2nd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (2 RCA) is a Royal Canadian Artillery reserve regiment
. It is located in Montreal
and shares its headquarters with The Royal Canadian Hussars
at the Côte-des-Neiges Armory.
Although there had been temporary volunteer artillery units formed in Montreal as early as 1828, the regiment has its origin in the 3rd Montreal Battery formed in 1855 as a result of the departure of British regular troops for the Crimean War
and the passage of the Militia Act of 1855
. Militia forces, including the five field batteries formed, would for the first time be maintained at public expense. In 1856 the Battalion of Montreal Artillery was formed and in 1895 it was renamed the 2nd Montreal Regiment.
In the First World War several batteries of artillery were raised in Montreal and the 2nd Brigade included the 3rd Montreal Battery amongst its four batteries. In a series of reorganizations the battery was renamed the 7th Field Battery, the name it continues to hold. This battery was commanded at the outbreak of the war by Major Andrew McNaughton
. Wounded at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, he went on to command the Canadian Corps
Heavy Artillery and, in the Second World War, the First Canadian Army
. The 2nd Brigade served in the divisional artillery of the 1st Canadian Division
for the duration of the war.
In the Second World War the 2nd Field Regiment was once again mobilized in the divisional artillery of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division with the 7th Field Battery amongst its batteries. After training in England it served in Italy from July 1943 until January 1945 when it, along with I Canadian Corps
, was transferred to Holland.
After the Second World War the regiments of artillery in the post-war Militia were renumbered and the 2nd Field Regiment was removed from the order of battle. The reorganizations of the 1964 Suttie Commission and the ensuing reduction in the number of units in the Militia would eventually see the 2nd Field Regiment reforming in 1966 with initially two and then three batteries. They were the 7th, 50th, and 66th Field Batteries, each perpetuating a different regiment of the post-war artillery in Montreal.
Today, it is primarily made up of militia
from the city of Montreal as part of the Canadian Army Reserves. After over 50 years of peacetime operations, the regiment fields a single artillery battery
of six 105mm C3 howitzers
. However, it has sent its members abroad to serve in peacekeeping and anti-terrorist roles and has yearly gunnery exercises.
It is commanded by a Canadian Reserve Lieutenant-Colonel, with a new commanding officer appointed, on average, every three years. The regiment is officially bilingual and functions in both English and French. The Commanding Officers of the re-formed 2nd Field Regiment are listed:
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
. It is located in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and shares its headquarters with The Royal Canadian Hussars
The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)
The Royal Canadian Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces. The unit is based in Montreal.-Lineage:...
at the Côte-des-Neiges Armory.
Although there had been temporary volunteer artillery units formed in Montreal as early as 1828, the regiment has its origin in the 3rd Montreal Battery formed in 1855 as a result of the departure of British regular troops for the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and the passage of the Militia Act of 1855
Militia Act of 1855
The Militia Act of 1855, an act of Canadian legislation, permitted the formation of an Active Militia. The 5,000 volunteers were armed, equipped and paid 5 shillings a day for 10 days of training a year...
. Militia forces, including the five field batteries formed, would for the first time be maintained at public expense. In 1856 the Battalion of Montreal Artillery was formed and in 1895 it was renamed the 2nd Montreal Regiment.
In the First World War several batteries of artillery were raised in Montreal and the 2nd Brigade included the 3rd Montreal Battery amongst its four batteries. In a series of reorganizations the battery was renamed the 7th Field Battery, the name it continues to hold. This battery was commanded at the outbreak of the war by Major Andrew McNaughton
Andrew McNaughton
General Andrew George Latta McNaughton, CH, CB, CMG, DSO, CD, PC was a Canadian army officer, politician and diplomat.- Early life :...
. Wounded at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, he went on to command the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
Heavy Artillery and, in the Second World War, the First Canadian Army
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps...
. The 2nd Brigade served in the divisional artillery of the 1st Canadian Division
1st Canadian Division
Formed in August 1914, the 1st Canadian Division was a formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The division was initially made up from provisional battalions that were named after their province of origin but these titles were dropped before the division arrived in Britain on October 14,...
for the duration of the war.
In the Second World War the 2nd Field Regiment was once again mobilized in the divisional artillery of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division with the 7th Field Battery amongst its batteries. After training in England it served in Italy from July 1943 until January 1945 when it, along with I Canadian Corps
I Canadian Corps
I Canadian Corps was one of the two corps fielded by the Canadian Army during World War II. From December 24, 1940 until the formation of the First Canadian Army in April 1942, there was a single unnumbered Canadian Corps...
, was transferred to Holland.
After the Second World War the regiments of artillery in the post-war Militia were renumbered and the 2nd Field Regiment was removed from the order of battle. The reorganizations of the 1964 Suttie Commission and the ensuing reduction in the number of units in the Militia would eventually see the 2nd Field Regiment reforming in 1966 with initially two and then three batteries. They were the 7th, 50th, and 66th Field Batteries, each perpetuating a different regiment of the post-war artillery in Montreal.
Today, it is primarily made up of militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
from the city of Montreal as part of the Canadian Army Reserves. After over 50 years of peacetime operations, the regiment fields a single artillery battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of six 105mm C3 howitzers
M101 howitzer
The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation...
. However, it has sent its members abroad to serve in peacekeeping and anti-terrorist roles and has yearly gunnery exercises.
It is commanded by a Canadian Reserve Lieutenant-Colonel, with a new commanding officer appointed, on average, every three years. The regiment is officially bilingual and functions in both English and French. The Commanding Officers of the re-formed 2nd Field Regiment are listed:
- 1966-1969 - LCol J.H.E. Day, CD
- 1969-1970 - LCol W.L.M. Cloutier, CD
- 1970-1973 - LCol J.R.G. Saint-Louis, CD
- 1973-1975 - LCol P.B. Fecteau, CD
- 1975-1979 - LCol T.K. Stafford, CD
- 1979-1985 - LCol S.J. Goldberg, CD
- 1985-1988 - LCol J.F. Stirling, CD
- 1988-1991 - LCol J.M. Pronkin, CD
- 1991-1995 - LCol J.M. Lewis, CD
- 1995-1998 - LCol D.A. Patterson, CD
- 1998-2001 - LCol J.G.M.B. Lefebvre, CD
- 2001-2005 - LCol J.M.N. Bernier, CD
- 2005-2008 - LCol M. Bourque, CD
- 2008-2011 - LCol D. Parent, CD