15th Field Brigade
The Royal Canadian Artillery
1938
The Royal Canadian Artillery
1938
as at 3 November 2018
Sub-units
31st Field Battery, RCA
68th Field Battery, RCA
85th Field Battery, RCA
Attached – 5th Medium Battery, RCA
Detached: 58th Field Battery RCA-Victoria; attached to 5th (British Columbia) RCGA
31st Field Battery, RCA
68th Field Battery, RCA
85th Field Battery, RCA
Attached – 5th Medium Battery, RCA
Detached: 58th Field Battery RCA-Victoria; attached to 5th (British Columbia) RCGA
Key Appointments
Regimental Headquarters
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant-Colonel Cyril G. Beeston, ED
Regimental Sergeant Major: Warrant Officer Class 1 Willard J. Purdy, EM
Honorary Colonel: Colonel William Wasbrough Foster, DSO, VD
Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel: William Culham Woodward, ED
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant-Colonel Cyril G. Beeston, ED
Regimental Sergeant Major: Warrant Officer Class 1 Willard J. Purdy, EM
Honorary Colonel: Colonel William Wasbrough Foster, DSO, VD
Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel: William Culham Woodward, ED
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Promotions and Appointments
Major Gordon Younghusband Linsey Crossley ED was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer of 15th Field Brigade, the Royal Canadian Artillery. |
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Colonel Cyril Gainsborough Beeston Retires
As reported in the Vancouver Province 23 November 1938, Colonel Beeston had a very adventurous career.
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Preparation for War
Preparation of the first coastal artillery site at Ferguson Point began in February, 1938 with The Vancouver Town Planning Commission to be the battery's first attacker. The encounter is recorded under the Daily Province banner "Beauty Takes the Count", as the City Council decided against supporting the objections of the commission. The Commission had hoped that the Department of National Defense might find a location other than Ferguson Point, on the grounds that "the selected location was a favourite beauty spot in the park" and that local authorities such as the Parks Board and City Council should be consulted in selecting the gun positions. Vancouver Defended, pg 59, Peter Moogk |
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BC Defenses Giant Fortified Triangle
Yorke Island is being fortifies with undisclosed armaments. Two six-inch naval guns will be set up on the Prospect Point Escarpment. Similar emplacements will be established also on Point Grey headland. |
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Brigadier JC Stewart convened a meeting of all the Officers of the Brigade in the Officers' Mess. He announced that the Brigade would assume a coast defence role and would be responsible for manning the Vancouver Defences. Some of those in attendance were to resent this change that condemned them to be "concrete gunners sitting on their fannies looking at the water".
Vancouver Defended, pg 59, Peter Moogk |
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On April 7th, 1938, the Brigade, with four batteries and one attached, became the 15th Coast Brigade RCA; the designation "Vancouver" was added in July. The changeover came just in time for the Brigade to prepare for its first Coast Defence Camp held in July at Fort Macaulay, Esquimalt. Officers and men were enthusiastic as they fired targets towed by HMCS Armentieres and "fountains of water churned by bursting shells provided an exciting spectacle as the Vancouver artillerymen, though new to the guns, surprised their Permanent Force instructors with their accuracy.
Vancouver Defended, pg 60, Peter Moogk
Vancouver Defended, pg 60, Peter Moogk
Macauley Point - 5 Medium Battery
Edward (Ted) Edmonds album provided photographs of an early coast artillery exercise at Point Macauley. His description of the event is somewhat different than the one described in Vancouver Defended.
"This was an experiment to see if 60 pdr guns could be used as coast defence guns. The Permanent Force had prepared positions for the guns using logs from the beach for the spade, to prevent the guns from recoiling. The first rounds shattered these and replacements had to be made. Training on Mk. I AA gun, converted from 13 pdr RHA gun, WWI vintage". See more...
Edward (Ted) Edmonds album provided photographs of an early coast artillery exercise at Point Macauley. His description of the event is somewhat different than the one described in Vancouver Defended.
"This was an experiment to see if 60 pdr guns could be used as coast defence guns. The Permanent Force had prepared positions for the guns using logs from the beach for the spade, to prevent the guns from recoiling. The first rounds shattered these and replacements had to be made. Training on Mk. I AA gun, converted from 13 pdr RHA gun, WWI vintage". See more...
