Cannon in Canada, Province by Province, Volume 4: Newfoundland and Labrador

By Harold Skaarup

This fourth volume of Cannon in Canada is an informative and detailed synopsis of the carefully preserved and restored guns and artillery on display in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The traditions of artillery in North American are well represented by a long and distinguished line of gunners with historical ties back to the days bef

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lime Press LLC
• Release date: May 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781955255097

Harold Skaarup

Major (Retired) Harold A. Skaarup, CD2, BFA, MA in War Studies, is a retired Canadian Army Intelligence Officer with an interest in Military History. He has served overseas with 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Germany, with the Candian Airborne Regiment and the United Nations in Nicosia, Cyprus, with the NATO-led Peace Stabilization Force in Sarajevo, Bosni-Herzegovina, with North American Aerospace Defence Command and Northern Command in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and with the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan. He currently resides at his home in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

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Cannon in Canada,

Province by Province,

Volume 4: Newfoundland and Labrador

Harold A. Skaarup

Ubique

Cannon in Canada, Province by Province,

Volume 4: Newfoundland and Labrador

by Harold A. Skaarup

This book is written to provide information and motivation to readers. Its purpose isn’t to render any type of psychological, legal, or professional advice of any kind. The content is the sole opinion and expression of the author, and not necessarily that of the publisher.

Copyright © 2021 by Harold A. Skaarup

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form by any means, including, but not limited to, recording, photocopying, or taking screenshots of parts of the book, without prior written permission from the author or the publisher. Brief quotations for noncommercial purposes, such as book reviews, permitted by Fair Use of the U.S. Copyright Law, are allowed without written permissions, as long as such quotations do not cause damage to the book’s commercial value. For permissions, write to the publisher, whose address is stated below.

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN: 978-1-955255-10-3 (Paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-955255-09-7 (Ebook)

Published by Lime Press LLC

425 West Washington Street Suite 4

Suffolk, VA 23434 US

httpts://www.lime-press.com/

Table of Contents

Dedications

List of Illustrations

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction – Cannon in Newfoundland and Labrador

Epigraph

Chapter I Disposition of German First World War Trophies in

Newfoundland and Labrador

Chapter II Newfoundland Gunners in the Second World War

Chapter III Cannon preserved in Newfoundland and Labrador

Chapter IV Cannon preserved in Bell Island, Bonavista, Botwood, Burgeo

Chapter V Cannon preserved in Cape Spear, Carbonear Island, Catalina

Chapter VI Cannon preserved in Centreville-Wareham-Trinity, Clarenville,

Corner Brook, Cupids

Chapter VII Cannon preserved in Ferryland, Grand Falls-Windsor, Greenspond

Chapter VIII Cannon preserved in Happy Valley, Harbour Buffet, Harbour Grace,

Hearts Content, Hearts Delight

Chapter IX Cannon preserved in La Poile, Mortier, Mount Pearl, Seal Cove,

Spaniard’s Bay, St. Georges, St. Mary’s, Stephenville Crossing

Chapter X Cannon preserved in Placentia

Chapter XI Cannon preserved in St. John’s

Chapter XII Cannon preserved in Tilting, Trinity, Trinity Bay

Chapter XIII Armoured Fighting Vehicles preserved in Corner Brook,

Happy Valley, Labrador, St. John’s

List of Abbreviations

Afterword

Bibliography

About the Author

Index

Dedications

By each gun a loaded brand, in a bold determined hand.¹

For both of my grandfathers, Unteroffizier Frederick Christensen Skaarup and Sergeant Walter Ray Estabrooks, two gunners who fought on opposite sides of the line during the First World War, and for all those members of the Canadian Armed Forces whose primary task at home and abroad has been and is to keep us safe.

Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Logo.

During my service as a soldier and officer in the Canadian Forces, I was taught to use the combat arms radio call sign Sheldrake whenever the message traffic being relayed referred to artillery. This designation has been replaced with the call sign Golf. The armour elements were Ironsides, now Tango, hence the titles of the companion volumes to this series. For the interested reader, Acorn was my call sign as the Regimental and later Brigade Intelligence Officer.

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¹ Lines from a poem by T. Campbell, Battle of the Baltic, Francis T. Palgrave, ed. (1824–1897). The Golden Treasury. 1875.

List of Illustrations

1. Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery logo.

2. Cover Photo by Tony Merkle.

3. Author Photo.

4. 12-inch Mk. IV Howitzer manned by members of the Newfoundland Heavy Artillery Regiments in England in 1942.

5. BL 9.2-inch Mk. II howitzers of the 57th (Newfoundland) Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, with Sir Winston Churchill during a tour of England’s East Coast defences in 1940.

6. Argentia, Fort McAndrew. 6-inch Gun Model M1903, (Serial No. 8), Gun Battery 282 Emplacement, Shielded Barbette (SBC) M1 No. 44, Erie, manufactured by Watervliet.

