Wow, we've collected so many names of former members that I've broken some of the webpages! It turns out that each page only has a certain capacity. 500+ names with textual histories and some pictures is too much for it to handle. It starts slowing down and makes it impossible to add an additional name. The solution is to restrict each page to 100 names. Which means more pages per each letter. I've already done A,B, C. Comments on the new format? Suggestions for improvement? Care to volunteer to do a letter? president.vcrgunners@gmail.com Exercise Mercury Thunder II
A couple of the Gunners helped out 39 Signal Regiment by acting as injured civilians in an earthquake scenario. Thanks for helping the Jimmies, Gunner Maxwell Massicotte and Gunner Jennifer Wong Chris Macpherson, the grandson of Sergeant George Spanks, was also kind enough to scan a couple of other group photos that we had hanging on the walls in the Museum. The following photo of Headquarters 15th (Vancouver) Coast Brigade RCA AF was taken in front of the Bessborough Armoury. Unfortunately, we do not have many of the names of the soldiers in the photo. Would you like to see if you can match them up with other photos on our website? The photo and names are posted on our 1940 page.
Recently discovered member of 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Garrison Artillery has quite a famous history. Lewis Craven Ord Dies in England Noted Canadian Industrial Consultant and Writer Was Born in Toronto Lewis Craven Ord, Canadian industrial consultant in England and noted broadcaster, lecturer and writer on economics, died in England June 22, according to word received here yesterday. he was 71. Associated with the Canadian Pacific Railway for 20 years, he served as superintendent of the Angus Car Shops before going overseas with the 1st Canadian Siege Battery in the First World War. He was in command of the 5th Siege Battery and later the 10th Siege Battery, and served also as acting commander of the 3rd Canadian Heavy Siege Brigade. After the war, Mr Ord went to England as a consulting engineer and became works manager of Cromwell Laird and Company., Nottingham and later managing director Wm. Beardmore and Company, Glasgow and London. The Gazette, Montreal 2 Jul 1952 Chris Macpherson, the grandson of Sergeant George Spanks, provided us with a photo of 31st Heavy Battery from 1939 that was taken when his grandfather was a member of the unit. While he toured the Regimental Museum he found a photo of the 31st Battery in 1941 when his grandfather was now a Sergeant. Wanting to add to his family history he took away the photo and had it scanned. A bonus to the excitement of finding his father in the photo was the fact that we had totally overlooked that all the names of the soldiers were written on the back of the photo. We are now in the process of updating the nominal roll with this latest information. It currently sits at 4,266 names of members that have served with the Vancouver Gunners. Thanks for the help Chris! 31st Heavy Battery RCA CASF
Rear Row - Watson, Bowden, Hughes, Frost, F.R. Wilson, A. Wilson, Reeves, Dodgshon, T. MDermott, Allison, Ralph Worseley, King, Thompson, Page, Weeks, Mokey, Palmer, Thomson, Ford, Armstrong. 3rd Row - Waterfall, Burnett, J. Fletcher, LBdr Hickman, Common, LBdr Martin, Daltin, Henderson, Harris, Sullivan, Holmes, Billodeau, Vlerk, McKee, McDonald, Gnr Ronald Clare Underhill, Thys, Thys, Lees, Vanfast, Fry, Burton, Kewley, Kendall, John Zawadsky. 2nd Row - Bdr Huff, Sgt Cartmell, Sgt George Spanks, Sgt Williams, Crosfield, Tom Pakenham, 2Lt Clayton, Capt Edward Allen Royce, Maj Fred W. Guernsey, Lt Karl Stewart Auer, Lt A.G. MacDougall, 2Lt Richard Diespecker, Sgt Smith, Martin, Sgt F. Mangles, Bdr Gilbert Liversidge, Robinson,. Front Row - Burnett, W.Foot, Caverley, Fehr Jr, Campbell, Hutchison, Thomson, H. Snelgrove, Arnold, Maclean, O'Neill, Unknown Dog, LBdr C. O'Neill, J. Fehr Sr, Bdr Peace, John Edward Vallilee, B. Murray, LBdr Bartlett, Berry Aerial Delivery Basic Course
Master Bombardier Donato Calogero is awarded Top Candidate on the Regular Force course. I've just discovered the first 15th Field Artillery Regiment connection to D-Day! Captain James Whittles landed on Juno Beach on 6 June 1944. He would join 15th Field Artillery Regiment in 1949.
Regimental Wedding
Lieutenant Frank Mankin married Elsie Lawson on 12 November 1954 with the Officers providing a wedding arch. Quite the mob of subalterns were on hand! Captain Norm Bushell, Lieutenants Don Hendrys, Harold Cross, Ed Parker and Second Lieutenants Les Strike, Mike Ellis, Al Robertson and Barrie Clemons. The updated War Diary for the 5th Canadian Siege Battery is now on line in our reference page. Additional maps will be added in the future but the written words speak volumes for Gunners as you follow the battery through France and Belgium. There is some nomenclature that I have yet to find a definition, "120 Rounds being fired with aeroplane observation, obtaining 6Y’s, 10Z’s, 10A’s," Any guesses on what a Y is? email me at president.vcrgunners@gmail.com
How well do you remember your Regimental Sergeant Major? Your Commanding Officer? We've put together a compilation of their military history which is now displayed in the hallways by the Messes. Did we get all the facts correct? Are there any additions or deletions required? Contact me at president.vcrgunners@gmail.com with any changes.
|
Archives
April 2024
|