Artillery in Canada (2) Alberta: Edmonton, 3 CDSB Edmonton and HMCS Nonsuch

Artillery preserved in Edmonton, Alberta

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

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 sends)

Edmonton, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA

The 20th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA, is a Primary Reserve Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) regiment of the 41 Canadian Brigade Group, composed of two batteries, the 61st Field Battery, RCA, based in Edmonton and 78th Field Battery, RCA, based in Red Deer, Alberta.

Edmonton

(Anthony Sewards Photos)

155-mm M109 Self-propelled Howitzer, (Serial No. unknown), 25C, Royal Canadian Legion branch  No. 175, 14339 50th St NW, Edmonton.

(Anthony Sewards Photo)

155-mm M109 Self-propelled Howitzer, (Serial No. unknown), 15B, Lancaster Gold Park, Edmonton.

(Chris Skaarup Photo)

Bronze 3-pounder 3-cwt Smoothbore Gun, weight 3-0-4, (340 lbs), (Serial No. 452) on right trunnion, 1810, King George III cypher (1760-1820) and General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, Master General of the Ordnance 1801–1806  and 1807–1810 cypher, mounted on a wood Naval gun carriage, No. 1 of 2, Provincial Museum of Alberta.

Cypher, General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, Master General of the Ordnance 1801–1806  and 1807–1810.

(Chris Skaarup Photo)

Bronze 3-pounder 3-cwt Smoothbore Gun, weight 3-?-?, (>336 lbs), (Serial No. TBC) on right trunnion, 1810, King George III cypher (1760-1820) and General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, Master General of the Ordnance 1801–1806  and 1807–1810 cypher, mounted on a wood Naval gun carriage, No.2 of 2, Provincial Museum of Alberta.

King George III and his cypher, reigned from 25 Oct 1760 to 29 Jan 1820.  (Wikipedia Photo)

3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton, LFWA HQ

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.), (Serial Nr. 929), M.3706 Kp, carriage 2361. This gun was captured by the 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment), 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) near Marquion, France on 27 September 1918.  No. 1 in front of LFWA HQ.

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.), (Serial Nr. 4945), carriage No. 8246.  This gun was also captured by the 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment), 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) near Marquion, France on 27 September 1918.  No. 2 in front of LFWA HQ.

Edmonton

155-mm C1 (M1A2) Medium Howitzer on M1A2 Carriage, aka M114, manufactured at Sorel Industries Limited in Quebec, Queen Elizabeth II cypher.  LCol Philip L. Debney Armoury, 8402 Roper Road

3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton, 1 CMBG

Bronze 3-pounder 3-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, 1809, inscription LXXVIIIM (1076), inside wreath with crown, I.H.  King 1809, “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense”, GR under crown, mounted on a wood wheeled gun carriage.  Property of the Canadian Military Engineers Museum, acquired 1964.  Edmonton Garrison.

Bronze 3-pounder 3-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, 1812, inscription CCCLVIM (1354), inside wreath with crown, I.H.  King 1812, “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense”, GR under crown, mounted on a wood wheeled gun carriage.  Property of the Canadian Military Engineers Museum, acquired 1964.

155-mm C1 (M1A2) Medium Howitzer on M1A2 Carriage, aka M114, manufactured at Sorel Industries Limited in Quebec, Queen Elizabeth II cypher.  On loan from the RCA Museum, CFB Shilo, Manitoba.

155-mm C1 (M1A2) Medium Howitzer on M1A2 Carriage, aka M114, manufactured at Sorel Industries Limited in Quebec, Queen Elizabeth II cypher.  1 CMBG HQ, No. 1 in front of the HQ.

155-mm C1 (M1A2) Medium Howitzer on M1A2 Carriage, aka M114, manufactured at Sorel Industries Limited in Quebec, Queen Elizabeth II cypher.  1 CMBG HQ, No. 2 in front of the HQ.

