The Worthington Museum was established in Borden in March 1963 by Brigadier-General Radley –Walters (Commandant of the RCAC Arrmour School at the time) the with the encouragement and support of Major-General Frank Worthington.  Its stated goal was to provide a location to promote the military art, science, and literature within the Corps; preserve the records of the Corps; and record the specialized field of the Corps in military history.

It was a collection of the weapons, vehicles, uniforms, documents, films, models, and photographs that chronicled the formation and history of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.   Many soldiers donated their mementos and photographs to create this museum.

At its heart was the Worthington Collection – the collection of pictures, documents, and other memorabilia acquired by General Worthington.

Borden was the home of the original armoured school and so it was the logical place for the museum.

The original museum was housed in an H-hut across from Worthington Park and the collection of tanks and armoured vehicles started by the museum are still found throughout the base.

CFB Borden was the home of the Royal Canadian Air Force, The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, The Canadian Provost Corps, The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and the Royal Canadian Dental Corps. CFB Borden had museums dedicated to each of these units at various times and in various conditions.

In 1990s the museums were directed to combine to form the Base Borden Military Museum.

In 2015, the Worthington Collection was recovered from the Base Borden Military Museum and its archives. The Collection was carefully packaged and moved to the RCD Heritage Centre in Petawawa CFB. This work was done by members of the RCAC Association.

Here is a partial list of what the collection contains:

• 3 file drawers of documents and letters (approx 7000 sheets)
• 157 large photographs (most framed)
• 9 Scrapbooks (holding about 2200 photos)
• 12 x 16mm films
• Approx 25 tank “pams” (pamphlets)
• 18  rare wartime “Tank” Newsletters
• 9 paintings
• 1 large hand-painted  “Old Bill”
• Approx 100 model tanks
• Approx 25 assorted binders and bound documents

In early 2018, the collection was placed into the trust of the Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum in Oshawa Ontario, where it still resides. 

Researchers who require access to the Worthington Collection should contact the Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum directly.