Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery


Contributors to Wikimedia projects

Article Images

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery (French: Le Régiment royal de l'Artillerie canadienne) is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Army.

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
File:RCA cap badge.jpg

Badge of the Royal Canadian Artillery

ActivePrior to 1855
CountryCanada
AllegianceQueen Elizabeth II of Canada
BranchCanadian Army
Typeartillery
Motto(s)[Ubique] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (Everywhere) and [Quo fas et gloria ducunt] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (Whither right and glory lead)
MarchSlow march: "Royal Artillery Slow March". Quick march (dismounted parades): "British Grenadiers". Trot past: "Keel Row". Gallop past (horse artillery only): "Bonnie Dundee".
Commanders
Captain generalElizabeth II

History

Many of the units and batteries of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery are older than the Dominion of Canada itself. The first artillery company in Canada was formed in the province of Canada (New France) in 1750.

Volunteer Canadian artillery batteries existed before 1855 but their history is mostly unknown. Seven batteries of artillery were formed after the passage of the Militia Act of 1855 which allowed Canada to retain a paid military force of 5,000 men. One of the pre-1855 volunteer batteries formed in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1793 was called the “Loyal Company of Artillery” and exists today as the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA.

After Confederation

On 20 October 1871, the first regular Canadian army units were created, in the form of two batteries of garrison artillery; thus, that date is considered the regiment's birthday. "A" Battery in Kingston, Ontario, and "B" Battery in Quebec City, Quebec, became gunnery schools and performed garrison duties in their respective towns. They are still active today as part of the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.

The Royal Canadian Artillery has participated in every major conflict in Canada's history.[citation needed]

Riel Rebellion

Boer War

World War I

The Canadian Artillery and the Garrison Artillery were the designations of the Non-Permanent Active Militia as of 1 January 1914. The Canadian Artillery and the Garrison Artillery were collectively redesignated the Royal Canadian Artillery on 3 June 1935.

By November 1918, the 1st Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:

  • 1st Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 1st Field Battery
    • 3rd Field Battery
    • 4th Field Battery
    • 2nd Howitzer Battery
  • 2nd Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 5th Field Battery
    • 6th Field Battery
    • 7th Field Battery
    • 48th Howitzer Battery
    • 1st Division Ammunition Column

By November 1918, the 2nd Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:

  • 5th Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 17th Field Battery
    • 18th Field Battery
    • 20th Field Battery
    • 23rd Howitzer Battery
  • 6th Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 15th Field Battery
    • 16th Field Battery
    • 25th Field Battery
    • 22nd Howitzer Battery
    • 2nd Division Ammunition Column

By November 1918, the 3rd Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:

  • 9th Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 31st Field Battery
    • 33rd Field Battery
    • 45th Field Battery
    • 36th Howitzer Battery
  • 10th Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 38th Field Battery
    • 39th Field Battery
    • 40th Field Battery
    • 35th Howitzer Battery
    • 3rd Division Ammunition Column

By November 1918, the 4th Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:

  • 3rd Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 10th Field Battery
    • 11th Field Battery
    • 12th Field Battery
    • 9th Howitzer Battery
  • 4th Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 13th Field Battery
    • 19th Field Battery
    • 27th Field Battery
    • 21st Howitzer Battery
    • 4th Division Ammunition Column

Canadian Corps Troops - Corps Heavy Artillery

  • 1st Brigade, C.G.A.
    • 1st Siege Battery
    • 3rd Siege Battery
    • 7th Siege Battery
    • 9th Siege Battery
  • 2nd Brigade, C.G.A.
    • 1st Heavy Battery
    • 2nd Heavy Battery
    • 2nd Siege Battery
    • 4th Siege Battery
    • 5th Siege Battery
    • 6th Siege Battery
  • 3rd Brigade, C.G.A.
    • 8th Siege Battery
    • 10th Siege Battery
    • 11th Siege Battery
    • 12th Siege Battery

5th Divisional Artillery

  • 13th Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 52nd Field Battery
    • 53rd Field Battery
    • 55th Field Battery
    • 51st Howitzer Battery
  • 14th Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 60th Field Battery
    • 61st Field Battery
    • 66th Field Battery
    • 58th Howitzer Battery
    • 5th Division Ammunition Column

Army Service Corps - 5th Divisional Artillery Motor Transport Detachment

Canadian Cavalry Brigade - Artillery - Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Brigade

Army troops - Attached to the British Expeditionary Force - Artillery

  • 8th Army Brigade, C.F.A.
    • 24th Field Battery
    • 30th Field Battery
    • 32nd Field Battery
    • 43rd Howitzer Battery
    • 8th Army Brigade Ammunition Column
    • "E" Anti-Aircraft Battery

World War II

 
Monument to Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery in Ottawa.

The R.C.H.A. and R.C.A. expanded tremendously during the war to contribute the following units to the European theater:

 
The formation patch worn by R.C.A. personnel attached directly to I Canadian Corps.
 
The formation patch worn by R.C.A. personnel attached directly to II Canadian Corps.
 
The formation patch worn by R.C.A. personnel attached directly to the First Canadian Army.

Coastal defences Pacific coast

The RCA was also responsible for the defence of Canada on both the west and east coasts. In 1936 a review was done by Major Treatt of the Royal Artillery of the existing defences and potential sites for new forts. Efforts to improve the existing fortifications and build new ones were well underway by 1939.

