Armour in Canada (7) New Brunswick, Bathurst, Buctouche, Centreville, Grand Anse, Harvey, Moncton, Oromocto, Riverview, Sackville, Sainte-Quentin, Sussex
Tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicles in New Brunswick, Bathurst, Buctouche, Centreville,
Grand Anse, Harvey, Moncton, Oromocto,
Riverview, Sackville, Sainte-Quentin, Sussex
The data and photos found on this page has been compiled by the author, unless otherwise credited. Any additions, corrections or amendments to the lists of Armoured Fighting Vehicles in Canada found on these pages would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.
Une traduction au français pour l'information technique présente serait grandement apprécié. Vos corrections, changements et suggestions sont les bienvenus, et peuvent être envoyés au hskaarup@rogers.com.
Bathurst
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3222766)
Universal Carrier, 4th Field Regt, RCA, Vaucelles, France, 20 July 1944.
(Author Photos)
Universal Carrier, The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, CT96069, 62, No. 1 of 2.
(Author Photos)
Universal Carrier, The North Shore (New Briunswick) Regiment, CT96069, (both Universal Carriers have been painted with the same Reg. No.), "Caraquet Flyer", No. 2 of 2.
Bouctouche
LAV III Monument, J.K. Irving Centre, 30 Evangeline Street. The LAV III Monument is located in a new park on a hilltop adjacent to the New Town Hall and the J.K. Irving Centre development which overlooks Bouctouche Bay.
Centreville
(Author Photos)
155-mm M109 SP Howitzer, 8577237, No. 1 of 2, Memorial Park.
(Author Photos)
155-mm M109 SP Howitzer, 63-348, No. 2 of 2, Memorial Park.
(Author Photo)
Family names on the Centreville cenotaph include those who served, not just those who passed. They include the names of the following members of the author's family:
Walter R. Estabrooks, Royal Canadian Artillery, First World War**
Fred Estabrooks, Canadian Provost Corps, Second World War
Bernard Estabrooks, Canadian Provost Corps, Cold War
Frederick C. Skaarup, Artillery, First World War
Harold J. Skaarup, 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Princess Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars, CAC, CASF, buried at Monteccio, Italy, 1944
Aage C. Skaarup, Royal Canadian Air Force, Cold War
Carl Skaarup, Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers, Cold War
Fred Skaarup, Royal Canadian Artillery, Cold War
Harold A. Skaarup, Canadian Intelligence Corps, Cold War
Dale R. Skaarup, Royal Canadian Navy, Cold War
Christopher L. Skaarup, Royal Canadian Artillery, Cold War
Sean J. Skaarup, Royal Canadian Artillery, Cold War
Wilhelmine I. Estabrooks, Canadian Women's Army Corps, Cold War (name not on the memorial)
**Walter had joined the Royal Canadian Artillery in Woodstock, New Brunswick, and served with the 10th Battery, 4th Brigade in 1912 and 1913 during exercises in Petawawa. (The 10th Battery was formed in 1892 and given its number in 1895). He went overseas and served with the 32nd Field Battery, 8th Army Brigade (HQ in Ottawa), Canadian Field Artillery, on 24 December 1916.
Grand Anse
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4822868)
M113 APC, Ex Grosse Rochade, Vilshofen, Germany, Sep 1975.
(Author Photo)
M113 APC, CFR TBC.
Harvey
(Author Photos)
M113 C & R Lynx, CFR 67-35967, town cenotaph.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4730780)
M113 C & R Lynx, Ex Royal Sword, Germany, Oct 1987.
Moncton
(Author Photos)
M4A2(76)W HVSS Sherman "Easy 8" tank, “Coriano”, Centennial Park, St George Blvd.
In 1946 the first of 294 M4A2 (76-mm) Wet Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension (HVSS) Sherman tanks arrived at Camp Borden and at the Long Pointe Ordnance Depot in Montreal. The Canadians referred to this tank as the M4A2E8. 96 Stuart tanks were also delivered at the same time. The new Shermans were manufactured by the Fisher Tank Arsenal in Grand Blanc, Michigan between May 1944 and May 1945. M24 Chaffee light tanks were also purchased at this time. Compared with the Shermans used by Canadians in the Second World War, the ammunition storage in the new tanks was improved by surrounding the racks with water and etheylene glycol-filled jackets to reduce the probability of explosion in the event of penetration of the armour by enemy fire. The tanks equipped with this protection system were designated "Wet".
