Cannon in Canada, Province by Province Volume 5

By Harold Skaarup

This fifth 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 British Columbia. The Royal Reg

• Language: English
• Publisher: Global Summit House
• Release date: Sep 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781956515640

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 5: British Columbia

Harold Skaarup

Copyright © 2021 by Harold Skaarup.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

ISBN: 978-1-956515-65-7 (Paperback Edition)

ISBN: 978-1-956515-66-4 (Hardcover Edition)

ISBN: 978-1-956515-64-0 (E-book Edition)

Book Ordering Information

Phone Number: 315 288-7939 ext. 1000 or 347-901-4920

Email: [e-mail]

Global Summit House

www.globalsummithouse.com

Printed in the United State of America

Contents

List of Illustrations

Dedications

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction – Cannon in British Columbia

Epigraph

Chapter I

Disposition of German First World War Trophies in British Columbia

Chapter II

A Brief History of Artillery in British Columbia

Chapter III

Cannon preserved in British Columbia by town and city

Chapter IV

Cannon preserved at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt

Chapter V

Colwood, Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site of Canada

Chapter VI

Nanaimo, Naramata, North Saanich, North Vancouver, Richmond, Rogers Pass, Sidney, Trail, Ucluelet, Valemont, Vernon and White Rock.

Chapter VII

New Westminster

Chapter VIII

Vancouver, HMCS Discovery, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA

Chapter IX

Cannon preserved in Victoria, the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, 5th (BC) Field Artillery Regiment, and HMCS Malahat.

Chapter X

Sergeant James Alton Thrasher of The Westminster Regiment (Motor)

List of Abbreviations

Bibliography

About the Author

Index

List of Illustrations

Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery badge.

German First World War 21-cm Mörser 1916 neuer Art (21-cm Mrs 16 n.A.) Heavy Mortar, (Serial Nr. 1136), captured by 72nd Bn on 27 Sep or 2 Nov 1918.

Centurion Main Battle Tank Mk. 5, 20-pounder main gun, 31A, built in 1952. Aldergrove, BC.

17-pounder QF Towed Anti-Tank Gun 57th Battery, 1st Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA, near Campobasso, Italy, 25 Oct 1943.

17-pounder QF Towed Anti-Tank Gun, Chilliwack, BC.

M4A2 (76) W HVSS Sherman Easy 8 tank (Serial No. 69301), built by Fisher, Reg. No. 30129780, "Caroline", Chilliwack, BC

12-pounder 8-cwt QF Naval Landing Guns, HMCS Quadra, Comox, BC.

12-pounder 8-cwt QF Naval Landing Gun breech and data plate numbers, HMCS Quadra.

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 16 (7.7-cm FK 16), (Serial Nr. 19241), Cranbrook, BC.

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 16 (7.7-cm FK 16), being removed from grounds of Legislature on 25 July 1941.

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.) (Serial Nr. 595), Esquimalt.

"Taking the Guns", c918, by Forunino Matania.

German First World War 7.7-cm Nahkampfkanone (7.7-cm NK) close support gun (Serial Nr. 9739).

German First World War 7.7-cm Nahkampfkanone (7.7-cm NK) close support gun (Serial Nr. 9739).

Cast Iron ½-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 1-1-1 (129 lbs), Fort Langley.

German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08/15 Machineguns carried by German Prisoners of War captured by Canadians, June 1917.

155-mm C1 (M1A2) Medium Howitzer on M1A2 Carriage, aka M114.

German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08/15 heavy machine gun being examined by Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade Officers, March 1918.

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.), (Serial Nr. 2577), Kelowna, BC.

M4A2(76)W HVSS Sherman Easy 8 tank (Serial No. 69132), built by Fisher, Reg. No. 30129611, No. 53, Brigadier Angle Armoury, Kelowna, BC.

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 16 (7.7-cm FK 16), being removed from Ladysmith in 1941 and transported by rail to a smelter to aid in the wareffort.

6-pounder 7-cwt QF Anti-Tank Gun being fired at Kitsilano Beach during training exercises in 1943.

6-pounder 7-cwt QF Anti-Tank Gun, Maple Ridge, BC.

Japanese Type 93 13.2-mm twin mount light anti-aircraft gun.

Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt crest.

Pair of Cast Iron ½-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Guns, weight 1-1-1 (129 lbs), No. 1 and 2 at the entrance to Building 70 in the Dockyard, CFB Esquimalt.

