Artillery in Canada (10) Newfoundland and Labrador: St. John's, and HMCS Cabot

Artillery preserved in St. John's, Newfoundland

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3191528)

Water Street, St. John's, Newfoundland, c1886.

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

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.

Note: Back in the day, artillery in Canada was referred to by its radio call sign "Sheldrake".  It is now referred to by its "Golf" call sign.  (Acorn)

Military and trading Forts were constructed in Newfoundland by the French during the 1600s to the late 1700s, while others were captured from the British.

The Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665 – 1667) was a conflict between England and the Dutch Republic partly for control over the seas and trade routes. In 1664, a year before the Second Anglo-Dutch War began,nstrutions at on 1 September 1664 to cross the Atlantic to attack English shipping in the West Indies and at the Newfoundland fisheries in reprisal for capturing several Dutch and West India Company trading posts and ships on thecoast Sailing north from Martinique in June 1665, De Ruyter proceeded to Newfoundland, capturing English merchant ships and taking town obefore returning to Europe.

During the Third Anglo-Dutch War, the inhabitants of St. John's fended off a second Dutch attack in 1673. The city was defended by Christopher Martin, an English merchant captain. Martin landed six cannon from his vessel, Elias Andrews, and constructed an earthen breastwork and battery near Chain Rock commanding the Narrows leading into the harbour.

In 1695, Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville was called upon to attack the English stations along the Atlantic coast of in the Iberville sailed with hree vessels to (Plaisance), the French capital of Newfoundland. Both English and French fishermen exploited the fishery from their respective settlements on Newfoundland under the sanction of a 1687 treaty, but the purpose of the new French expedition of 1696 was nevertheless to expel the English from Newfoundland After setting fire to St John's, Iberville's Canadians almost totally destroyed the English fisheries along the eastern shore of Newfoundland.

Small raiding parties attacked the hamlets in remote bays and inlets, burning, looting, and taking prisoners.By the end of March 1697, only and remained n English hands. In four months of raids, Iberville was responsible for the destruction of 36 settlements. At the end of the war England returned the territory to France in the

During Queen Anne's War (1702–1713), the British conquered Acadia when a British force managed to capture Port-Royal (see also Annapolis Royal), the capital of Acadia in present-day Nova Scotia, in 1710.[65] On Newfoundland, the French attacked St. John's in 1705 (Siege of St. John's), and captured it in 1708 (Battle of St. John's), devastating civilian structures with fire on each instance.] As a result, France was forced to cede control of Newfoundland and mainland Nova Scotia to Britain in the Treaty of Utrecht (1713).

During the War of the First Coalition, a series of fleet manoeuvres and amphibious landings took place on the coasts of the colony of Newfoundland. The French expedition included seven ships of the line and three frigates under Rear-Admiral Joseph de Richery and was accompanied by a Spanish squadron made up of 10 ships of the line under the command of General Jose Solano y Bote. The combined fleet sailed from Rota, Spain, with the Spanish squadron accompanying the French squadron in an effort to ward off the British that had blockaded the French in Rota earlier that year. The expedition to Newfoundland was the last portion of Richery's expedition before he returned to France.

Sighting of the combined naval squadron prompted defensives to be prepared at St. John's, Newfoundland in August 1796. Seeing these defences, Richery opted to not attack the defended capital, instead moving south to raid the undefended settlements, fishing stations and vessels, and a garrison base at Placentia Bay.[114] After the raids on Newfoundland, the squadron was split up, with half moving on to raid neighbouring Saint Pierre and Miquelon, while the other half moved to intercept the seasonal fishing fleets off the coast of Labrador.

St. John’s

The Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665 – 1667) was a conflict between England and the Dutch Republic partly for control over the seas and trade routes. In 1664, a year before the Second Anglo-Dutch War began, Michiel de Ruyter received instructions at Málaga on 1 September 1664 to cross the Atlantic to attack English shipping in the West Indies and at the Newfoundland fisheries in reprisal for Robert Holmes capturing several Dutch West India Company trading posts and ships on the West African coast.[33] Sailing north from Martinique in June 1665, De Ruyter proceeded to Newfoundland, capturing English merchant ships and taking the town of St. John's before returning to Europe.[34][35]

During the Third Anglo-Dutch War, the inhabitants of St. John's fended off a second Dutch attack in 1673. The city was defended by Christopher Martin, an English merchant captain. Martin landed six cannon from his vessel, Elias Andrews, and constructed an earthen breastwork and battery near Chain Rock commanding the Narrows leading into the harbour.

