Artillery in Canada (5) Ontario: Kingston, Fort Henry
Artillery in Ontario, Kingston,
Fort Henry
The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document every historical piece of artillery preserved in Canada. Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these guns to provide and update the data found on these web pages. Photos are by the author unless otherwise credited. Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Guns and Artillery in Canada would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.
For all official data concerning the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, please click on the link to their website:
Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Website
According to the 1974 edition of ACP 125 Cansupp 1A, "Sheldrake" was the appointment title for the artillery representative in a headquarters. "GOLF" was the arms indicator to be used by artillery callsigns on nets other than their own, especially those of the supported arms.
The guns of Fort Henry
Fort Henry, 1949. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4312238)
Fort Henry viewed from the grounds of the Royal Military College.
Fort Henry, diagram of Gun locations on the Ramparts
A considerable number of SBML Guns are held in the inventory of Fort Henry. The largest are mounted on the ramparts and number from the South East corner beginning with No. 1 and running counter clockwise from right to left. Carronades and Land Service Mortars are not included in the number from behind the first gun, but are included in the sequence of guns, also from right to left.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 51-1-x (corroded number greater than 5,740 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 70059, CARRON, 1806) on the left trunnion, (24P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing gun carriage facing South East, No. 1 on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 50-1-0 (5,628 lbs), Samuel Walker & Company of Rotherham, England (WCo) on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 95) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing facing carriage facing South East, No. 2 on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Cast Iron 24-pounder 13-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight 13-0-0 (1,456 lbs) to the right of the Cast Iron 10-inch 16-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Land Service Mortar, mounted on a wood naval gun carriage, facing East on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Cast Iron 10-inch 16-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Land Service Mortar with lift handles, weight 16-1-25 (1,844 lbs), RGF, Serial No. 56, facing East on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 50-1-14 (5,642 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 75682, CARRON, 1810), on the left trunnion, (24P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing facing carriage facing South East, No. 3 on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Armstrong 7-inch 72-cwt (110-pounder) Breech-loading Rifle, weight 81-2-20 (9,148 lbs), (EO Co, Serial No. 212, 1862) on the left trunnion, blank on the right trunnion, Queen Victoria cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 4, facing North East on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 56-1-0 (6,300 lbs), (WCo) on the left trunnion,(Serial No. 252) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 5, facing North East on the Rampart. The Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Gun has a length of 9 feet 6 inches. It is the most common 32-pounder in Canada and can be recognized by a reinforcing ring that is slightly raised followed by a definite "step-down" in the barrel just forward of the trunnions heading to the muzzle.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 54-2-0 (6,104 lbs), (Serial No. corroded, CARRON, date corroded) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 6, facing North East on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight)
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 56-0-25 (6,297 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 77191, CARRON, 1811) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 7, facing North on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 55-0-10 (6,170 lbs), Samuel Walker & Company of Rotherham, England (WCo) on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 293) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 8, facing North West on the Rampart.
Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight 17-1-17 (1,949 lbs), facing the East Tower and ditch.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 55-2-14 (6,230 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 70431, CARRON, 1806) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 9, facing West on the Rampart.
(Doug Knight)
Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 38-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 38-0-0 (4,256 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 82699, CARRON, 1814) on the left trunnion, (18P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 10, facing South West on the Rampart.
Fort Henry, guns in the dry ditch below the Ramparts
One Armstrong 12-pounder 8-cwt Breech-loading Rifle with Limber, and six unmounted Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Guns are currently resting in the ditch below the Ramparts.
Armstrong 12-pounder 8-cwt Breech-loading Rifle, weight 8-1-4 (928 lbs), (RGF No. 52, 1861) on right trunnion (Royal Gun Factory), Queen Victoria cypher, Dry Ditch by the Well.
(Doug Knight Photo)
Limber for the Armstrong 12-pounder 8-cwt Breech-loading Rifle, standing in the Dry Ditch.
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight corroded, The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. not visible, CARRON, 1811) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, No. 1 unmounted in the North West Rampart ditch.
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight corroded, The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 70445, CARRON, 1806) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, No. 2 unmounted in the North Rampart ditch.
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight corroded, The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 63780, CARRON, 1806) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, No. 3 unmounted in the North East Rampart ditch.
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight corroded, The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 704660, CARRON, date not visible) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, No. 4 unmounted in the South East Rampart ditch.
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight corroded, The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 55040, CARRON, 1796) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, No. 5 unmounted in the South East Rampart ditch. This the oldest gun positively identified at Fort Henry.