3-inch 50 Mk. 33 Twin Gun Naval Turret, CFB Esquimalt, starboard view.

3-inch 50 Mk. 33 Twin Gun Naval Turret, CFB Esquimalt, front view.

3-inch 70 Mk. 6 Twin Gun Naval Turret, CFB Esquimalt.

3-inch 70 Mk. 6 Twin Gun Naval Turret, CFB Esquimalt.

ASROC Launcher Mk. 7, CFB Esquimalt.

Anti-Submarine Mortar Mk. NC 10, CFB Esquimalt.

64-pounder 64-cwt Rifled Muzzleloading Gun Mk. I with Millar-pattern breech ring, weight 64-1-0 (7,196 lbs), RGF No. 106, I, 1865 on the right trunnion, Queen Victoria cypher, No. 1 of 2 Guns in the Dockyard, Duntze Head.

64-pounder 64-cwt Rifled Muzzleloading Gun Mk. I with Millar-pattern breech ring, weight 64-1-0 (7,196 lbs), RGF No. 106, I, 1865, Duntze Head.

Blomefield 32-pounder 56-cwt SBML Gun, weight 54-2-0 (6,104 lbs), C on the left trunnion, Serial No. 29 on the right trunnion, King George III cypher. No. 2 of 2 Guns in the Dockyard, Duntze Head.

Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt SBML Gun, weight 54-2-0 (6,104 lbs), C on the left trunnion, Serial No. 29, Duntze Head.

Soldiers manning a 9.2-inch coastal defence gun on the BC coast in 1941.

Soldiers manning a 9.2-inch coastal defence gun on the BC coast in 1941.

Mary Hill Battery 6-inch Mk. 24 Gun on Mk. 6 Mount, 1943.

Mary Hill Battery 6-inch Mk. 7 Gun on Mk. 5 Mount, firing on 6 Dec 1941.

Albert Head Battery, 9.2-inch coastal defence gun, May 1940.

Three 12-pounder 12-cwt QF Mk. V (3-inch/40) Breechloading Naval Guns (Ogden 3-inch Naval gun), originally located at Black Rock, now at the Naden dockyard.

Breech data and bronze plates of the three 12-pounder 12-cwt QF Mk. V (3- inch/40) Breechloading Naval Guns at the Naden dockyard.

Bronze 6-pounder 6-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 6-0-2 (674 lbs), Serial No. 1305 on right trunnion, in front of the CFB Esquimalt Museum.

Bronze 6-pounder 6-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 5-3-25 (669 lbs), Serial No. 513 on right trunnion, in front of the CFB Esquimalt Museum. C Battery, 1 RCHA plaque, Work Point Barracks.

4-inch/45 QF Mk. XVI* Twin Guns ((Serial No. S/13505), left, and (Serial No. S.8348), right, on a 4-inch High Angle Mk. XIX Twin Sight manufactured by the Vivian Engine Works, Vancouver, BC, ring Company, No. Can 58, 1942. Work Point Barracks.

Breech data, 4-inch/45 QF Mk. XVI* Twin Guns ((Serial No. S/13505), left, and (Serial No. S.8348), right, on a 4-inch High Angle Mk. XIX Twin Sight manufactured by the Vivian Engine Works, Vancouver BC, ring Company, No. Can 58, 1942. Work Point Barracks.

HMCS Huron, G24, was a Tribal-class destroyer.

12-pounder 12-cwt gun, probably Mk. 1 breechloading Gun, ca 1900.

Diagram of artillery located at Fort Rodd Hill.

13-pounder 8-cwt Muzzleloading Rifle, weight 8-0-0 (896 lbs), (Serial No. 1230), mounted on a wheeled gun carriage at Fort Rodd Hill.

6-pounder 8-cwt QF Mk. I Hotchkiss Gun (Serial No. 502), mounted on a Hotchkiss cone/pedestal mount Mk. I, Belmont Battery, Fort Rodd Hill.

6-pounder 8-cwt Quick Firing (QF) Mk. I Hotchkiss Gun barrel, Museum entrance, Fort Rodd Hill.

QF 4.7-inch coast defence gun with shield on a garrison mount.

6-inch BL Guns installed in coastal defence positions at Point Grey during the Second World War.

