15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
Encyclopedia
15th Field Regiment, RCA is a Primary Reserve Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) regiment based in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, at the Bessborough Armoury
. 15th Field Regiment is part of the 39 Canadian Brigade Group
of Land Force Western Area
.
The regiment was created in 1920 as one of the recommendations of the Otter Committee. In World War II it manned the coastal defence artillery guns that protected the Port of Vancouver. After the war the regiment reverted to field artillery. While the regiment has not deployed overseas, members have participated in Canadian Forces
missions overseas and in Canada.
This unit is not the same 15th Field Artillery Regiment (4th Canadian Armoured Division
) that served in the Second World War
.
saw thousands of Canadians returning home from overseas service with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in Europe. In January 1918 Major General William Otter
recommended to the Government of Canada that a perfect situation existed in which to reorganize the active militia
. This suggestion lead to the creation of the Committee of Militia Reorganization in 1919. As Major General Otter was the president of this committee it was commonly known as the Otter Committee.
On 16 Dec 1919, at the request of the Otter Committee, a group of eleven artillery officers, recently returned from Europe, met to discuss the creation of a Militia Artillery Regiment in Vancouver. The results of this meeting were worked into the recommendations of the Otter committee and on 2 Feb 1920 the Government of Canada authorized the creation of the 15th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery.
The 15th Brigade was composed of the 31st, 68th, and 85th batteries of field artillery as well as a Headquarters and an Ammunition Column. The 5th Siege battery was attached to them for administration purposes. Lieutenant F.T. Coghlan DSO
a veteran of World War I was the first Commanding Officer of the Brigade.
At their formation the field artillery batteries were equipped with the Ordnance QF 18 pounder
while the 5th Siege Battery was equipped with BL 60 pounder guns.
The first home of the brigade was the Vancouver Horse Show Building located on Georgia St at Alberni St near Stanley Park
. The building was inadequate for the needs of an artillery unit with the exception that it had good facilities for the horses that drew the guns. In March of 1934 the 15th Brigade received a new home, the [Bessborough Armoury]], a modern facility that they would share with the British Columbia Hussars. The next year the militia artillery across Canada was reorganized and the Brigade’s name was changed to 15th Field Brigade, Royal Canadian Artillery.
When the brigade was created they were supplied with guns by the Canadian Army but not with horses to move them. For their first exercises the gunners had to borrow horses to pull their guns. In June 1928 in order to save money and increase their range, the 5th Battery of the 15th Brigade became one of the first Canadian militia artillery units to experiment with towing guns using trucks. The exercise of 9 June, commanded by Major J.G. Chutter, had the four 60 pounders of the 5th Battery towed by four International trucks. Major Chutter’s report at the end of the exercise showed that use of trucks was much less expensive than using horses and that they were able to accomplish three times the training.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the Brigade’s training during the year lead towards a summer training camp. The camps where held in different locations, such as Hastings Park
in Vancouver and Sarcee Alberta.
had a growing influence over the pacific and the idea of a war between Canada’s Allies Briton and the United States of America with Japan seemed a likely scenario. In 1936 Major B.C.D. Treatt of the Coast Artillery School in England was asked to make recommendations for the defence of the west coast of British Columbia from an attack by sea. In his report Major Treatt made many recommendations including the creation of four new Coastal artillery
forts to guard the Port of Vancouver
. The forts were located in such a way as to stop any ship or submarine from passing through Burrard Inlet
. There was also a fort in the Strait of Georgia
to prevent ships from approaching Vancouver from the north. After the war began another fort was built to assist in the inspection of ships entering the Fraser River
at Steveston.
In 1937 Parliament approved the construction of the forts but had not decided who would man the guns in the event of war. In World War I members of the Naval Reserve and reservists from Cobourg, Ontario
had manned the coastal defence batteries in Vancouver. In spring 1938 it was decided that members of the Canadian Militia would man them and the 15th Brigade was re-rolled as coast defence artillery becoming the 15th Coast Brigade R.C.A. A year later in May 1939 the 68th Battery and the 5th Battery were detached to become the 1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.C.A. to protect Vancouver from attacks from the air. Both the coast defence and antiaircraft guns were supported by the 1st Searchlight Regiment R.C.A. formerly the British Columbia Hussars. They were tasked with operating the ten 800,000,000 Candlepower
searchlights, for the coast artillery batteries to target ships at night, as well as manning searchlights for the anti-aircraft guns.
