Artillery in Canada: Royal Canadian Navy Guns

‍Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) guns in action

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3394508)

Gunner with gun aboard a defensively equipped merchant ship (DEMS), 1943.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821019)

4-inch shell, HMCS Iroquois, 1943.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3567054)

Naval ratings studying the components of a torpedo at the Royal Canadian Navy Torpedo School (Royal Canadian Navy Schools), Halifax, Nova Scotia, January 1941,

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3356795)

Ordnance QF 12-pounder 12-cwt Mk V (3-inch-40) BL Gun with shield aboard ship.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3598672)

Naval gunners loading 4-inch shells.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3572367)

DEMS (Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships) personnel taking part in gun drill aboard an unidentified merchant ship, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 29 November 1942.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3196180)

QF 4-inch Naval Gun being assembled, at the Dominion Engineering Works, Longueuil, Quebec, 1942.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3196181)

QF 4-inch Naval Gun being assembled at the Dominion Engineering Works, Longueuil, Quebec, 1942.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3201273)

QF 4-inch Naval gun training, HMCS Hamilton, 10 Aug 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3394476)

Hedgehog array onboard HMCS North Bay, Oct 1943.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3576681)

Depth Charge Thrower, HMCS Saguenay, 30 Oct 1941.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3624562)

Sailors setting shell fuses on board HMCS Uganda, 23 Jun 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3191651)

HMCS Uganda bombarding Sukuma Airfield on Miyako Jima, 4 May 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo,  MIKAN N. 3455882)

QF 4-inch gun firing, HMCS Sherbrooke, June 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3348210)

Twin 3-inch gun mount, HMCS Algonquin, 21 Jan 1955.

Coastal Defence and Shipboard Guns preserved in Canada

(Author Photo)

6-inch Gun Mk VII (Serial No. l346), used for coastal defence, photo taken at Point Pleasant Park.  This gun has been re-located to McNab's Island, as of March 2005.

Naval Guns on display in the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario

(Author Photo)

Oerlikon 20-mm AA Gun Mk 4 on RCN Mk V Mounting.

QF 1-pounder pom-pom, Vickers-Maxim Mk I Automatic Gun.

(Author Photo)

QF 1¼-pounder pom-pom, Vickers-Maxim Mk III Automatic Gun from CGS Canada.

QF 2-pounder Mk VIII Gun on Single Mounting from HMCS Kamloops.

Ordnance QF 40-mm Bofors L/60 gun in Mk VC Boffin Mounting.

(Author Photo)

Ordnance QF 40-mm Bofors AA Gun Mk XI in Twin RP50 Mk IV Mounting.

BL 4-inch Gun Mk XXI, on High Angle Mk XXIV Single Mounting.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950949)

HMCS Prince Robert gun crew serving their BL 4-inch Mk XVI guns, c1942-1945.

(Author Photos)

BL 4-inch Gun Mk XVI, on Mk XIX Twin High Angle Mounting, 1942, from HMCS Victoriaville.

Squid Anti-submarine Mortar Mk IV.

FMC 3-inch/50 Twin Gun Mk 33, HMCS Qu’Appelle McKenzie class destroyer.

Canadian Naval Reserve Units (preserved RCN Guns)

Vancouver, HMCS Discovery

QF 6-pounder 7-cwt Hotchkiss Guns (Serial Nos. TBC), Montreal, 1941-42, mounted on Vickers and Sons and Maxim 8-pound 1901 stand.  Alberni Street.

Victoria, HMCS Malahat

Ordnance QF 12-pounder 8-cwt Naval Landing Gun (Serial No. 1213), weight 8-0-0, and Limber.  20 Huron Street.

The Naval Landing Guns found in Canada probably originated on early ships of the Royal Canadian Navy, such as HMCS Niobe, HMCS Aurora, HMCS Rainbow and others.

Calgary, HMCS Tecumseh

Ordnance QF 12-pounder 8-cwt Naval Landing Gun, mounted on a wooden wheeled carriage, (Serial No. 1034), 1899, weight 8-0-0 (896 lbs), carriage (Serial No. 94), 1899, and Limber (Serial No. 9936).  Queen Victoria cypher.  This gun has a breech screw for a 12-pounder 12-cwt NLG, (Serial No. 111), 1917.  Several of the photos of the breech screw seem to have “12-pr 12-cwt A & 8-cwt” on them.  This suggests that the breech screw was common to the two guns.  Both were ship’s guns and this would have simplified spare parts.  The Naval Landing Guns found in Canada probably originated on early ships of the Royal Canadian Navy, such as HMCS Niobe, HMCS Aurora, HMCS Rainbow and others.

USN 5-inch Gun Mk 38, Mod 6, (Serial No. 13256), NSN L9999-1941-44124, Carriage (Serial No. 7313), Training Gear (Serial No. 4399).  1820-24 Street SW.

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 Carriers HMCS Nabob and HMCS Puncherin the RCN.  The gun stands in the Northwest corner inside the security fence facing the Municipal Airport.

(Author Photos)

HMCS Nonsuch, 5-inch Naval Gun, Edmonton, Alberta.

Regina, HMCS Queen

Possible gun used for gun run drills, TBC.  100 Navy Way.

Saskatoon, HMCS Unicorn, Naval Reserve, 405-24 St E.

(PO1 Warren Noble Photo)

QF 4-inch Gun Mk XVI in a Mk XIX twin mount, mount (Serial No. 146).  405-24 St E.