6-inch Breechloading Mk. VI Gun (No. 841), weight 4-19-1-19 (11,135 lbs), (4 X Imperial ton of 2,240 lbs, + 19 X 112 lbs, + 28 lbs, + 19 lbs) mounted on a Mk. IV Disappearing Garrison Carriage in the Upper Battery.

6-inch Breechloading Mk. VI Gun (No. 841), mounted on a Mk. IV Disappearing Garrison Carriage in the Upper Battery, Fort Rodd Hill.

6-pounder 10-cwt QF Mk. I Guns on Mk. I 6-pounder Twin Mounting, Belmont Battery, Fort Rodd Hill.

Breech view of the 6-pounder 10-cwt QF Mk. I Guns on Mk. I 6-pounder Twin Mounting, Belmont Battery, Fort Rodd Hill.

12-pounder BL 6 cwt field gun, c 1897.

12-pounder 12-cwt QF Mk. I Gun (Serial No. 2767), on Mk. I Garrison Carriage, Belmont Battery, Fort Rodd Hill.

American 90-mm M1A1 Anti-Aircraft Gun, 72382 stamped on the barrel, Chevrolet, and General Motors stamped on the breech, Fort Rodd Hill.

40-mm Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft Gun, University Point, British Columbia,1943.

40-mm Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft Gun, Fort Rodd Hill.

40-mm Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft Gun, Royal Canadian Artillery, May 1943.

40-mm Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft Guns with searchlights mounted on a Canadian National Railways Armoured Train, 12 July 1942.

Colonel J.S. McGlashan firing a 3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun in service, Vancouver, 1943.

3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun in service at Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, 1943.

3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun in service at Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, 1943.

3-pounder QF sub-calibre Gun (Serial No. 1403), for 6-inch BL Gun Mks. VII, XI and XII, on display in the Lower Battery artillery store, Fort Rodd Hill.

9.2-inch Breechloading Gun, weight 59 ¼-cwt (6,636 lbs), mock-up made for display, mounted on an original 30-ton Gun Drug Mk. I, 1902, RCD (Royal Carriage Department), Reg. No. S.18681.

British 9.2-inch Breechloading Gun, Mk. III or Mk. VI HMS Iron Duke, mounted on a Mk. I railway truck, in action at Maricourt, France, during the Battle of the Somme, Sep 1916.

British Armstrong Whitworth 12-inch railway gun mounted on a Mk. II railway carriage, Arras, France, Nov 1917.

British Armstrong Whitworth 12-inch railway gun mounted on a Mk. II railway carriage, France,1917.

British Armstrong Whitworth 12-inch railway gun mounted on a Mk. II railway carriage, France,1917.

Cast Iron 12-pounder 6-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade, mounted on a wood naval gun carriage, inside the Nanaimo Bastion, Nanaimo, BC.

Blomefield 6-pounder 9-cwt SBML Gun, weight 9-1-23, (1,059 lbs), above the No. 7, (Serial No. 484) on the left trunnion, 6-pdr on the right trunnion. B.P. & C. on the barrel, mounted on a wooden naval gun carriage, No. 1 of 2 in front of the Nanaimo Bastion. Nanaimo, BC.

Blomefield 6-pounder 9-cwt SBML Gun, weight 9-1-23, (1,059 lbs), above No. 2, (Serial No. 476) on the left trunnion, 6-pdr on the right trunnion. B.P. & C. on the barrel, mounted on a wooden naval gun carriage, No. 2 of 2 in front of the Nanaimo Bastion, Nanaimo, BC.

105-mm C1 Howitzer, Brigadier Sargent Armoury, Nanaimo, BC.

25-pounder C Mk. 2 QF Field Gun, British Columbia Aviation Museum, North Saanich.

12-pounder 12-cwt QF Mk. V (3-inch/40) Breechloading Naval Gun with shield and stand (Ogden 3-inch Naval gun) mounted on a (probably) Mk. IX naval mounting, (Serial No. S69107), North Vancouver.

4-inch/50 caliber (102-mm) standard low-angle, quick-firing gun used by the US Navy, Richmond, BC. Gunnery training with a 4-inch/50 caliber gun on board HMCS Hamilton, Deep Brook, Nova Scotia, 10 August 1944.

Three 105-mm C1A1 M2A2 Howitzers, Rogers Pass, BC.

4-inch/45 QF Mk. IV Gun, on a single