Artillery in Canada: 105-mm C1A1 Field Gun

105-mm C1A1 Field Gun

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235362)

105-mm C1A1 Field Gun at Camp Shilo, Manitoba, 1962.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235775)

Live fire arty demo, 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Germany, 1964.

Additionally, with the organization of a new 1st Canadian Division being formed, a divisional artillery organization was also created with the formation of a Divisional HQ RCA, the 1st LAA Regiment, the 1st Locating Battery and the No.1 Air OP Flight. Anti-tank gunnery had become the field of expertise of another corps, and increasing aircraft speed made the usefulness of anti-aircraft guns dubious; missile systems began to replace the anti-aircraft gun

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234806)

105-mm C1A1 Field Gun, 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, training in Germany, 1964.

In the mid 1950s, when the RCHA regiments were re-equipped with US 105mm M1A1 howitzers (dubbed the C1 in Canada), the fourth battery of each regiment was also re-equipped, losing the 4.2-inch mortars used from the early 1950s with M114 155-mm medium towed howitzers. The Militia continued to use the 25-Pounder for several more years until enough 105-mm howitzers were available to replace them. In 1968, 1 RCHA was equipped with the M109A1 self-propelled 155mm howitzer, replacing their towed guns.

(The A-Team Photo)

105-mm C1A1 M2A2 Howitzer, CDN 34134, No. 2 of 3 RCA monuments.  This Howitzer carries the suffix AVCON denoting its usage in avalanche control.  34134 is mounted on a 1955-built M2A2 carriage.  At the time it was disposed by the Canadian Armed Forces, the gun was under the custody of 25 Canadian Forces Supply Depot in Montreal, Quebec.  It is one of three preserved at Rogers Pass, British Columbia.

RCHA Gunners from Shilo have been involved in avalanche control duties at Roger’s Pass, BC since 1962; each year a detachment of C1 105mm howitzers is used from 1 Dec to 1 Apr to fire high explosive rounds at critical trigger points along 27 miles of highway in Glacier National Park as a means of preventing snow build-up and avalanches.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234465)

Cessna L-19 Bird Dog flying over a Royal Canadian Artillery gun crew manning a 105-mm C1A1 Field Gun, likely at CFB Gagetown or CFB Shilo, c1960s.