Artillery in Canada (5) Ontario: Rainy River, Richards Landing, Sarnia, Sault Ste. Marie, Shelburne, Shirley's Bay, Simcoe, Smith Falls, Southampton, St. Catherines, and St. Thomas

Rainy River, Richards Landing, Sarnia, Sault Ste. Marie, Shelburne, Shirley's Bay, Simcoe, Smith Falls, Southampton, St. Catherines, and St. Thomas

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 [email protected].

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)

Rainy River

105-mm C1A1 M2A2 Howitzer, CDN No. unknown, cenotaph square.

Richards Landing

155-mm C1 (M1A2) Medium Howitzer on M1A2 Carriage, aka M114, manufactured at Sorel Industries Limited in Quebec, Queen Elizabeth II cypher.  CFR 34914 (TBC).  The carriage plate reads: CARR. HOW. 155MM M1A2 CDN. SOREL INDUSTRIES LTD. CANADA (year TBC), REG. NO. CDN 5 (TBC), INSP (symbol).  This gun is on loan from the Canadian War Museum and stands in front of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch No. 548 on Rte 548, St. Joseph's Island, outside of Sault Ste Marie.

Sarnia

(Tom Slater Photo)

Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown, (WCo), (Walker & Company of Rotherham, Yorkshire, England), on the left trunnion, (Serial No. 375) on the right trunnion, mounted on a concrete carriage with iron wheels, "Big Tom".  This gun may have come from the British gunboat “Prince Alfred,” which went aground in Lake Huron somewhere near Point Edward in 1874.  It is preserved in Veterans Park, where it had been on display for almost 90 years before being removed in the 1960s due to construction in the park.

Sault Ste. Marie,  49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA

The 49th (Sault Ste. Marie) Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery is a Primary Reserve unit of 4th Canadian Division's 33 Canadian Brigade Group located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.  Allocated batteries include 30th Field Battery, RCA and 148th Field Battery, RCA.  LCol Robert J. Lambert, CD, is the Regiment's current Commanding Officer.

(Author Photo)

105-mm C1A1 M2A2 Howitzer, CDN No. 34037, Serial No. 16127, 1943, weight 1,060 lbs, on display in front of the Armoury at 1 Garrison Way.  This howitzer was previously on display at the Woolastook Museum in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

(Terry Honour Photo)

90-mm M1A1 Anti-Aircraft Gun, No. 1 of 2 on display in front of the Armoury at 1 Garrison Way.

(Terry Honour Photos)

90-mm M1A1 Anti-Aircraft Gun, No. 2 of 2on display in front of the Armoury at 1 Garrison Way.

(Terry Honour Photos)

SBML pounder Gun mounted on a concrete stand in front of the Armoury at 1 Garrison Way.

Sault Ste. Marie, Royal Canadian Legion

(Terry Honour Photo)

German First World War 10.5-cm Feldhaubitze 98/09 (10.5-cm FH 98/09), (Serial Nr. 46), captured by the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), near Cambrai, France, 27 September 1918.  Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 25.

The 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09 (10.5 cm FH 98/09), a short barreled (1625-mm) 105-mm howitzer, also referred to as the 10.5-cm leichte Feldhaubitze (light field howitzer) 98/09, was used by Germany in the First World War and after.  It had a maximum range of 6,300 metres (20,700 ft).   It was originally built by Rheinmetall as the 10.5-cm Feldhaubitze 98, an old-fashioned, fixed-recoil weapon delivered to the German army in 1898; between 1902 and 1904, it was redesigned, by Krupp, with a new recoil mechanism and a new carriage.  However, it wasn't accepted for service until 1909, hence the ending designation 98/09. Existing weapons were rebuilt to the new standard.  As usual, two seats were attached to the gun shield.  There were 1,260 in service at the beginning of the First World War.

(Terry Honour Photos)

12-pounder 12-cwt QF Mk. V (3-inch-40) Breechloading Naval Gun (Ogden 3-inch Naval gun), No. C/S 292, CPR 1942, from HMCS Sault Ste Marie, Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 25.  HMCS Sault Ste Marie was an Algerine Escort Mine Sweeper.

Sault Ste. Marie, Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site

Fort St. Joseph is a former British outpost on the southernmost point of St. Joseph Island in Ontario, Canada, on Lake Huron. The fort consisted of a blockhouse, powder magazine, bakery building, Indian council house and storehouse surrounded by a palisade. Situated on approximately 325 hectares along the St. Marys River, Fort St. Joseph was the staging ground for the initial attack in the War of 1812. The fort was an important regional military outpost and a significant meeting place for trade and commerce in the region. During its short but significant occupation, it was the most westerly British outpost in North America.  Today, Fort St. Joseph is operated by Parks Canada and is designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

When the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, effectively putting an end to the American Revolution, the Michilimackinac trading post at the entrance to Lake Michigan was awarded to the United States. However, the British kept control of the site until 1796, when it was finally ceded to the Americans. The British then had to build a new fort. St. Joseph Island was chosen as the site because of its proximity to Fort Mackinac and to the busiest navigation routes. From a military standpoint, Fort St. Joseph played a defensive role - its primary purpose being to protect the fur trade from the Americans. Staff from the British Indian Department were present at the fort to maintain good relations with the local Indigenous population. Construction began on the blockhouse in 1797 and on the other important elements of the fort (palisade, guardhouse, kitchen and storehouse) in the following year. The powder magazine, bakehouse and chimney and blacksmith shop were built later.

