the defensive system on the Upper Richelieu in the light of the experience acquired in the War of 1812. This time the endless debate between Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and Île aux Noix brought the engineer officers into direct opposition to the naval officers. The engineers favoured Saint-Jean because of the many possibilities of bypassing Île aux Noix, while the naval officers, convinced by the experiences of the recent war, preferred Île aux Noix because of its advantages against an operation over water. The latter were further favoured by the activities of the Americans a short distance from the border, since the construction of Fort Montgomery provided the competent British authorities with an argument for supporting Île aux Noix. Troops French regulars British 1st Regiment of Foot (Royal Scots) Internment camp From 1940 the island was the home of an internment camp which held European Jewish refugees who had been forcibly removed from Britain. The camp was initially called Camp I, later Camp No. 41. Internees were treated as enemy aliens, and only after a year did the Canadian authorities begin to treat them as refugees. They were still not free to leave the camp, however, in some cases until 1944. References Further reading Charbonneau, A. (1994). The Fortifications of Île Aux Noix. Supply and Services Canada. External links Île aux Noix Fort Lennox National Historic Site Landforms of Montérégie River islands of Quebec War of 1812 forts Seven Years' War American Revolutionary War sites Military forts in Quebec Royal Navy bases in Canada Jewish Canadian history World War II internment camps in Canada