The M4A2E8 was powered by a pair of side-by-side mounted General Motors 6046 diesel engines producing 375 hp mounted in the rear of the hull. The tank could sustain a speed of 48 kmh (30 mph). Its main armament was a 76-mm M1A2 long-barreled, high-velocity gun fitted with a muzzle brake. Its secondary armament included one Browning .30-calibre M1919A4 machine-gun mounted co-axially with the main gun, a bow machine-gun in the front of the hull, and a Browning .50-calibre machine-gun mounted on a post between the loader's and commander's hatches for AA protection. The HVSS system used four wheels per bogie instead of two, which allowed tracks that were wider (165-mm) to be installed, and which made for better performance on soft ground and allowed for a smoother ride. The M4A2E8 had a five-man crew. The driver and co-driver sat in the front of the hull with the driver on the left and co-driver on the right. The crew commander, loader and gunner sat in the turret. The crew commander's position was on the right side of the turret, the loader sat on his left and the gunner sat in front of the commander. After the first batch of the new tanks went to the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) at Camp Borden 1946, another 30 went to the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadian) (LdSH) at Camp Wainwright, Alberta in March 1947. Training on the tanks by the LdSH was also conducted at Camp Sarcee in Alberta, and at Camp Petawawa when the RCD moved there in the spring of 1948.
Sherman V tank armed with a 75-mm Gun, 5th Canadian Armour Regiment, 8th Princess Louise (New Brunswick) Hussars, Italy, 2 Mar 1944. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3599666)
Sherman V tank armed with a 75-mm Gun, 5th Canadian Armour Regiment, 8th Princess Louise (New Brunswick) Hussars, Putten, Netherlands, 18 Apr 1945. Churchill tank tracks attached to this tank as add-on armour. (Capt Jack Smith, Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3396461)
(Capt Jack Smith, Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3396461)
Sherman Ic Hybrid Firefly tank armed with a 17-pounder Gun, 5th Canadian Armour Regiment, 8th Princess Louise (New Brunswick) Hussars, Putten, Netherlands, 18 Apr 1945. The gun has a false muzzle brake added in the middle of the barrel with the remainder painted in a disruptive camouflage pattern to confuse German anti-tank gunners.
The Centurion tank previously on display in Moncton has been moved to Sussex.
(Author Photos)
Leopard C2 (1A5) Main Battle Tank, "Hussar". Superior Propane Centre, 55 Russ Howard Drive.
(Author Photo)
Leopard C1 (1A3), Combat Team Commander's Course, CFB Gagetown, April 1995.
Ferret Scout Car on exercise in Germany, 8th Canadian Hussars. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234829)
Ferret Scout Car, Moncton Armoury.
8th Canadian Hussars Ferret, Germany. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234835, left and MIKAN No. 423487, right)
British Ferret Scout Car Mk 1, privately owned by Mike Baxter.
Oromocto
Centurion tank on exercise, Camp Gagetown, summer 1963. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235424)
(Author Photos)
Centurion Main Battle Tank Mk. 5, 20-pounder main gun, "Ironsides", Centennial Park, Wassis Road.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4301771)
HRH Princess Margaret visiting the 8th Canadian Hussars at Camp Gagetown, New Brunswick, 7 Aug 1958. Trooper Ernie Budd is the mascot handler, Colonel S.V. Radley-Waters is behind her, the Centurion crew commander is Sergeant Ross Stoddart, and the British Officer is HRH Aide-de-Camp.
M113 C & R Lynx, CFR TBC, 41, Oromocto Tourist Centre. (Author Photo)
Information on the correct CFR number for this vehicle would be most welcome. The hull number on the Lynx is on the upper right corner of the glacis plate (vehicle's right) in a rectangle deliberately left bare of grip tread paint, also on the rear door about 3" above the handle pivot and on the observer's hatch between the 2 hinge arm brackets.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4814264)
M113 C & R Lynx, Nabburg, Germany, Ex Nab Jubilee, Sep 1977.
(Author Photos)
LAV III Monument, the first of 250 allocated to communities across Canada. It is located close to the Oromocto War Memorial.
Willys Jeep, 1956, private collector.
Willys Jeep, private collector.
Willys Jeep, Jason Meade.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234422)
Canadian Provost Corps mounted in a Willys Jeep on UN duty in Egypt.
Oromocto, 5 Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown
Tanks and AFVs on display at 5 CDSB Gagetown are listed on a separate page on this web site.
Riverview
(Author Photo)
Centurion Mk. 5/2 Main Battle Tank with L7 105-mm main gun, 8th Canadian Hussars, Casley Park, Bradford Road, behind the Municipal Building.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235688)
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235689)
Centurion tanks on exercise in Germany, 1964.
Sackville
(Author Photo)
Ferret Scout Car, Memorial Park.