Give this CBC interview a listen for more about cannon preserved in Newfoundland:

https://soundcloud.com/vocm/wednesday-june-10th-cannon-in-canada-province-by-province-vol-4-nl-retired-major-author-harold-skaarup.

(Chris Charland Photo, 2019)

3-pounder QF Hotchkiss Gun, next to Cabot Tower on Signal Hill, Parks Canada.  It serves as the Noon Day Gun at Signal Hill, a tradition that dates back to at least the 19th century.  This Hotchkiss Gun was originally mounted on board HMS Calypso, where it was used for gunnery practice by the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve.  During the summer, this gun is fired daily to signal the hour of Noon to the citizens and visitors of St. John's.

(Author Photo, 1971)

3-pounder QF Hotchkiss Gun, Signal Hill, Parks Canada  There are several spare guns of various weights in Parks Canada storage.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4949667)

View of St. Johns from Signal Hill, 1959.

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(Shhewitt Photo)

Signal Hill overlooks the city of St. John’s, with the highest point, Ladies' Lookout, above Cabot Tower, being 167 metres (548 ft) high.  The community of The Battery lies on the slope of the hill overlooking the Harbour.  On 12 December 1901, the first transatlantic wireless transmission was received by Guglielmo Marconi here.  Due to its strategic placement overlooking the Narrows, the only entrance to the harbour, fortifications date back to the mid 17th century.

The final battle of the Seven Years' War in North America was fought in 1762 at the Battle of Signal Hill, in which the French surrendered St. John's to a British force under the command of LCol William Amherst.  LCol Amherst renamed what was then known as "The Lookout" as "Signal Hill," because of the signalling that took place upon its summit from its flagmast.  Flag communication between land and sea would take place there from the 17th century until 1960.  Signal Hill was designated as the citadel for St. John's during its first construction period in the late 18th century.

During the 19th century, Signal Hill was manned specifically during the Napoleonic Wars and the American Civil War.  A second construction period in Signal Hill's history saw the building of the Queen's Battery Barracks, which has been completely restored to the period of 1862.

Construction on Cabot Tower began in 1897 to commemorate both Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's landfall which took place in 1497.  The building was declared officially open in 1900.  The practical uses of the building were flag mast signalling, and a Marconi wireless station which has since been moved to St. John's International Airport.

(Tango7174 Photo)

View from the Queen's Battery on Signal Hill.

(Author Photo, 1971)

4.7-inch QF Mk. III Gun (Serial No. 1060) on a Central Pivot Mount Mk I, C10, No. 1 of 2 at Fort Amherst.  This gun is reported to be in very poor condition and has fallen into the land wash.

4.7-inch QF Mk. III Gun (Serial No. 1159) on a Central Pivot Mount Mk I, C15, No. 2 of 2 at Fort Amherst.  This gun is also reported to be in very poor condition.

(Author Photo, 1971)

American 75-mm M1917 Field Gun, on a Pedestal Mount, Chain Rock Battery, Signal Hill National Park.  This gun and one other have been placed in storage by Parks Canada.  (Serial No. 24), and (Serial No. 821).

Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Guns (three) in poor condition from a wreck in Placentia Bay.  Entrance to the Battery Hotel.

Cast Iron 6-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Guns mounted on garrison carriages from Fort Townsend, Quidi Vidi National Historic Site.

(Nilfanion Photo)

Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight unknown, King George III cypher, No. 1 of 2, Quidi Vidi Battery.

Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight unknown, No. 2 of 2, Quidi Vidi Battery.

Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, reproduction, weight 41-2-14 (4,662 lbs), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. unknown, CARRON, year unknown) purchased in 1967.  No. 1 of 2, Quidi Vidi National Historic Site.

Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, reproduction, weight unknown), The Carron Company of Falkirk, Scotland (Serial No. unknown, CARRON, year unknown) purchased in 1967.  No. 2 of 2, Quidi Vidi National Historic Site.

Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 6-1-21 (721 lbs), King George III cypher.  No. 1 of 2, Signal Hill National Historic Site.

Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, King George III cypher.  No. 2 of 2, Signal Hill National Historic Site.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No.  4301465)

Cast Iron 18-pounder 42-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, with family overlooking St. Johns Harbour, Aug 1960.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No.  4949697)

Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 42-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, overlooking St. Johns Harbour, 1948.

Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 42-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 41-2-21 (4,669 lbs), maker unknown, King George III cypher.  Signal Hill National Historic Site.

Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 42-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 41-2-14 (4,662 lbs), maker unknown, King George III cypher.  Signal Hill National Historic Site.

Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 42-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 42-0-0 (4,704 lbs), maker unknown, King George III cypher.  Signal Hill National Historic Site.

Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 42-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 42-0-0 (4,704 lbs), maker unknown, King George III cypher.  Signal Hill National Historic Site.

Blomefield Cast Iron 42-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight and maker unknown, 12-feet long, (recorded in McConnell as located on Signal Hill).  David McConnell, British Smooth-Bore Artillery: A Technological Study, (Ottawa, Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1988), p. 60.

Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, reproduction, Cabot Tower, fired as the noon day gun during tourist season.

(Jim Stanton Photos)

(Terry Honour Photos)

(Chris Charland Photos)

Cast Iron 6-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Land Service Mortar, reproduction, weight 18-1-1 (2,045 lbs), mounted on an iron carriage, weight 17-0-1 (1,905 lbs), WCo, B broad arrow O, 62.  This mortar stands on the roof of Cabot Tower, and is used by the Tattoo re-enactors.

Cast Iron 6-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 16-2-6 (1,854 lbs), King George III cypher.  North of Queen’s Battery.

Cast Iron 9-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, King George III cypher.  North of Queen’s Battery.  Rebuilt after it had been rolled over the hill and damaged.  It is now displayed in the artefacts collection in the Visitors Centre.

Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 38-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun,weight 36-0-5 (4,037 lbs), 1709, Queen Anne cypher, broad arrow mark.  North of Queen’s Battery.

Blomefield Cast Iron 18-pounder 42-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark.  North of Queen’s Battery.

Blomefield Cast Iron 12-pounder 34-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, North of Queen’s Battery.

Blomefield Cast Iron 12-pounder 34-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, North of Queen’s Battery.

Cast Iron 68-pounder 36-cwt Smoothbore Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight 34-1-3 (3,839 lbs), reproduction.  North of Queen’s Battery.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950992)

Cast Iron 9-pounder 8-cwt Muzzleloading Rifle, mounted on a wheeled carriage, Queen Victoria cypher.  WRCNS, ca 1950s.

(Author Photo, 1971)

Cast Iron 9-pounder 8-cwt Muzzleloading Rifle, mounted on a wheeled carriage, Queen Victoria cypher.  Visitor Centre.

(Jonathan Harrison, Parks Canada Photo)

Cast Iron 9-pounder 8-cwt Muzzleloading Rifle, mounted on a wheeled iron carriage, Queen Victoria cypher.  Visitor Centre.

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(Terry Honour Photo)

Cast Iron 6-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, reproduction, mounted on a field carriage, used for artillery demonstrations.  Visitor Centre.

Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, Queen Ann cypher, no trunnions, No. 1 of 2, resting on timbers.  Admiral’s (Fort) Point.

Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, Queen Ann cypher, no trunnions, No. 2 of 2, resting on timbers.  Admiral’s (Fort) Point.

Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, Queen Ann cypher, resting on timbers.  Admiral’s (Fort) Point.

Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, Queen Ann cypher, resting on timbers.  Admiral’s (Fort) Point.

Cast Iron 24-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, buried vertically with 12-inches of the muzzle visible above ground, used as a support for the flag pole behind Lester green House.

Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight unknown, No. 1 of 2, in front of Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 1.

Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with a Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight unknown, No. 2 of 2, in front of Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 1.

(Jim Stanton Photo)

Bronze Lyle 2.5-inch Smoothbore Muzzleloading ceremonial guns with cast wheeled carriages, donated from the Touton Property to the Admiralty House Museum, Mount Pearl.  Restored by Jim Steinhauer and Nelson Sherren, No. 1 of 2. This gun came from the HMS Calypso, a Royal Newfoundland Naval Reserve (RNR) sail training corvette.

(Jim Stanton Photo)

Bronze Lyle 2.5-inch Smoothbore Muzzleloading ceremonial guns with cast wheeled carriages, donated from the Touton Property to the Admiralty House Museum, Mount Pearl.  Restored by Jim Steinhauer and Nelson Sherren, No. 2 of 2. This gun came from the HMS Calypso, a Royal Newfoundland Naval Reserve (RNR) sail training corvette.