Provision of coast artillery was a start. But now many were asking, where is the air defence for the city? The Daily Province posed this question in its editorial of May 31st, 1938. What preparation have we for such a contingency? Sending out Khaki uniforms and rifles for the boys (unemployed on relief in the Post office, doss house and the tin-canners in Oakalla will avail nothing. They would be as helpless against a modern bomber as the two six-inch guns in Stanley Park.
No hostile power would be so foolish as to force the Straits of Juan de Fuca in order to engage the Stanley Park battery, when it could send a sub carrying a bomber into one of the Vancouver Island west coast inlets, or let loose a squadron from a mother ship off the coast, to fly to Vancouver in an hour or so. Where is there an anti-aircraft battery on the Pacific Coast?
Vancouver Defended, pg 60, Peter Moogk
No hostile power would be so foolish as to force the Straits of Juan de Fuca in order to engage the Stanley Park battery, when it could send a sub carrying a bomber into one of the Vancouver Island west coast inlets, or let loose a squadron from a mother ship off the coast, to fly to Vancouver in an hour or so. Where is there an anti-aircraft battery on the Pacific Coast?
Vancouver Defended, pg 60, Peter Moogk
Treatt's recommendation in 1936 was promptly acted upon and soon plans were approved to arm Yorke Island. With amazing speed, work on the new battery began in late 1937. By July 1938 two Quick Firing (Q.F.) 4.7-inch guns had been mounted and test firing carried out. By no means new, these guns had been brought out from Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they had last been calibrated for wear of their barrels in April 1914! The tempo of construction and delivery of equipment, including the three searchlights necessary for night illumination of targets, limped almost to a halt as Nazi Germany now became a very real threat on the Atlantic. The guns and instruments destined for the West Coast were diverted to the Atlantic Coast forts. The provision of security and maintenance for the fort until an emergency arose was assigned to a small detachment of Permanent Force gunners from Esquimalt on a six month tour of duty.
Vancouver Defended, pg 87, Peter Moogk
Vancouver Defended, pg 87, Peter Moogk
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In the News
Armoury Fire - Apparently there are still charred wood members behind the drywall. Good thing we banned smoking in the Armoury. Indoor gun emplacement - Looking for photographs of what appears to have been a coastal defence gun mounted inside Bessborough for drill practice. Not sure why the newspaper used the term "Infantry Drill"? |
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Our "Fed Up" Militia; Unpaid, Unbooted, Unarmed!
The year before the Second World War begins and all is not well with the Canadian Army. "The militiaman gets a 1916 uniform, ready to fall to pieces, a 1917 rifle, and shoots on the rifle range (when he gets a chance, which is seldom) with 1918 ammunition" "If the government would buy boots for the men, give them carfare to drills, supply the regiment with necessary equipment...." |
Militia Updates
The local newspaper carried regular updates on the Militia units in town.
The local newspaper carried regular updates on the Militia units in town.
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Unexploded Ordnance in Vancouver
This letter refers to an event circa 1918. It does refer to the 31st Battery, 15th Field Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery and that would place it sometime between 1920 and 1925. Was it presented to the unit in 1938? Did Mr Hunt keep it in his basement for almost 20 years? What's with these shells lying in ditches at the corner of 4th Avenue and Maple in Kitsilano? Apparently others have been found as well. Possibly fired not less than 70 or 80 years ago? Also found on the small island to the west of the Howe Sound light house. Definitely a Vancouver mystery! Where were those naval practice ranges set up? |
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Ted Edmonds Collection
Additional photos with date but little description as to location or event. |
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New Year's Day Levee
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Celebrations
In the 1930's the mainland companies of the old 5th Regiment British Columbia Brigade of Garrison Artillery were remembered with nostalgia. "The boys of the old brigade" held reunions in 1937, 1938 and 1940
In the 1930's the mainland companies of the old 5th Regiment British Columbia Brigade of Garrison Artillery were remembered with nostalgia. "The boys of the old brigade" held reunions in 1937, 1938 and 1940
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5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Garrison Artillery
The annual reunion held in Montreal was reported in the Montreal Gazette, 7 November 1938. |
Lists
The following pages contain additional information relating to the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
Honours and Awards
Trophies
Commanding Officers and Regimental Sergeants Major
Honoraries
Battery Commanders and Battery Sergeants Major
Band Appointments
Nominal Roll
Guns of the Regiment
Memorial Page
The following pages contain additional information relating to the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
Honours and Awards
Trophies
Commanding Officers and Regimental Sergeants Major
Honoraries
Battery Commanders and Battery Sergeants Major
Band Appointments
Nominal Roll
Guns of the Regiment
Memorial Page