The 15th Coast Brigade was mobilized on 25 August 1939 before war was declared on Nazi Germany
. None of the forts were complete when the soldiers arrived for duty so they had to help finish the construction. The batteries of the 15th Coast Brigade were sent to the following forts:
Apart from their primary role of repelling attacking enemy submarines and ships, most of the forts were also responsible for assisting with the examination of ships approaching Vancouver. Examination areas were set up where ships requesting entrance to the harbour had to stop and submit to an inspection by the Royal Navy
. If a ship failed to stop for inspection the Navy would signal the artillery batteries to fire a round in front of the offending vessel and if necessary sink it. If a stopping round was fired at a ship, the ship’s owner was required to pay for the round at a cost of $42.50.
In the summer of 1942 the Japanese attacked the Aleutian Islands and various locations along the west coast of the United States
. On 20 June the only attack of the war on Canadian soil took place at stivan Point]. This combined with the loss of thousands of Canadians at the Battle of Hong Kong
seemed to justify the creation of the pacific coastal forts in the minds of Canadians.
After the Battle of Midway
the Japanese Navy lost much of its offensive power and was no longer considered a significant threat to the west coast of Canada. This combined with the need for manpower in Europe
, after the invasions of Sicily
and Normandy, lead to the decision to shut down Vancouver’s coast defence forts. On 1 September 1944 all the forts, with the exception of the York Island fort, were reduced to maintenance manning and the gunners of the 15th Coast Artillery were reassigned to other duties. A team of 20 soldiers conscripted under the National Resources Mobilization Act
were left to maintain the forts. By October of 1945, two months after the Japanese surrender, all but one of the forts were deactivated.
While the regiment has not deployed overseas, individual members have deployed on operations in Germany, Bosnia and Afghanistan. Members also participated in Operation Podium, the Canadian Forces mission to assist with security for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver British Columbia.
, Canadian Heritage Information Network
, Organization of Military Museums of Canada
and Virtual Museum of Canada
.
brass and reed
band that is part of the 15th Field Regiment R.C.A. The band has 45 members that are all reservists and are trained as soldiers as well as musicians. The Band plays for a variety of events including military funerals
, ceremonies
, parades
and Mess
events.
, 2472 RCACC. 2472 receives support from the regiment for its activities and its members are entitled to wear the traditional regimental accoutrements of the 15th Field Regiment on their cadet uniforms.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, at the Bessborough Armoury
Bessborough Armoury
Bessborough Armoury is a Canadian Forces armoury located at 2025 West 11th Avenue in Vancouver, British Columbia.- History :Construction of the armoury began in September 1932 and was completed in the following spring. The architect was Richard T. Perry, who was also the Commanding Officer of the...
. 15th Field Regiment is part of the 39 Canadian Brigade Group
39 Canadian Brigade Group
The 39 Canadian Brigade Group is part of Land Force Western Area of the Canadian Army. It is composed of Canadian Forces Primary Reserve units which are based in British Columbia. No. 39 CBG is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Jericho Garrison on West 4th Avenue...
of Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area is one of four operational commands of the Canadian Army. LFWA is responsible for all Canadian Army administration and operations in western Canada from the Pacific Ocean to Thunder Bay, Ontario...
.
The regiment was created in 1920 as one of the recommendations of the Otter Committee. In World War II it manned the coastal defence artillery guns that protected the Port of Vancouver. After the war the regiment reverted to field artillery. While the regiment has not deployed overseas, members have participated in Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
missions overseas and in Canada.
This unit is not the same 15th Field Artillery Regiment (4th Canadian Armoured Division
4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
The 4th Canadian Division was created by the conversion of the 4th Canadian Infantry Division at the beginning of 1942 in Canada. The division proceeded overseas in 1942, with its two main convoys reaching the United Kingdom in August and October....
) that served in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Foundations
The end of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
saw thousands of Canadians returning home from overseas service with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in Europe. In January 1918 Major General William Otter
William Dillon Otter
General Sir William Dillon Otter KCB, CVO, VD was a professional Canadian soldier who became the first Canadian-born Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Army.-Military career:...
recommended to the Government of Canada that a perfect situation existed in which to reorganize the active militia
Canadian Militia
The Canadian Militia was the traditional title for the land forces of Canada from before Confederation in 1867 to 1940 when it was renamed the Canadian Army.The Militia consisted of:* Permanent Active Militia* Non-Permanent Active Militia...
. This suggestion lead to the creation of the Committee of Militia Reorganization in 1919. As Major General Otter was the president of this committee it was commonly known as the Otter Committee.