7. Bay Bulls. Cast Iron possible 9-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, no visible markings, broken right trunnion, No. 1 of 4 guns mounted upright on a concrete base as part of the front gate to the Roman Catholic Church.

8. Bay Bulls. Cast Iron Blomefield 18-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown

9. Bay Roberts. German First World War 17-cm mittlerer Minenwerfer (17-cm mMW), medium trench mortar.

10. Bell Island. 4.7-inch QF Mk. IV* Star Gun, (Serial No. 1173), No. 1 of 2, on a Central Pivot Mount Mk I.

11. Bell Island shipwreck, stern gun on the SS Lord Strathcona.

12. Bell Island shipwreck, stern gun on the SS Saganaga.

13. Bonavista. German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.), Field Gun.

14. Bonavista. Cast Iron possibly 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a broken breeching ring (No. 1 of 2).

15. Bonavista. Cast Iron possibly 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring (No. 2 of 2).

16. Bonavista. Cast Iron possibly 4-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, heavily corroded.

17. Botwood. German First World War 17-cm mittlerer Minenwerfer (17-cm mMW), medium trench mortar (Serial Nr. 6061).

18. German First World War 17-cm mittlerer Minenwerfer (17-cm mMW), Trench mortars and other German guns captured by Canadians, Cambrai, Nov 1918.

19. Cape Spear. 10-inch Gun M1888, (Serial No. 41), with the barrel mounted on a concrete stand.

20. Cape Little. Cast Iron 3-pounder 7-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 7-3-6 (874 lbs), with a crown over the letter P and a broad arrow on the barrel.

21. 10-inch Coast Artillery gun on a M1896 disappearing carriage.

22. 10-inch disappearing Gun M1895 being loaded by the 10th (K) Co., 13th Regiment, June 1908, Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York.

23. Carbonear. Cast Iron 18-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, with blown barrel, weight 39-3-1 (4,453 lbs), No. 1 of 2.

24. Carbonear. Cast Iron 18-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, with blown barrel, weight 39-3-1 (4,453 lbs), No. 1 of 2.

25. Carbonear. Cast Iron 12-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, heavily corroded, mounted on a wood stand, No. 2 of 2, on Harbour Rock Hill.

26. Carbonear. 3-pounder QF (V) (Vickers Model) Hotchkiss Gun, mounted on a naval gun stand.

27. Canadian soldier examining a German First World War 7.58-cm leMW trench mortar.

28. Carbonear. German First World War 7.58-cm leichtes Minenwerfer neuer Art, (7.58-cm leMW n.A.).

29. Catalina. German First World War 17-cm mittlerer Minenwerfer, (17-cm mMW), medium trench mortar. 6-pounder Anti-tank Gun being loaded by Pat Brophy on Signal Hill, St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1959.

30. 6-pounder Anti-tank Gun being loaded by Pat Brophy on Signal Hill, St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1959.

31. Catalina. 6-pounder 7-cwt QF Anti-Tank Gun.

32. Clarenville. 105-mm L5 Pack Howitzer.

33. Corner Brook. 25-pounder C Mk. 2 QF Field Gun with No. 9 circular firing platform.

34. Cupids. Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Gun, heavily corroded.

35. Ferryland. Two Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Guns, heavily corroded.

36. Ferryland. Three Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Guns, heavily corroded.

37. Bois. Cast Iron Blomefield Smoothbore Muzzleloading Guns in gun batteries constructed by the English in the 1740s.

38. Grand Falls – Windsor. 25-pounder C Mk. 2 QF Field Gun with No. 9 circular firing platform, a gift from the Netherlands.

39. Greenspond. Group of four Cast Iron Guns at the cenotaph.

40. Happy Valley, Labrador. 105-mm C1A1 M2A2 Howitzer, Royal Canadian Legion, Branch No. 51.

41. Harbour Grace. German First World War 17-cm mittlerer Minenwerfer (17-cm mMW), medium trench mortar (Serial Nr. 7417).

42. Harbour Grace. Cast Iron possible 4-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, heavily corroded, serving as a bollard.

43. Hearts Delight. German First World War 7.92-mm Shwarzlose MG M.7/12 mounted on a tripod beside the cenotaph.

44. Mortier. Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, heavily corroded.

45. German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08 machine-gun.

46. German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08 Machine-gun. Captured German 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08 Machine-gun being examined by a Canadian soldier near Nieuwpoort, Belgium, 15 Sep 1944.

47. St. Georges. German First World War 7.58-cm leichtes Minenwerfer neuer Art (7.58-cm leMW), (Serial Nr. 3838), light trench mortar.

48. 26-gun HMS Proteus.

49. Placentia. German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art Field Gun (Serial Nr. 3690).

50. Placentia. Pair of Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Guns, heavily corroded, no visible markings, in front of the O’Reilly House Museum.

51. Placentia, Fort Royal. Blomefield Cast Iron 12-pounder 34-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 32-3-17 (3,685 lbs).

52. Placentia, Fort Royal. Blomefield Cast Iron 12-pounder 34-cwt Smoothbore