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 55-x-x corroded, Samuel Walker & Company of Rotherham, England (WCo) on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 494) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a long wood traversing carriage, No. 6 unmounted in the South East Rampart ditch.
Guns mounted in the Advanced Battery
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Gun, weight 49-3-14 (5,579 lbs), Samuel Walker & Company of Rotherham, England (WCo) on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 104) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on an iron garrison carriage, No. 1, Upper Fort North West.
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 49-3-7 (5,579 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 75533, CARRON, 1809) on the left trunnion, (24P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on an iron garrison carriage, No. 2, Upper Fort North East.
(Doug Knight Photo)
Cast Iron 8-inch 65-cwt Smoothbore Shell Gun with Millar pattern breeching ring, weight 66-0-24, 1844 (7,416 lbs), (Serial No. 1955), mounted on a rear chock carriage and traversing mount, No. 1, Advance Battery South.
(Doug Knight Photo)
Cast Iron 8-inch 65-cwt Smoothbore Shell Gun with Millar pattern breeching ring, weight 66-0-24 (7,416 lbs), 1844, (Serial No. 2323), mounted on a rear chock carriage and traversing mount, No. 2, Advance Battery South.
Cast Iron 8-inch 65-cwt Smoothbore Shell Gun with Millar pattern breeching ring, weight 66-0-16 (7,408 lbs), 1842, previously No. 4, Advance Battery South, moved, location unknown.
Cast Iron 8-inch 65-cwt Smoothbore Shell Gun with Millar pattern breeching ring, weight likely greater than 66---- (7,400 lbs+), 1846, previously No. 5, Advance Battery South, moved, location unknown.
Guns inside the Fort, balcony level Museum exhibits
(Doug Knight Photo)
Bronze 9-pounder 13-1/2-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 13-x-x (>1,400 lbs), 1816, dolphin carrying handles, King George III cypher, blank on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 453) on the right trunnion, mounted on a wheeled wood gun carriage with bronze hubs, inside the museum behind glass.
(Doug Knight Photo)
Limber for the Bronze 9-pounder 13-1/2-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun.
(Doug Knight Photo)
5-inch Breech-loading Mk. I Howitzer, weight (988 lbs), RGF 1899, Reg. No. 60, mounted on a 5-inch Mk. I Field Carriage, behind glass inside the fort.
(Doug Knight Photo)
1-1/4 pounder QF Mk. III, (VICKERS SONS & MAXIM LIMITED, 1-1/4 PR 37-in AUTOMATIC GUN MARK III, LONDON, 1904) on right trunnion, aka "pom-pom", weight (unknown), (No. unknown), mounted on a naval deck mounting.
1-pounder QF Mk. 1, V.S.M. (Vickers, Sons & Maxim LL) 1905 Automatic Gun, Mk. I, weight (410 lbs), (Serial No. 2496), aka "pom-pom", mounted on a field carriage. The gun bears a plaque stating: Field Piece Placed in custody, December 1955, Officers Mess, Lincoln Park Pending Reactivation, 11 S.D. This gun has been moved, location unknown.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 20-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 20-2-20 (2,316 lbs), 1847, blank on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 158) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark. This gun was converted from a smaller calibre gun.
Guns on the Parade Square inside the Fort
Armstrong 6-pounder 3-cwt Rifled Breech-loading Gun, with Limber, weight 3-0-17 (353 lbs), Queen Victoria cypher, broad arrow mark, No. 1 of 2, East section of Parade Ground North.
Armstrong 6-pounder 3-cwt Rifled Breech-loading Gun, with Limber, weight 3-0-17 (353 lbs), Queen Victoria cypher, broad arrow mark, No. 2 of 2, East section of Parade Ground North.
Bronze 9-pounder 13-1/2-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 13-3-4 (1,544 lbs), 1813, DI, dolphin carrying handles, King George III cypher, M (General Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave, Master General of the Ordnance 1810–1819) cypher, “Big Steve” marked H & C King, 1813 on the chase, blank on the left trunnion, (Serial No. unknown) on the right trunnion, mounted on a wheeled wood gun carriage with bronze hubs, No. 1 of 2 on the Parade Ground, South East.
General Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave, Master General of the Ordnance 1810–1819, by Sir William Beechey (Wikipedia), left, and his cypher, right.
Bronze 9-pounder 13-1/2-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, weight 12-1-14 (1,386 lbs), 5-inch bore, Queen Victoria cypher, 1853, DXXVIII (528), TRIA UNCTA IN UNO (Three in one) GM (Lieutenant General Sir George Murray, Master General of the Ordnance 1834 - 1835 and 1841 - 1846) cypher, S. ECCLES above the cascabel, broad arrow mark, No. 2 of 2 on the Parade Ground, South West.