On 16 Dec 1919, at the request of the Otter Committee, a group of eleven artillery officers, recently returned from Europe, met to discuss the creation of a Militia Artillery Regiment in Vancouver. The results of this meeting were worked into the recommendations of the Otter committee and on 2 Feb 1920 the Government of Canada authorized the creation of the 15th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery.
The 15th Brigade was composed of the 31st, 68th, and 85th batteries of field artillery as well as a Headquarters and an Ammunition Column. The 5th Siege battery was attached to them for administration purposes. Lieutenant F.T. Coghlan DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
a veteran of World War I was the first Commanding Officer of the Brigade.
At their formation the field artillery batteries were equipped with the Ordnance QF 18 pounder
Ordnance QF 18 pounder
The Ordnance QF 18 pounder, or simply 18-pounder Gun, was the standard British Army field gun of the World War I era. It formed the backbone of the Royal Field Artillery during the war, and was produced in large numbers. It was also used by British and Commonwealth Forces in all the main theatres,...
while the 5th Siege Battery was equipped with BL 60 pounder guns.
The first home of the brigade was the Vancouver Horse Show Building located on Georgia St at Alberni St near Stanley Park
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
. The building was inadequate for the needs of an artillery unit with the exception that it had good facilities for the horses that drew the guns. In March of 1934 the 15th Brigade received a new home, the [Bessborough Armoury]], a modern facility that they would share with the British Columbia Hussars. The next year the militia artillery across Canada was reorganized and the Brigade’s name was changed to 15th Field Brigade, Royal Canadian Artillery.
When the brigade was created they were supplied with guns by the Canadian Army but not with horses to move them. For their first exercises the gunners had to borrow horses to pull their guns. In June 1928 in order to save money and increase their range, the 5th Battery of the 15th Brigade became one of the first Canadian militia artillery units to experiment with towing guns using trucks. The exercise of 9 June, commanded by Major J.G. Chutter, had the four 60 pounders of the 5th Battery towed by four International trucks. Major Chutter’s report at the end of the exercise showed that use of trucks was much less expensive than using horses and that they were able to accomplish three times the training.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the Brigade’s training during the year lead towards a summer training camp. The camps where held in different locations, such as Hastings Park
Hastings Park
Hastings Park is located in the northeast sector of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in a neighbourhood called Hastings-Sunrise. Its name references Hastings, B.C., also known as New Brighton, which lay at the end of the Douglas Road from New Westminster, founded as a resort and watering-hole...
in Vancouver and Sarcee Alberta.
World War II
In the mid 1930s the Government of Canada began to take a serious look at the defence of the west coast of Canada. The Empire of JapanEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
had a growing influence over the pacific and the idea of a war between Canada’s Allies Briton and the United States of America with Japan seemed a likely scenario. In 1936 Major B.C.D. Treatt of the Coast Artillery School in England was asked to make recommendations for the defence of the west coast of British Columbia from an attack by sea. In his report Major Treatt made many recommendations including the creation of four new Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
forts to guard the Port of Vancouver
Port of Vancouver
The Port of Vancouver was the name of the largest port in Canada, the largest in the Pacific Northwest, and the largest port on the West Coast of North America by metric tons of total cargo, with 76.5 million metric tons...
. The forts were located in such a way as to stop any ship or submarine from passing through Burrard Inlet
Burrard Inlet
Burrard Inlet is a relatively shallow-sided coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Formed during the last Ice Age, it separates the City of Vancouver and the rest of the low-lying Burrard Peninsula from the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, home to the communities of West...
. There was also a fort in the Strait of Georgia
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
to prevent ships from approaching Vancouver from the north. After the war began another fort was built to assist in the inspection of ships entering the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
at Steveston.
In 1937 Parliament approved the construction of the forts but had not decided who would man the guns in the event of war. In World War I members of the Naval Reserve and reservists from Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario 95 km east of Toronto. It is the largest town in Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is located along Highway 401 and the former Highway 2...
had manned the coastal defence batteries in Vancouver. In spring 1938 it was decided that members of the Canadian Militia would man them and the 15th Brigade was re-rolled as coast defence artillery becoming the 15th Coast Brigade R.C.A. A year later in May 1939 the 68th Battery and the 5th Battery were detached to become the 1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.C.A. to protect Vancouver from attacks from the air. Both the coast defence and antiaircraft guns were supported by the 1st Searchlight Regiment R.C.A. formerly the British Columbia Hussars. They were tasked with operating the ten 800,000,000 Candlepower
Candlepower
Candlepower is a now-obsolete unit which was used to express levels of light intensity in terms of the light emitted by a candle of specific size and constituents...
searchlights, for the coast artillery batteries to target ships at night, as well as manning searchlights for the anti-aircraft guns.
