Military Helping Remove 18th Century Cannonballs from Fortress of Louisbourg – Halifax | The Canadian News

CFB Halifax technicians are at the Fortress of Louisbourg this week, carefully removing around 100 cannonballs dating back to the 1700s.

The cannonballs, or unexploded ordnance, have been collected by Louisbourg personnel “over the years,” according to Joint Task Force Atlantic.

The cannonballs are believed to still contain black powder explosives, so they will need to be safely taken from the National Historic Site in Cape Breton to CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick for proper disposal.

The Atlantic Fleet Diving Unit is conducting the operation, which is scheduled to last until November 10.

Divers are trained to respond to all unexploded military ordnance within Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, both on land and underwater. These particular cannonballs are currently stored in a Parks Canada building in the fort.

Officials noted that all security measures will be taken and that residents and visitors to the Fortress of Louisbourg will not be significantly affected by the operation.

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