, 32 people were imprisoned in Fort King, Capt. Mueller, Dr. Wollert, and their initial associates were all executed.
Due to the imprisonment of more than 5% of the population of the island, and conscription now applying to the inhabitants, the economy of the island began to drop. German immigrants lobbied the Prime Minister to release the prisoners, declaring that they needed more working men. Mackenzie King had other things on his mind.
Meanwhile, newspapers across Canada, Newfoundland, the US, and the UK were reeling from the scandal of it all. "Anticosti, Kleindeutschland" ("Anticosti, Little Germany") ran the headline of the Montréal Gazette, which detailed the recent events concerning the island. It fuelled a powerful propaganda poster explosion, increased Canadian pro-war sentiment, and also sparked a boom in immigration to the island, of people interested in the scandal.
Anticosti's population at the end of the Second World War was 436. The second track of the railroad was finished in 1946 (the construction having been halted during the war due to the internment of those overseeing the building and several of the track-layers), and extended down the south coast to the newly constructed Fort d'Assomption, built at the mouth of the Rivière Jupiter, for several reasons: symmetry, as a logging outpost for Port-Menier, for easier access to the river, and for surveillance of the Honguedo Strait.
Fort d'Assomption received an influx of immigration in the 1960s when oil deposits were discovered around the river. There was much activism from the game hunters, but all for nought.
And that's all I have to say on the matter.
Go Habs Go!
On November 29, 1937, international journalist William Glyn realised upon arrival at the Québec/Ontario border that he had forgotten his wallet at his home in Toronto and he would be delayed his journey to Montréal. A shame, really, because the Canadiens had done so incredibly well this season! Five wins and no losses! There was much rejoicing throughout the city, even into the first week of December. The headlines in the papers all professed their local pride, and not one of them had any mention of an otherwise suspicious exchange that was taking place...
December 24, 1937, after much discussion and planning, the ownership of Anticosti Island, a small logging outpost of the Consolidated Paper Corporation ltd., was given over to a small group of German scientists, claiming to the few that asked that they were representatives of a private German company looking into more efficient pulping methods. The leaders of the group were Capt. Mueller and Dr. Wollert. That night, they sent a letter describing their success to the Fuhrer. What a nice Christmas present.
The existing mill at Port-Menier, the major settlement on the island, was renovated and expanded, as well as several other buildings around the town. A few German immigrants arrived, some to work at the mill and others to fish. The Germans took up headquarters in the magnificent Villa Menier.
After a small addition to the existing railroad, a sulphite mill was created in late January 1938 at the other end of the island, in the new settlement named Shotbuck (the frontman for the officers' plan had advised them to steer clear of German names, as this would raise suspicion. They had initially named it Ostbucht) at Baie du Renard. Advertisements were put out in Gaspé and Newfoundland, promising a part in the grand development of the island, a picturesque "Island of Eden, unsoiled by Man", so claimed one flier. The settlement grew to a population of 94 by March, again including several German immigrants and-- unknown to most-- 3 U-boats, which remained stationed a bit down the coast from Shotbuck. They were U-20, U-21, and U-23, referred to jokingly by high-ranking officers as the Antikostimarine.
As a result of the growth in Shotbuck and Port-Menier, a much smaller outpost was developed at the eastern tip of the island, called Pointe Mérimac. It soon became the major logging hotspot, providing the raw materials for the mills. A lighthouse and train station were also built here. The laying down of a second track of rail began in May 1938, with the total population of the island by summer 1939 a bit less than 350.
Upon Canada's declaration of war on 10 September, 1939, the "Antikostimarine" began its operation of raiding Canadian and Newfoundland merchant ships. The two dominions' respective navies send forces to pursue the U-Boats, and the Germans are captured, but not before they raid St.-Pierre et Miquelon, sinking three ships, killing 23 and injuring 30. The islands were occupied by Newfoundland forces, and several hundred Newfoundland Dollars were set aside for rebuilding. The Nazi prisoners were sent to the internment camp in St. John's and eventually executed.
Anticosti Island was seized by the Canadian Government. Mackenzie King ordered the creation of a military base on the island, to also serve as an internment camp for those proven to be Nazi officers and any German civilian of the island who refused to comply with Canadian instruction. It was named Fort King, and it was built on the railroad, so as to monitor land traffic (a train station was built), and on Pointe Carleton, so as to monitor traffic in the Jacques-Cartier Strait (a lighthouse was also built). All in all, 32 people were imprisoned in Fort King, Capt. Mueller, Dr. Wollert, and their initial associates were all executed.
Due to the imprisonment of more than 5% of the population of the island, and conscription now applying to the inhabitants, the economy of the island began to drop. German immigrants lobbied the Prime Minister to release the prisoners, declaring that they needed more working men. Mackenzie King had other things on his mind.
Meanwhile, newspapers across Canada, Newfoundland, the US, and the UK were reeling from the scandal of it all. "Anticosti, Kleindeutschland" ("Anticosti, Little Germany") ran the headline of the Montréal Gazette, which detailed the recent events concerning the island. It fuelled a powerful propaganda poster explosion, increased Canadian pro-war sentiment, and also sparked a boom in immigration to the island, of people interested in the scandal.
Anticosti's population at the end of the Second World War was 436. The second track of the railroad was finished in 1946 (the construction having been halted during the war due to the internment of those overseeing the building and several of the track-layers), and extended down the south coast to the newly constructed Fort d'Assomption, built at the mouth of the Rivière Jupiter, for several reasons: symmetry, as a logging outpost for Port-Menier, for easier access to the river, and for surveillance of the Honguedo Strait.
Fort d'Assomption received an influx of immigration in the 1960s when oil deposits were discovered around the river. There was much activism from the game hunters, but all for nought.
And that's all I have to say on the matter.