The 15th Coast Brigade was mobilized on 25 August 1939 before war was declared on Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. None of the forts were complete when the soldiers arrived for duty so they had to help finish the construction. The batteries of the 15th Coast Brigade were sent to the following forts:
- Ferguson Point 31st Battery
- Narrows North 31st Battery
- Point Atkinson 31st Battery
- Point Grey 58th Battery
- Steveston 58th Battery
- York IslandYork IslandYork Island is an island in the Caribbean Sea that belongs to Antigua and Barbuda. It is located east of the main island of Antigua.-External links:*...
85th Heavy Battery
Apart from their primary role of repelling attacking enemy submarines and ships, most of the forts were also responsible for assisting with the examination of ships approaching Vancouver. Examination areas were set up where ships requesting entrance to the harbour had to stop and submit to an inspection by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. If a ship failed to stop for inspection the Navy would signal the artillery batteries to fire a round in front of the offending vessel and if necessary sink it. If a stopping round was fired at a ship, the ship’s owner was required to pay for the round at a cost of $42.50.
In the summer of 1942 the Japanese attacked the Aleutian Islands and various locations along the west coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. On 20 June the only attack of the war on Canadian soil took place at stivan Point]. This combined with the loss of thousands of Canadians at the Battle of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
seemed to justify the creation of the pacific coastal forts in the minds of Canadians.
After the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
the Japanese Navy lost much of its offensive power and was no longer considered a significant threat to the west coast of Canada. This combined with the need for manpower in Europe
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
, after the invasions of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and Normandy, lead to the decision to shut down Vancouver’s coast defence forts. On 1 September 1944 all the forts, with the exception of the York Island fort, were reduced to maintenance manning and the gunners of the 15th Coast Artillery were reassigned to other duties. A team of 20 soldiers conscripted under the National Resources Mobilization Act
National Resources Mobilization Act
National Resources Mobilization Act is a Canadian government statute which enabled conscription in Canada during World War II. The bill, passed by Parliament on June 21, 1940, permitted conscripts to be used for home defence only and not to be deployed overseas but was modified lolin August 1942 to...
were left to maintain the forts. By October of 1945, two months after the Japanese surrender, all but one of the forts were deactivated.
1945 to present
After the war the regiment returned to reserve service and remained coastal artillery, training with the guns at the Point Grey Fort. In 1948 they reverted to field artillery with the new name of 15th Field Regiment R.C.A. A new regiment, the 102nd Coast Regiment was formed and trained on the coastal guns on Vancouver Island until they were absorbed into the 43rd Medium Anti-Aircraft Regiment in 1954. The 43rd Medium Anti-Aircraft Regiment was created in 1946 from the 1st Anti Aircraft Regiment and was absorbed back into the 15th Field Regiment R.C.A. in 1959.While the regiment has not deployed overseas, individual members have deployed on operations in Germany, Bosnia and Afghanistan. Members also participated in Operation Podium, the Canadian Forces mission to assist with security for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver British Columbia.
15th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery Museum and Archives
The museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits artifacts related to the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA, its predecessors and other artillery units which have been located in the Vancouver area. The museum is affiliated with: Canadian Museums AssociationCanadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...
, Canadian Heritage Information Network
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
, Organization of Military Museums of Canada
Organization of Military Museums of Canada
The Organization of Military Museums of Canada is a national organization for the promotion of military museums in Canada.The OMMC was established in 1967 by a group of military museums, historians, and military history enthusiasts. It has over 40 individual and 60 institutional members including...
and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...
.
15th Field Regiment (RCA) Band
The 15th Field Regiment (RCA) Band is a militaryMilitary band
A military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
brass and reed
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
band that is part of the 15th Field Regiment R.C.A. The band has 45 members that are all reservists and are trained as soldiers as well as musicians. The Band plays for a variety of events including military funerals
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
, ceremonies
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
, parades
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
and Mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
events.
Cadet unit
15th Field Regiment, RCA has one affiliated corps of the Royal Canadian Army CadetsRoyal Canadian Army Cadets
The Royal Canadian Army Cadets is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Forces and the civilian Army Cadet League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, the program is funded through the Department of National Defence with the civilian partner providing support in...
, 2472 RCACC. 2472 receives support from the regiment for its activities and its members are entitled to wear the traditional regimental accoutrements of the 15th Field Regiment on their cadet uniforms.
External links
- 15th Field Regiment RCA page at the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces website.
- 15th Field Artillery RCA Band
- Point Grey battery