Sainte-Quentin
(Author Photo)
M113 APC, Ambulance, beside the war memorial in front of the town library.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4868492)
(Library and Archives Canada Photos, MIKAN No. 4868489)
M113, river crossing, Bavaria, 8 Sep 1984.
Sussex
(Author Photo)
Canadian M4A2(76)W HVSS Sherman "Easy 8" tank, “Balaclava”, BGen Milton Gregg VC Armoury, Leonard Drive.
(Author Photos)
Centurion Main Battle Tank Mk. 11, L7 105-mm main gun, “Rimini”, previously on display at the Moncton Armoury, has been moved (as of 20 Nov 2018), to a place of honour in front of the BGen Milton Gregg VC Armoury, Leonard Drive.
The Canadian Army took delivery of 274 Centurion Mk. 3 tanks between 1952 and 1953. The Centurion had well-sloped armour, superior mobility andexcellent gun and fire control systems compared with its then existing contemporaries. The first 21 Centurions were delivered to the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Germany in March 1952, where they served with the Canadian contingent of the NATO forces based there. The Centurions were used for training in Canada in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Mk. 3 tanks were modified to Mk. 5 standard with the replacement of the co-axial Besa MG with a .30-calibre Browning MG. Most of the Centurions in Canada retained 20-pounder main guns, while the Centurions in Europe were upgunned to the Mk. 6 standard with the L7 105-mm main gun and additional armour in 1962. The Centurions in service with 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (4 CMBG) in Germany were brought up to Mk. 11 standard in 1965 by fitting a .50-calibre Browning HMG aligned alongside the .30-calibre Browning MG, the fitting of a 100-gallon fuel tank on the rear hull plance, and the installation of infrared night-fighting gear. Nine Centurion Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARV) were purchased by Canada in 1954, and four armoured bridge-layers (ABL) in 1966. Centurions ended their service in Germany on 2 June 1977, and in Canada as late as 1979 when Leopard tanks began to replace them.
(Library and Archives Canada photo, MIKAN No. 4235505)
Centurion tank on exercise, Camp Gagetown, summer 1963.
(Author Photo)
AVGP Cougar, No. 1 of 2, in front of the HQ, BGen Milton Gregg VC Armoury, Leonard Drive.
(Author Photo)
AVGP Cougar, No. 2 of 2, in the storage compound of the BGen Milton Gregg VC Armoury.
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M113 C & R Lynx, (Serial No. CR2A-119), CFR 67-53928, 8th Hussars Military Museum in Sussex. (Author Photo)
Information on the correct CFR number for this vehicle would be most welcome. The hull number on the Lynx is on the upper right corner of the glacis plate (vehicle's right) in a rectangle deliberately left bare of grip tread paint, also on the rear door about 3" above the handle pivot and on the observer's hatch between the 2 hinge arm brackets.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4816296)
M113 C & R Lynx, 3 Mech Cdo, Ex Reforger Oct 74, Germany.
(Author Photo)
Ferret Scout Car, No. 1 of 2, owned by Mike Baxter.
(Author Photo)
Ferret Scout Car, No. 2 of 2, 8th Hussars Museum.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235425)
Ferret, RCD, Camp Gagetown, summer concentration, 1963.
Ferret Scout Car, (Serial No, 82583), built in 1954, BGen Milton Gregg VC Armoury, Leonard Drive, undergoing restoration.
(Tom McLaughlin Photo)
Universal Carrier, T86648, 1942, 8th Hussars Museum. Outgoing Colonel of the Regiment, incoming Colonel of the Regiment HCol Georges Rousseau, Lieutenant-General Steven S. Bowes
Major Hal Skaarup has woven together an informative and detailed synopsis of the carefully preserved and restored armoured fighting vehicles on display in Canada. He highlights the importance of these upon key turning points in history when these AFVs were in use as tools of war at home and overseas. We often associate the evolution of military prowess with the advancement of sophisticated technology. Major Skaarup's descriptions of Canadian armour as it evolved to the level it has today reveals that military planners have had to be continuously creative in adapting to the changes in modern combat. They had to devise many intricate techniques, tactics and procedures to overcome the insurgents and opposition forces faced in Afghanistan and future overseas missions where Canadian armour will be brought into play. This guide book will show the interested reader where to find examples of the historical armour preserved in Canada, and perhaps serve as a window on how Canada's military contribution to safety and security in the world has evolved.
Lieutenant-General Steven S. Bowes
You may order the book "Ironsides" on line at these websites:
Order Book: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000479183/Ironsides.aspx.
Order E-book: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000479183/Ironsides.aspx.
Order book in Canada: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Ironsides-Canadian-Armoured-Fighting-Vehicle-Harold-A-Skaarup/9781462034642-item.html?ikwid=harold+skaarup&ikwsec=Books