(Author photo, 1971)

German First World War 10-cm Kanone 17 Field Gun (10-cm K 17), (Serial Nr. unknown), field gun in Bannerman Park.  This Gun has had its wheels replaced and has been restored four times by Nelson Sherren.

(Author Photo, 1971)

German First World War 10-cm Kanone 17 (10-cm K17), (Serial Nr. unknown), field gun in Victoria Park.  The trail has been cut off and the forward part of the gun rests on a concrete stand with a plaque.

St. John’s, HMCS Cabot, 220 Southside Road, Pier 27.

(Able Seaman Brittany Hayes Photo)

3-pounder QF Hotchkiss Gun, inside the main entrance to the ship.

St. John’s, Pleasantville, Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 56, St. John’s

(Steve Cooney Photo)

(Author Photo, 1971)

(elyob Photos)

(Terry Honour Photos)

German First World War 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13 (15-cm sFH 13), (Serial Nr. 2634), heavy field howitzer.  This sFH 13 stands in front of the Legion.  Originally No. 1 of 2, previously in front of the Colonial Building.

(Author Photos, 1971)

German First World War 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13 Heavy Field Howitzer (Serial Nr. unknown).  Originally No. 2 of 2, previously in front of the Colonial Building, this gun has been lost in a landfill.

The 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13 (15-cm sFH 13), was a German heavy field howitzer.  The gun was a development of the previous standard howitzer, the 15-cm sFH 02.  Improvements included a longer barrel resulting in better range and a gun shield to protect the crew.  Variants were: the original "kurz" (L/14 – 14 calibre short barrel version), the lg. sFH13 with a longer barrel; and lg. sFH13/02 with minor modifications to simplify wartime manufacture of the lg. sFH weapons. Initially there were serious issues of weak recoil spring mechanisms that would break, and gun barrel explosions.  The problems were solved with the upgrades.  The British referred to these and their shells as "5 point 9"s or "5 9"s as the bore was 5.9 inches (150 mm).  The ability of these guns to deliver mobile heavy firepower close to the frontline gave the Germans a major firepower advantage on the Western Front early in the First World War, as the French and British lacked an equivalent.  It was not until late 1915 that the British began to deploy their own 6 inch 26 cwt howitzer.  About 3,500 of these guns were produced from 1913 to 1918.

German First World War 7.58-cm leichtes Minenwerfer neuer Art, (7.58-cm leMW), (Serial Nr. unknown), light trench mortar.  Royal Artillery Park Museum, preserved by Gordon Stamp, 166th (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment.

German First World War 7.58-cm leichtes Minenwerfer neuer Art, (7.58-cm leMW), (Serial Nr. unknown), light trench mortar.  Royal Artillery Park Museum, also preserved by Gordon Stamp.

(Jim Sulis Photo)

(Steve Cooney Photo)

25-pounder C Mk. 2 QF Field Gun, originally on display in Bowring Park, this gun has been refurbished and is now in the Royal Artillery Park.  The Royal Artillery Park in Pleasantville was officially opened on 20 October 2010.  

 (IWM Photo, NA 22470)

American 155-mm American M2 Gun "Long Tom" on Mk. I Carriage, in service with the British 33/61 Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, at Vergato, Italy.  Gunners of the 59th (Newfoundland) Heavy Regiment made good use of this gun during the Second World War. The authorised establishment of British batteries (excluding training units), including four batteries from the Dominion of Newfoundland, totalled 88 guns.

(Jim Sulis Photo)

(Steve Cooney Photo)

American 155-mm American M2 Gun "Long Tom" on Mk. I Carriage.  This 7-foot 2-inch long Heavy Gun came from Woolwich Artillery Park in the UK.  It is one of only three survivors.  Veterans of the 59th (Newfoundland) Heavy Regiment arranged for the Gun to brought to Newfoundland.  The Gun has been restored and repainted under Nelson Sherren`s direction.  

(Nelson Sherren Photo)

Universal Carrier, (Serial No. TL12870D).

The top section of this Universal Carrier is completely enclosed.  This vehicle was purchased from a local owner by Nelson Sherren and 3 others and restored by Metal World.  This unit was one of many used by the Lincoln and Welland Regiment from Sarnia, Ontario, in the defence of the Airport and the Avalon Peninsula in the Second World War.

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