155-mm M109 Self-propelled Howitzer, (Serial No. 34813), 1968, AC: MD, ECC: 119204 HUI C: 1941, SAUI C: 1941, VMO No. DLE21343, VMO Date: 10 Jun 2005.  Churchill Park South of the Officer’s Mess, Edmonton Garrison.

The 155-mm M109 self-propelled medium howitzers were highly mobile artillery weapons. The M109 had a crew of six, consisting of detachment commander, gunner, three ammunition members and the driver. The hull was made of all-welded aluminium armour. The driver had a single-piece hatch cover that opened to the left, with three M45 periscopes in front that could be covered by small metal flaps to prevent damage. The commander was seated on the right side of the turret and had a cupola that could be traversed through 360°, a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and an M27 periscope. Pintle mounted on the forward part of the commander’s cupola was a 12.7 mm (0.50) machine gun for use in local defence. Mounted at the rear of the hull, each side of the hull door, is a large spade which is lowered manually to the ground before firing.

The M109 was fitted with night vision equipment for night moves. The upgrade to A4 included a Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) defence system. It could ford to a depth of 1.828 m without preparation and could be fitted with an amphibious kit consisting of nine air bags, four each side of the hull and one at the front. The bags, which are not carried on the vehicle as part of its normal equipment, are inflated from the vehicle and it can then propel itself across rivers by its tracks at 6.43 km/h.  The initial M109 was equipped with a short barrel, double baffle muzzle brake, large fume extractor, and a maximum range of 14,600m. The M109A2/A3/A4 howitzers used an extended M185 barrel and achieved a range of 23,500 meters.

105-mm L5 Pack Howitzer, (Reg. No. 057658), in front of the Officer’s Mess, Edmonton Garrison.  This gun is on loan from the RCA Museum, CFB Shilo, Manitoba.

German Second World War 10.5-cm LeFH 18/40 Howitzer being examined by Canadian soldiers in France, ca June 1944.  (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4233166).

German Second World War 10.5-cm LeFH 18/40 Howitzer being examined by Canadian soldiers in France, ca June 1944.  (Library and Archives Canada Photo,  MIKAN No. 4233112).

German Second World War 10.5-cm LeFH 18/40 Howitzer, Barrel (Serial Nr. R351) Fl 905, dxk, Breech Block (Serial Nr. Fl 539) mrf, SB dxk, Trail (Serial Nor Fl 697) bwl, Memorial Park South of the Officer’s Mess, Edmonton Garrison.

75-mm M20 Recoiless Rifle, PPCLI HQ, CFB Edmonton, Alberta.

105-mm M40 Recoilless Rifle mounted on a jeep, back in the day.  The soldier kneeling on the left is armed with a 7.62-mm FNC2 and the Corporal on the right is armed with a 9-mm Sterling SMG.  (Library & Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235712)

Russian 12.7-mm NSV Heavy Machine Gun on an Anti-Aircraft mount, PPCLI HQ, CFB Edmonton, Alberta.

Edmonton, HMCS Nonsuch

US Navy 5-inch Gun Mk 37 Mod 2, (Serial No. 538) from Gerald Bull’s HARP project in Suffield.  These guns have been specially modified by Gerald Bull for testing at Suffield.  They are also the same type of gun that was on the Second World War Aircraft Carriers HMCS Nabob and HMCS Puncher in the RCN.  The gun stands in the Northwest corner inside the security fence facing the Municipal Airport.

Gerald Vincent Bull (9 March 1928 – 22 March 1990) was a Canadian engineer who developed long-range artillery. He moved from project to project in his quest to economically launch a satellite using a huge artillery piece, to which end he designed the Project Babylon "supergun" for Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq.Bull was assassinated outside his apartment in Brussels, Belgium, in March 1990. His assassination is believed to be the work of the Mossad over his work for the Iraqi government. No person has ever been charged with the murder of Bull. (Wikipedia)

‍