Bronze 3-pounder 3-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, King George III cypher, blank on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 419) on the right trunnion, 1809, DCCCXVIII (818), C (General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham
Master General of the Ordnance 1801–1806 and 1807–1810) cypher, No. 1 of 2, Parade Ground South West.
Cypher and portrait of General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, Master General of the Ordnance 1801–1806 and 1807–1810, by John Hopper. (Wikipedia)
Cypher, King George III.
Bronze 3-pounder 3-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, I & H King on the chase, King George III cypher, 1809, CCCCXIX, blank on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 418), on the right trunnion, No. 2 of 2, Parade Ground South East.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Cast Iron 13-inch 36-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Land Service Mortar, weight 36-1-27 (4,087 lbs), LM, (Serial No. 9), broad arrow mark, on the Parade Ground, West.
Cast Iron 24-pounder 13-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight 12-3-14 (1,442 lbs), No. 1 of 2 on the Parade Ground, North West.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight 17-3-1 (1,989 lbs), No. 2 of 2 on the Parade Ground, North West.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 50-1-14 (5,642 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 70538, CARRON, 1806), on the left trunnion, (24P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on an iron garrison carriage facing the parade square South.
Guns in storage or unaccounted for on Fort Henry's charge
Bronze 9-pounder 13-1/2-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, weight 12-1-20 (1,392 lbs), CH-R, Malt+, Cr, 1853, DXXXVII (537), Queen Victoria Cypher.
Bronze 9-pounder 13-1/2-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight (1,540 lbs), 1816, wood carriage.
Cast Iron 32-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 9-3-4 (1,096 lbs), (weight of a 3-pounder), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. corroded, CARRON, 1806) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, .
Cast Iron 12-pounder 6-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 6-0-12 (684 lbs), 1907. (Four of these guns were listed as being in Kingston in 1933: RGF Serial Nos. 274, 275, 276 and 279)
Cast Iron 12-pounder 6-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 6-0-12 (684 lbs), 1907.
Cast Iron 9-pounder 8-cwt Muzzleloading Rifle, weight 8-0-0 (896 lbs), 1873, Queen Victoria cypher.
Bronze Coehorn Smoothbore Muzzleloading Land Service Mortar, 4.52 calibre, 1 foot long, weight (104 lbs), H.C. King, 1814, LIX (59), King George III cypher.
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. 70968, CARRON, 1806) on the left trunnion, (24P) on the right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark.
Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, weight 13-0-0 (1,456 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. corroded, CARRON, year corroded) on the left trunnion, (24P) on the right trunnion.
Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, weight 12-3-14 (1,442 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. corroded, CARRON, year corroded) on the left trunnion, (24P) on the right trunnion.
Cast Iron 56-pounder 98-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 98-0-4 (10,980 lbs), produced in 1845. Gun carriage possibly a replica from 1974. This gun was purchased as an unmounted reserve gun from the British in 1870, and is the only one of its kind in Canada.
.45-calibre Gatling Gun, 10-barrel, weight (260 lbs), 1883, bronze case.
Cast Iron 1-inch Smoothbore Muzzleloading Rampart Gun.
Blomefield Cast Iron 6-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun (3.25-inch bore), 1810, Ordnance Stores.
Cast Iron 1.75 calibre Smoothbore Muzzleloading Deck Gun, 18-inches long, Marine salvage, Ordnance Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron 12-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, 9 feet 1 inch long, indecipherable cypher, Ordnance Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, 7 feet long, Ordnance Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron 6-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, Naval version, 6 feet long, no markings, Ordnance Stores.
French Cast Iron 4-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 6 feet 5 inches long, Ordnance Stores.
French Cast Iron 4-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 6 feet 4-inches long, Ordnance Stores.
French Cast Iron 4-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 6 feet 8 inches long, Ordnance Stores.
French Cast Iron 4-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 6 feet 5 inches long, Ordnance Stores.
French Cast Iron 8-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 7 feet 6 inches long, Ordnance Stores.
French Cast Iron 9-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 5 feet 1 inch long, Ordnance Stores.
French Cast Iron 9-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 6 feet long, Ordnance Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron 12-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, Ordnance Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 17-0-11 (1,915 lbs, weight of a 4 pounder), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. corroded CARRON, year corroded) on the left trunnion, (32P) on the right trunnion, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron 3-pounder 12-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 11-2-9 (1,297 lbs), Samuel Walker & Company of Rotherham, England (WCo) on the left trunnion, (Serial No. corroded) on the right trunnion, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, 5.5-inch, 3 feet 5 inches long, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, 5.5-inch, 3 feet 5 inches long, Stockade Stores.
Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, 3.75-inch, 3 feet 1 inch long, no markings, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, Gun, 2.75-inch, 3 feet 6 inches long, no mark, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, 2.75-inch, 3 feet 6 inches long, no marks, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, 2.5-inch, 3 feet long, no markings, Stockade Stores.
Bronze Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, 4-inch, 6 feet long, I & H King, 1812, CCCXLVII (347), King George III cypher, Stockade Stores.
Cast Iron 3-inch Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, weight 2-2-15 (295 lbs), BP Co, Stockade Stores.
Cast Iron 3-inch Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, weight 2-2-15 (295 lbs), BP Co, Stockade Stores.
Breech-loading Rifle, 3-inch, 5 feet 7 inches long, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, no data, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, no data, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, no data, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, no data, Stockade Stores.
SBML 12-pounder Gun, weight 8-1-2 (926 lbs), RGF, Queen Victoria cypher, Stockade Stores.
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, (>5,500 lbs), Ditch Tower East.
Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, (>5,500 lbs), Ditch Tower West.
I would imagine that many of you who are reading this book are very likely familiar with the standard routine of military training exercises and the rigours of being in the field in all seasons, not to mention the conditions found on deployment these days. Whether or not you have experienced it, I am sure you can well imagine what it is like to train and work in the heat, the dust and the mosquitoes in summer, the wind, the rain and the mud in the spring and fall, the snow and the cold in the winter and of course the routine day-to-day challenges of combat exercises in the training areas of the Canadian Forces. For most in the Army, this includes CFB Gagetown, CFB Valcartier, CFB Petawawa, CFB Kingston, CFB Shilo, CFB Edmonton, CFB Wainwright, CFB Suffield and all the fields and exercise areas of LFAATC Aldershot and LFCATC Meaford and their environs.
As an Army Officer in the Canadian Forces, it has been my privilege to have served alongside a tremendous number of highly professional military men and women of our nation while taking part in training in Germany, the UK and the USA and while on operational deployments to Cyprus, Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Afghanistan. During my training and military professional development, I have learned much about our long military history. My interest in our multi-faceted historical record has led me to write about it and to seek out the stories about Canada's military servicemen and women and the tools and equipment they used to preserve our security when warclouds darkened our horizons.
As a military history enthusiast, I have learned over the years that there are many with similar interests in preserving our story. We have all seen the odd old gun or retired tank placed on display outside a Militia Drill Hall, War Memorial, city park site or Royal Canadian Legion Hall, and many will have enjoyed visiting a number of our military Museums. The vast majority of retired wartime combat equipment used by members of the CF have dwindled in number, many being scrapped, others being shot up as targets, while a few have been sold to overseas operators and collectors. Fortunately, a handful of important examples of retired CF guns and war machines have been preserved and may be found in a wide variety of locations throughout Canada.
Curators, docents and volunteers working in Canada's military museums have been successful in preserving a good number of retired military weapons of war and many are still being sought after and in some cases, being restored to running condition again. As an artist, photographer and military history enthusiast, I have attempted to keep track of where historic Canadian military equipment has survived and is presently located and to make that information available to others with the same interest. For those of like mind, the purpose of this handbook is to provide a simple checklist of the classic Great War and WWII artillery that is part of our military heritage and a location guide to where they can be found in Canada. The book includes a number of photographs to illustrate an example of each gun wherever possible, and lists the locations of the survivors by province.
The numbers of restored Canadian guns is actually increasing as a few rare examples are being recovered from scrapyards and monument sites and salvaged for restoration. (Ultra rare items such as Skink AA gun turrets come to mind). One of the aims of this book is to help an enthusiast track down these monuments and museum artefacts and to have a simple reference book on hand with more detailed information about them such as a serial number, a Museum location and contact information which might be helpful in learning a bit of the history of a particular vehicle. The guns detailed in this handbook are listed alphabetically by manufacturer, number and type in the order that they came into service with the CF. The data is also appended with a list of most of the current guns found in the various collections and Museums in Canada. The book is also meant to serve as a companion volume to "Ironsides", Canadian Tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicle Museums and Monuments, also available online.
It is my sincere hope that more of the guns and artillery found in this list will one day be added to the record of historically important military armament survivors that have been recovered and restored.
Shelldrake can be ordered online in softcover or e-book at these bookstores:
http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000542288/Shelldrake.aspx
Photos and technical data on artillery preserved in Canada may be viewed by Province on seprate pages on this website.
