24 Pounder Field Howitzers - New Westminster
|
The Seymour Battery of Garrison Artillery were equipped with two of these howitzers. They are currently mounted in front of the New Westminster City Hall. They are brass, smooth-bore, muzzle loading 24 pounders on wheeled, field carriages. These howitzers, with their five foot barrels, were already of an old design when received in 1867 and rapid technical advances in gunnery soon made them outmoded.
Vancouver Defended, Peter N Moogk/ with kind corrections from Mr Doug Knight |
The Seymour Battery of Garrison Artillery at "The Battery" southeast of Albert Crescent in New Westminster, ca 1878-1886. City of Vancouver Archives
|
|
The two guns were restored by The Royal Westminster Regiment Historical Society in 2004 with assistance from major sponsors, the City of New Westminster and the Millennium Committee.
|
Unfortunately, the wet weather of the West Coast has significantly damaged the two gun carriages and they are now in need of another significant restoration.
Artillery Day 2017
Number 1 Gun right hand wheel has started to rot.
Number 1 Gun right hand wheel has started to rot.
January 2019
Harold Skaarup updated his website, http://silverhawkauthor.com/, with the following photos
Harold Skaarup updated his website, http://silverhawkauthor.com/, with the following photos
Bronze 24-pounder 12-cwt Smoothbore Muzzleloading Howitzer, weight 12-2-24 (1,424 lbs), 1858 on the left trunnion, Serial No. DCCXV (615), on the right trunnion, Queen Victoria (1837 to 1901) cypher, 4858 with broad arrow on the barrel, F.M. EARDLEY-WILMOT above the cascabel. Mounted on a wheeled carriage, No. 1 of 2 on display in front of City Hall. silverhawkauthor.com
Bronze 24-pounder 12-cwt Smoothbore Muzzle-loading Howitzer, weight 12-2-12 (1,412 lbs), 1859 on the left trunnion, Q9, Serial No. CCCXI (311) on the right trunnion, Queen Victoria cypher, 4858 with broad arrow on the barrel, F.M. EARDLEY-WILMOT above the cascabel. Mounted on a wheeled carriage, No. 2 of 2 on display in front of City Hall.
December 2020
Condition as of December 2020. Significant rot in carriages is now evident and absorbing additional moisture.
Condition as of December 2020. Significant rot in carriages is now evident and absorbing additional moisture.
Technical Information
|
British Smooth-bore Artillery: A Technological Study to Support Identification, Acquisition, Restoration, Reproduction, and Interpretation of Artillery at National Historic Parks in Canada
David McConnell The complete document is available as a pdf on our reference page. |
|
|
Rebuilding a Howitzer
Tony Walsh, official cannon maker for the Canadian Government and his daughter, Sheila Zieman have written about the construction of a carriage and wheels for a 24 pdr bronze Howitzer owned by Fort Saint-Jean, Quebec. |
| ||
|
Fort St-Jean Museum 24-Pdr restoration project
CWO (ret’d) Normand Roberge provides his story on the restoration of the Fort St-Jean Howitzer. |
| ||
Fort Henry 24 pdr Howitzers
Doug Knight, author of Guns of the Regiment, has provided some photos of the Fort Henry howitzers. He advises that, "The carriage looks like a reproduction, so St Lawrence Parks may have the plans. AFAIK, the War Museum has no plans for the SBML howitzers. " Doug Knight has also provided an excerpt from his book regarding the 24 pounder.
Doug Knight, author of Guns of the Regiment, has provided some photos of the Fort Henry howitzers. He advises that, "The carriage looks like a reproduction, so St Lawrence Parks may have the plans. AFAIK, the War Museum has no plans for the SBML howitzers. " Doug Knight has also provided an excerpt from his book regarding the 24 pounder.
Possible Solutions
It has been suggested that the guns should be protected from the elements via an overhead cover, complete enclosure or relocation to an indoor exhibition space. Unfortunately, these solutions would also restrict their visibility to the public.
Another solution is to examine other materials to use in a restoration of the carriages. What type of wood was used in the 2004 restoration? Would oak (or another wood) stand up better in the west coast climate? Is there a plastic or rubber material that could replace the wooden carriages?
Could the guns undergo a total restoration so that a group of reenactors with horses could take on the challenge of maintaining the guns, towing them in parades and storing the guns in front of City Hall only during summer periods? During winter they would be stored undercover elsewhere.
The following groups have now started discussion regarding the plight of the guns:
|
15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
The Royal Westminster Regiment Vancouver Artillery Association The Royal Westminster Regiment Association |
The 15th Field Artillery Regiment Museum & Archives
The Royal Westminster Regiment Historical Society Matross Detachment |