Ordnance QF 12-pounder 8-cwt Naval Landing Gun, mounted on a wooden wheeled carriage, (Serial No. 1210), 1899, weight 8-0-0 (896 lbs), and Limber (Serial No. 9936).

Winnipeg, HMCS Chippewa

Ordnance QF 12-pounder 8-cwt Naval Landing Gun, mounted on a wooden wheeled carriage, (Serial No. 71), 1898, weight 7-3-10 (878 lbs), and Limber (Serial No.).  1 Navy Way.

Hamilton, HMCS Star

Russian SBML 36-pounder Gun, by Armstrong at Alexandrovski, with double-headed Eagle, Crimean War trophy.  6.75-inch gun, stamped Armstrong 1837 J68 ½, (Serial No. 25457).  Captured at Sevastopol in 1855, given to Hamilton by Queen Victoria in 1860.  The Hamilton and District Officers’ Institute mounted the gun as a centennial project in 1967.  This gun is now mounted at HMCS Star.

Ordnance QF 12-pounder 8-cwt Naval Landing Gun, ca. 1903.  Used by the Hamilton Sea Cadet Corps for the last 90 years or so.

Kingston, HMCS Cataraqui

18th Century SBML Gun, HMS Princess Charlotte, 1812, inside the drill hall.  650 Catherine St North.  24 Navy Way.

London, HMCS Prevost

Ordnance QF 3-inch/50 Twin Gun M33 turret, HMCS Fraser.  19 Becher Street.

Ottawa, HMCS Carleton

Blomefield 9-pounder SBML replica guns (two), mounted on wood naval carriages.  79 Prince of Wales Drive.

Thunder Bay, HMCS Griffon

QF 4-inch Gun Mk XVI in a Mk XIX twin mount, 125 North Algoma Street.

Ordnance QF 3-inch/40 (12-pounder) Gun Mk V HA, 125 North Algoma Street.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3396602)

Naval ratings firing a 4-inch gun aboard a Flower class Corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy during working-up exercises off Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1943.

Toronto, HMCS York

(Curtis Kostin Photo)

Twin 4-inch Mk XIX Mounting R.P. 50/51 series guns in a naval gun turret, Adm. No. 541.

Ordnance QF 12-pounder 8-cwt Naval Landing Gun.  659 Lakeshore Blvd West.

Windsor, HMCS Hunter

Possible gun used in gun drills, TBC.  960 Ouellette Ave.

Montréal, HMCS Donnacona

(LCdr Geoff Hamilton Photo)

SBML 1-pounder brass gun mounted on a wooden naval gun carriage, 2-inch bore (a 1.9-inch ball is 1 lb).  This gun is most likely a presentation replica, and is on display inside the ship’s drill hall.  3525 St-Jacques Street.

Québec City, HMCS Montcalm

Ordnance QF 40-mm Bofors AA Guns.  CFFS (Q) has four of these guns, all used for training.  One is on HMCS Montcalm’s parade square for students to practice gun drills, one is in a training simulator (FATS) at 170 Dalhousie Street, and two are operational and used on a range at CFB Valcartier.  All RCN Kingston Class vessels continue to operate the QF 40-mm Bofors AA Gun.

Rimouski, HMCS D’Iberville

No guns at present.  84, Montée Industrielle et commerciale.

Saguenay, HMCS Champlain

Possible gun used for gun drills, TBC.

Sept-Îles, HMCS Joliet                    

Possible gun on order, TBC.  366, Rue Arnaud.

Trois-Rivières, HMCS Radisson

(PO2 J.L.C. Primeau Photo)

QF BL 4-inch Guns on naval mounting (two) in front of the Naval Reserve HQ.  1000, Île Saint-Christophe.

Charlottetown, HMCS Queen Charlotte

(Author Photo)

Blomefield SBML 32-pounder Gun, weight 47-3-4 (5,352 lbs), Walker & Co., 6, K ing George III cypher, 210 Water Street at Haviland Street.

(Author Photo)

Millar RML 32-pounder Gun, weight 58-2-0 (6,552 lbs), 1854, King George III cypher, 210 Water Street at Haviland Street.

Halifax, HMCS Scotian

(Author Photo)

Bronze Lyle Smoothbore Muzzleloading Gun (2.5-inch bore), AO CO, No. 440, 190, FEH on the muzzle, blank on the left trunnion, US LSS on the right trunnion.

This Lyle type gun was used to fire life lines from ship or shore.  Light-weight rope was shot out to a wreck after it had been carefully wound on a rope-board so it would uncoil without snagging. The crews would then use this rope to haul out the heavier lines which actually carried the breeches buoy. The survivors would brought ashore or to the tugboat in a breeches buoy, which was a pair of canvas pants sewed onto a life-preserver.  These line guns are used primarily for shore based rescue operations.  The shooter would fire, aiming over the victims head and then pull the line within reach of the victim.  They are also useful for rescuing victims that have fallen through the ice, or are stranded on a cliff or burning building.  Boats in distress need larger lines.  Lyle guns were designed to throw projectiles weighing approximately 15 pounds, carrying heavier rope over 1000 feet.  Getting this equipment close to a wreck would have been difficult, given the likelihood the conditions that caused the wreck would still have been present.  It is mounted on a wood naval gun carriage, inside the ship.

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

(Able Seaman Brittany Hayes Photo, HMCS Cabot)

QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss Gun, inside the main entrance to the ship.  This gun was used on board HMS Calypso.

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