As early as 1807, relations between the Americans and the British were growing strained. There were a number of reasons for this, mostly related to the foreign and trade policies of these two countries. Regional issues were also involved, notably control over the Great Lakes and the fur trade routes. Fort St. Joseph became a rallying point as soon as the United States declared war on Great Britain in June 1812. The garrison commander, Captain Charles Roberts, knew that his fort was vulnerable and decided that his best defence was a good offence. On July 17, leading a force of about 40 regular soldiers, 150 Canadians and 300 Indigenous people, Roberts captured the American fort on Mackinac Island, thereby serving notice to the American garrison that war had been officially declared. The British garrison and traders abandoned Fort St. Joseph and moved into the American fort. Later, in 1814, an American expedition burned the abandoned Fort St. Joseph to the ground.

Under the peace treaty signed in December 1814, all territories conquered by the two participants in the war were returned to their previous owners. The British army returned Fort Mackinac to the Americans, but decided not to rebuild Fort St. Joseph. They subsequently established a post on Drummond Island. Buildings that were not burned were moved across the ice to the new site.

In the 1920s, the Sault Ste. Marie Historical Society became interested in the ruins of the fort and some work was carried out to stabilize the ruins. After the Second World War, a road was opened to the site, which was developed into a picnic ground. Because written documents are sometimes insufficient (or can even be misleading), archaeologists play a significant role in piecing together the story of sites such as Fort St. Joseph. Their research requires patience and care because clues are destroyed as work progresses; once a layer of soil has been removed, it cannot be put back.

During the summers of 1963 and 1964, teams from the University of Toronto conducted systematic preliminary research. No further work was carried out until 1974, when Parks Canada launched a three-year archaeological program. From this research work (on-site excavations and the study of archives), 21 buildings with excavated cellars and 21 above ground buildings were identified. (Parks Canada)

Possible replica Blomefield Cast Iron 12-pounder Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, KG3 cypher, unmounted.

Cast iron swivel gun mounted on an iron stand. Swivel guns were used principally aboard sailing ships, serving as short-range anti-personnel ordnance. They were not ship-sinking weapons, due to their small caliber and short range, but could do considerable damage to anyone caught in their line of fire. They were especially useful against deck-to-deck boarders, against approaching longboats bearing boarding parties, and against deck gun crews when ships were hull to hull.Due to their relatively small size, swivel guns were highly portable and could be moved around the deck of a ship quite easily (and certainly much more easily than other types of cannon). They could be mounted on vertical timbers (pillars) which were either part of the ship's structure or were firmly bolted to that structure along either side, which provided the gunner with a reasonably steady platform from which to fire. Their portability enabled them to be installed wherever they were most needed; whereas larger cannon were useless if they were on the wrong side of the ship, swivel guns could be carried across the deck to face the enemy.The small size of swivel guns enabled them to be used by a wide variety of vessels, including those too small to accommodate larger cannons, and also permitted their use on land; they were commonly issued to forts in North America in the 18th century.

(Chris Skaarup Photos)

Replica bronze Coehorn (possibly 12-pounder) lightweight SBML mortar that was designed by Dutch military engineer Menno van Coehoorn. KG2 cypher. Preserved in the Fort S.t Joseph Museum.

Shelburne

(Balcer Photos)

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.), (Serial Nr. 435), no record.  This gun was originally allocated to Dufferin County, Ontario.  It stands beside the war memorial on Victoria Street, in front of the Police Station and Town Hall.

(jiggs11 Photo)

25-pounder C Mk. 2 QF Field Gun, in front of the town administrative offices and police station, on Victoria Street, just south of Highway 89.

Shirley’s Bay, Connaught Ranges and Primary Training Centre

(Author Photos)

155-mm C1 (M1A2) Medium Howitzer on M1A2 Carriage, aka M114, manufactured at Sorel Industries Limited in Quebec, Queen Elizabeth II cypher, CDN No. 26, 1955.

(Author Photos)

155-mm M109 SP Gun, standing at the front entrance to the ranges.

(Author Photos)

12-pounder 12-cwt QF Mk. V (3-inch/40) Breechloading Naval Gun (Ogden 3-inch Naval gun), HMCS Carleton Gun, No. 1 of 2.

(Author Photos)

12-pounder 12-cwt QF Mk. V (3-inch/40) Breechloading Naval Gun (Ogden 3-inch Naval gun), HMCS Carleton Gun, No. 2 of 2.

(Author Photos)

40-mm Bofors AA Gun.

