Brass Cannons - The BFG
The Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess were the proud owners of a large brass cannon known as the BFG that was loaded with black powder and fired during celebratory occasions. The origins of the BFG and how it came to be in the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess are not known. The four photos below appear to have been taken after the Remembrance Day salute in 1973. Evidence in support of this date is that the members are mostly dressed in Battle Dress although RSM Cormier and Sergeant Kasper are wearing the new CF Greens. Sergeant Allen, Gunners Burkett, Stewart, Loney and Norris are in attendance and can also be found in the photos from the salute.
On 1 July 1974 the BFG suffered a severe, catastrophic failure. Either by overloading or the use of non-standard powder (smokeless?) the BFG disintegrated into hundreds of brass pieces. Several pieces pierced the roof and landed in the Safeway parking lot a block away. The mesh grating on the Junior Ranks Mess windows were bent, an indentation was made in the paved parade square and the walls of the armoury by the ktchen area was pockmarked by brass shards. Only one injury was reported, Gunner CI Young's instep was hit by a piece of brass. The issue parade boot was strong enough to stop the brass so there was only bruising. Dust was still falling from the rafters when the fire department showed up to turn off the alarms. The Orderly Officer had rushed down from the Mess to greet the fire department at the front door and had not noticed the stunned Gunners on the Parade Square. Unfortunately, we have no photos of the event.
In 1981, then Master Warrant Officer Richard Van Slyke presented the RSM, CWO Friedsam with a plaque for the Mess to remember the event.
Sadly, in 2015, the BFG plaque went missing. The following email was distributed:
Sir, RSM, members of the Regiment
Last month between 12 and 26 March it is believed, the BFG (Big Fabulous Gun) was removed from the east wall of the WO + Sergeants' Mess.
For those of us who have been in the mess awhile, the loss of the BFG has been particularly disappointing. It really is one of our mess's great stories.
The BFG is in the attached picture. It is indicated with a white arrow on the left of the picture above the trophy case. It is the muzzle of a black powder naval gun that blew up on Canada Day in 1973 as it was fired. Sergeant Van Slyke, at the time, made the donation of the muzzle mounted on a wooden plaque with a brass plate above and below.
It has very little value, even for metal recyclers. It DOES have important meaning to those who witnessed it as it blew up and disappeared, for old guests that visit the mess from time to time and of course to Capt Van Slyke who donated it.
I believe that it did not meet with foul play but was taken off the wall to show as someone was telling the tale and then left in the building somewhere.
All the mess/unit wants is to have it back with no questions asked.
Any information is helpful and can be slipped under my door room 126. Feel free to use your left hand and a crayon to write it unless you're left handed then use your right.
Hopefully this will come to a positive resolution for all.
UBIQUE
Sgt Calogero
PS In the old days, the 'F' in BFG used to stand for something else.
Sir, RSM, members of the Regiment
Last month between 12 and 26 March it is believed, the BFG (Big Fabulous Gun) was removed from the east wall of the WO + Sergeants' Mess.
For those of us who have been in the mess awhile, the loss of the BFG has been particularly disappointing. It really is one of our mess's great stories.
The BFG is in the attached picture. It is indicated with a white arrow on the left of the picture above the trophy case. It is the muzzle of a black powder naval gun that blew up on Canada Day in 1973 as it was fired. Sergeant Van Slyke, at the time, made the donation of the muzzle mounted on a wooden plaque with a brass plate above and below.
It has very little value, even for metal recyclers. It DOES have important meaning to those who witnessed it as it blew up and disappeared, for old guests that visit the mess from time to time and of course to Capt Van Slyke who donated it.
I believe that it did not meet with foul play but was taken off the wall to show as someone was telling the tale and then left in the building somewhere.
All the mess/unit wants is to have it back with no questions asked.
Any information is helpful and can be slipped under my door room 126. Feel free to use your left hand and a crayon to write it unless you're left handed then use your right.
Hopefully this will come to a positive resolution for all.
UBIQUE
Sgt Calogero
PS In the old days, the 'F' in BFG used to stand for something else.
As this website was being developed we came across more of the BFG story. It was originally donated to the 102nd Coast Regiment by Honorary Colonel Tom Ingledow. A Vancouver Daily Province showed the Honorary Colonel presenting a pair of brass cannons to Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Manson of 102nd Coast Regiment RCA. A pair! Where did the other gune go to? Was one donated to the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess while the second was donated to the Officers' Mess when the 102nd Coast Regiment, RCA was amalgamated with the 43rd Heavy Anti- Aircraft Regiment, RCA on 31 December 1954?
Sixty years is a long time to trace the missing twin. Very few pictures have been found of either of the two brass cannons. Only one other series of photos have been found of the two together. In 1957 the 43rd Medium Anti-Aircraft Regiment dined out at the Hotel Vancouver. In attendance were the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Graham Blythe, Honorary Colonel Thomas Ingledow, Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel F.B. Brown, the former Lieutenant-Governor Clarence Wallace, Mayor Fred Hume, Mayor Charles Cate and Chief Constable Gorge Archer. It appears that the guns were retained by the unit as it transformed from Coast to Anti-Aircraft.
There was still no explanation of how the BFG ended up in the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess nor where it's twin was residing. That is until the last week of September 2023 when the following email was received:
My father, Horace Peck, was the Commanding Officer of the 102nd Coast Regiment, RCA from 1952 - 1954. As I am sure you are aware, the 102nd Coast Regiment was formed and trained on the coastal guns on Vancouver Island until they were absorbed into the 43rd Medium Anti-Aircraft Regiment in 1954, which in turn was absorbed back into the 15th Field Regiment, RCA, in 1959.
I am writing to you as I have two items from the 102nd that I feel belong with the 15th Field Artillery Regiment.
Guess what the two items were!
My father, Horace Peck, was the Commanding Officer of the 102nd Coast Regiment, RCA from 1952 - 1954. As I am sure you are aware, the 102nd Coast Regiment was formed and trained on the coastal guns on Vancouver Island until they were absorbed into the 43rd Medium Anti-Aircraft Regiment in 1954, which in turn was absorbed back into the 15th Field Regiment, RCA, in 1959.
I am writing to you as I have two items from the 102nd that I feel belong with the 15th Field Artillery Regiment.
Guess what the two items were!
The twin has arrived home to Bessborough Armoury! During the Saint Barbara Special Guest Night on 2nd December 2023. It is now the property of the 15th Field Artillery Regiment Museum and Archives and will be displayed in the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess under their care and protection and with the caveat that it will not be fired unless certified safe by an accredited Institution.
Two plaques were also created from remnants of the BFG. These are to be displayed in each mess as a warning on the dangers of overloading any of the brass cannons.
Two plaques were also created from remnants of the BFG. These are to be displayed in each mess as a warning on the dangers of overloading any of the brass cannons.