There were approximately 10 armed forts and gun positions established along the Pacific west coast. The ones in the Strait of Juan de Fuca were integrated with the U.S. coastal defences. As the war progressed and the threat of attack diminished, the forts were gradually drawn down and demobilized. The last active coastal defence fort on the west coast, Fort Rodd Hill,[1] was deactivated in 1958.

A list of forts and gun positions on the West Coast section

Korean War

Cold War

The Regular and Reserve components of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Royal Canadian Artillery and Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery were collectively redesignated the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery on 29 October 1956.

Afghanistan

Units of The Royal Canadian Artillery

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is composed of both regular and reserve (militia) forces. The regular force component is composed of five units, four of which are front line operation units; of these, three are field artillery regiments while the fourth is a low level air defence unit. The fifth regular unit is the Royal Canadian Artillery School. Additionally, while the three field artillery regiments are on the RCA's order of battle, they are addressed as elements of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.

Regular Force

  • 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
    • "A" Battery
    • "B" Battery
    • "C" Battery
    • "Z" Battery
    • Headquarters and Services Battery
  • 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
    • "D" Battery
    • "E" Battery
    • "F" Battery
    • "Y" Battery
    • Headquarters and Services Battery
  • 4th Air Defence Regiment,[2] Royal Canadian Artillery
    • 119th Battery[3]
    • 128th Battery[4]
    • (Presently under review with a possible tasking amendment to the 4th General Support Regiment of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery in the near future)
  • 5e Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada
    • Batterie "X"
    • Batterie "Q"
    • Batterie "R"
    • Batterie "V"
    • Batterie de Commandement et Services
  • The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School
    • 45th Depot Battery, RCA (Fire Support)
    • 67th Depot Battery, RCA (The Gatekeepers)
    • Headquarters Battery
    • "W" Battery (Formerly of the presently stood-down 4th Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery)

Reserves

Regiments

Independent batteries

Since spring 2005, 10th Field Regiment, 26th Field Regiment and 116th Independent Field Battery have been grouped together as 38 Canadian Brigade Group's (38 CBG) Artillery Tactical Group (ATG).

Other units

Order of precedence

RCHA on parade with guns:

RCHA on dismounted parades:

RCA units:

Note: Despite not being the senior component of the Canadian Army, the honour of "the right of the line" (precedence over other units), on an army parade, is held by the units of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery when on parade with their guns. On dismounted parades, RCHA units take precedence over all other land force units except formed bodies of Officer Cadets of the Royal Military College of Canada representing their college. RCA units parade to the left of units of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. The Royal Canadian Artillery does not carry colours. Its guns are its colours and are saluted on parade.

Affiliations

Royal Canadian Artillery Museum

Royal Canadian Artillery Museum
LocationCFB Shilo, P.O. Box 5000, Stn Main, Shilo, Manitoba, Canada
TypeArtillery Museum

As the principal artillery museum in Canada, the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum presents, acquires, preserves, researches and interprets the contributions of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and the Canadian military to the heritage of Canada.[7] The museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, OMMC and Virtual Museum of Canada.

Memorials

A memorial wall and an artillery field gun, were erected on 21 September 1959 by the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, which is dedicated to the memory of the members of the regiment killed in the service of Canada. It was relocated from its original location at Major's Hill Park to Green Island Park in Ottawa, Ontario and rededicated on 24 May 1998. [8]

Recognition

The freedom of the city was exercised by the 5th (B.C.) Field Battery, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery in Victoria, British Columbia on November 4, 1979.[9]

The Royal Canadian Artillery is playable force featured heavily in the video game Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts.

See also

Armoury

Site Date(s) Designated Location Description Image
Colonel D. V. Currie VC Armoury, 1215 Main Street North, 1913-14 1998 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

References

  1. ^ "fortroddhill.com". fortroddhill.com. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  2. ^ [1][dead link]
  3. ^ [2][dead link]
  4. ^ [3][dead link]
  5. ^ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  6. ^ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  7. ^ A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums –Operations and Administration 2002-04-03
  8. ^ RRCA memorial
  9. ^ Freedom of the City

Secondary References

  • Barnes, Leslie Canada's Guns; an Illustrated History of Artillery Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, 1979.
  • Camp, A. D. "7th Toronto Regiment, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, 1866-1966" (Toronto: s.n., 1966)
  • Fromow, D. L. "Canada's Flying Gunners: A History of the Air Observation Post of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery" (Mar 2004)
  • Jackson, Harold McGill "The Royal Regiment of Artillery, Ottawa, 1855-1952; a history" (Ottawa 1952)
  • Macdonald, Reginald James "The history of the dress of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, 1625-1897" (London : H. Sotheran, 1899)
  • Mitchell, George Duncan with B. A. Reid and W. Simcock, RCHA - Right of the Line: An Anecdotal History of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery from 1871 RCHA History Committee, Ottawa, 1986.
  • Nicholson, G. W. L. The Gunners of Canada: The History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Volume I 1534-1919 (1967)
  • Nicholson, G. W. L. The Gunners of Canada: The History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Volume II: 1919-1967 The History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery (Volume II) (1972)
  • Nicholson, G. W. L. The Gunners of Canada; the History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1967-72.
  • "11th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery : Canada's oldest artillery regiment." (Guelph, Ont. : The Regiment], 1966.
  • "Presence of the Royal Artillery regiment at Quebec from 1759 to 1871" (Canada. Dept. of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. National Historic Parks and Sites Br. National government publication 1978.)

See also