(Author Photos)

RUR-5 ASROC (Anti-Submarine ROCket) all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system.

Simcoe

(JustSomePics Photo)

105-mm L5 Pack Howitzer, Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 79.

Smith Falls

German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08/15 Machinegun in the Royal Canadian Legion (Serial Nr. TBC), corroded.  This MG was apparently found inside a wall in the basement of the Legion.

Southampton

SBML 3 foot long Gun, discovered in a sunken wreck on Southampton beach in April 2002.  The gun is being restored by Museum Restorations in Ottawa.

(emmieo Photos)

Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 56-2-0 (6,328 lbs), (Serial No. TBC, CARRON, 1800) on left trunnion, (32P) on right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark.  Pioneer Park at the Mouth of the Saugeen River.  Mounted on a wooden stand, No. 1 of 2.

(emmieo Photos)

Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 55-3-3 (6,247 lbs), (WCo) (Walker & Company) on left trunnion, (Serial No. 128) on right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark.  Pioneer Park at the Mouth of the Saugeen River.  Mounted on a wooden stand, No. 2 of 2.

St. Catherines

(Author Photos)

Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 56-0-0 (6,272 lbs) under the cascabel, (WCo) (Walker & Company) on left trunnion, (Serial No. 170) on right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a red and blue concrete stand.  North entrance, Lake Street Armoury.

(Author Photos)

Blomefield Cast Iron 24-pounder 50-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 49-3-10 (5,582 lbs) under the cascabel, (WCo) (Walker & Company), on left trunnion, (Serial No. 103) on right trunnion, King George III cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a red and blue concrete carriage.  North Entrance, Lake Street Armoury.

(Author Photos)

Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight 17-3-0 (1,988 lbs) above the vent, NCO, mounted on a red and blue concrete carriage.  Main entrance, Lake Street Armoury.

(Author Photos)

Cast Iron 32-pounder 17-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Carronade with Blomefield pattern breeching ring, weight 17-3-14 (2,002 lbs) above the vent, CV NCO, mounted on a red and blue concrete stand.  Main entrance, Lake Street Armoury.

(Author Photos)

25-pounder C Mk. 2 QF Field Gun with No. 9 circular firing platform, CMK. 1 1/1 CDN, S.I.C.-9.-42. CANADA, with limber, inside the Lake Street Armoury.

St. Catherines, Welland Canal Museum

SBML 8 foot, 8-inch long, 3.5-inch gun, severely corroded.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3403179)

Canadian soldier examining a German First World War 7.58-cm trench mortar, East of Arras, France, Aug 1918.

German First World War 7.58-cm leichtes Minenwerfer neuer Art, (7.58-cm leMW), (Serial Nr. 1916), captured by the 5th Battalion at Vimy Ridge on 9 April 1917.  This trench mortar was originally allocated to Penetanguishene, Ontario.  Dennis Walker collection.

St. Catherines, Ridley College

(Carrie Houston Photos)

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 16 (7.7-cm FK 16), (Serial Nr. 7981), no data.  Received by Ridley College on 7 Feb 1923.

St. Catherines

Ordnance QF 17-pounder Anti-Tank Gun, (privately owned).  The RCA held 138 of these guns.

(Dyver Down Photo)

105-mm C1A1 M2A2 Howitzer, Rock Island Arsenal, (Serial No. 166926), 1944.  Royal Canadian Legion, Polish Branch No. 418, 294 Vine Street.

Ordnance QF 18-pounder Field Gun Mk II (Serial No. TBC), mounted on a wheeled carriage.  Originally allocated to the Aurora Legion, then to Belfountan,  Ontaro.  Restored, Dennis Walker collection.

St. Thomas

(Keldar5 Photos)

Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight 56-1-21 (6,321 lbs), (Serial No. 63849, CARRON, 1803) on left trunnion, (32P) on right trunnion, King George III (1760-1820) cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a concrete stand, dated 1902.  No. 1 of 2 standing in front of the Elgin County Courthouse.

Blomefield Cast Iron 32-pounder 56-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, weight unknown (greater than 6,000 lbs), (Serial No. unnown) on left trunnion, (32P) on right trunnion, King George III (1760-1820) cypher, broad arrow mark, mounted on a concrete stand.  No. 2 of 2 standing in front of the Elgin County Courthouse.

½ scale replica Blomefield Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun, Elgin Military Museum, 30 Talbot Street.

Bronze 6-pounder smoothbore muzzleloading cannon from HMS Erebus. Cast in 1812 by John and Henry King at the Royal Brass Foundry at Woolwich, England.  King George 3 cypher on the barrel, and the coat of arms of the Master General of the Ordnance (the Earl of Musgrave).  Weight and serial number to be confirmed.  In 2014, a Canadian search team led by Parks Canada located the wreck of the HMS Erebus in the eastern portion of Queen Maud Gulf. Two years later, the Arctic Research Foundation found the wreck of HMS Terror south of King William Island, in the coincidentally named Terror Bay.  Elgin County Heritage Centre.