Artillery in Canada: 12-pounder 6-cwt BL Gun

‍BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Guns in Canadian Service and on display in Canada

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3300716)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun, Queenston Heights, Ontario, 9th Field Battery, Gun "Ready", 21 June 1906.

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(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4473761)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun, No. 1 of 2, with the 4th Draft, 71st Battery, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), 23 Feb 1917.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4473761)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun, No. 2 of 2, with the 4th Draft, 71st Battery, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), 23 Feb 1917.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3408617)

Firing the Salute with a BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun at the opening of the Victory Loan Campaign in Montreal, Quebec, during the First World War.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3395128)

Firing the Salute with a BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun at the Exhibition Grounds in Toronto, Ontario, 10 Feb 1915.

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(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234796)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun drill, 1 RCHA, c1960s.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234107)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun drill, 1 RCHA, c1960s.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3545019)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun team, RCD, Stanley Barracks, adjacent to the CNE in Toronto, Ontario, 13 May 1920.

The 12-pounder 6 cwt gun was developed in 1892, and entered service in the UK 1894. In 1899 a primitive recoil-absorbing system was added. Eighteen guns were used by the Royal Canadian Artillery in the Second Boer War.  A maximum range of 6000 yards was quoted in use during the First World War.  (I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914–1918. London: Ian Allan, 1972)

CFB Shilo, Manitoba, Royal Canadian Artillery Museum

(Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Museum Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IGun (Serial No. 111), mounted on a Mk. I field carriage.

Cobourg, Ontario‍

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IV Gun, (Reg. No. 261),carriage Reg. No. 7616. This gun was in service with 18 Field Battery, Regina. Itnow stands in a downtown park. It has been on loan since 1980 from the RCAMuseum, CFB Shilo, Manitoba.

CFB Kingston, Ontario

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(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IV Gun, weight 5-3-20 (664 lbs), (Serial No. 278),IV, King Edward VII cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a wheeled carriage,RCD 1907. This gun is on loan from Fort Henry, and is on display in front of Stethem Hall, HQ CFB Kingston.

Ottawa, the Canadian War Museum

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. I Gun, Boer War “D” Battery. RGF BL 12-Pr 6 Cwt I,1896, No. 97.

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. I Gun, left wheel 1871, RCR, T13956, right wheel 1870, RCD, Queen Victoria cypher.

CFB Petawawa, Ontario, Military Museums

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IV Gun,Serial No. 269, IV, inside the Base Museum, RCD Carriage No. 07816.

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IV Gun, RCD Building C40. (Four of these guns were recorded in Petawawa in 1933: Reg. No.214, carriage Reg. No. 65231, RCD 00; Reg. No. 276, RCD 02; Reg. No. 287,carriage No. 67820, RCD 01; and Reg. No. 288, RCD 01).

CFB Montréal, Longue Point Garrison, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC) Museum, 6560 HochelagaStreet.

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IV Gun,mounted on a wooden carriage, No. 1. (One of these guns was recorded in Quebecin 1922: Reg. No. 271. Another was recorded in Quebec in 1933: Reg. No. 116,RGF No. 96, with the R22eR, possibly used as a time gun in 1921.)

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IV Gun,mounted on a wooden carriage, No. 2.

Saint-Félicien, Québec

(Normand Roberge Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. I Gun,weight 6-0-12 (682 lbs), (RGF No. unknown) on the left trunnion, blank on the right trunnion, Queen Victoria cypher, mounted on a wheeled iron carriage. This gun stands facing the water, No. 1 of 2. The telescopic sight bracket on the right indicates this gun is a Mk 1.

(Normand Roberge Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. I Gun,weight 6-0-8 (680 lbs), (RGF No. unknown) on the left trunnion, blank on the right trunnion, Queen Victoria cypher, mounted on a wheeled iron carriage. This gun stands facing the water, No. 2 of 2.

5 Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown, NewBrunswick, The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School (RCAS), Building J7.

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. IV Gun,weight 6-0-9 (681 lbs), made by Armstrong, mounted on a wheeled carriage, Queen Victoria cypher, inside the school. No. 136, RGF 1898, 12 pdr 6 cwt on right trunnion. RCD 1910 on right wheel hub, RCD 1896 on left wheel hub as well as No. 628470. No. 20 on the carriage box trail. No. 1307024 on the breech. Three of these guns were recorded as being on strength with 90 Field Battery,Fredericton in 1933: Reg. No. 285, RGF 01, carriage OCM; RGF No. 286, carriage OCM; and Reg. No. 200, RGF 01, carriage OCM).

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Royal Artillery Park

(Author Photos)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt Mk. I Gun, weight 6-0-16 (688 lbs), (12 PR, 6 Cwt, 123),on the left trunnion, (RGF, 1897, King's Arrow) on the right trunnion, Queen Victoria cypher on the barrel, mounted on a wheeled iron carriage, RCD 1900,Reg. No. C.4594, No. 27. This gun stands facing the Halifax Citadel.  (Two of these guns are recorded as being in Halifax in 1933: Reg. No. 125, RGFunknown, and Reg. No. 176, RGF 97).

British Government Photo, "The Navy & Army Illustrated" c1897)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun in Royal Artillery service, England. Note the drag shoes under the wheels, indicating the gun is in the firing position. Appears to be on a parade ground in UK.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3397505)

BL 12-pounder 6-cwt field gun, RCA, Salisbury Plain in the UK, 1914.

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