Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery (Fr: le Régiment royal de l'Artillerie canadienne) is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Forces (CF).

History
Many of the units and batteries of The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery are older than the Dominion of Canada itself. The first artillery company in Canada was formed in the province of Quebec in 1750.

Volunteer Canadian artillery batteries existed before 1855 but their history is mostly unknown. Seven batteries of artillery were formed after the passage of the Militia Act of 1855 which allowed Canada to retain a paid military force of 5,000 men. One of the pre-1855 volunteer batteries formed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1793 was called the “Loyal Company of Artillery” and exists today as the 3rd Field Regiment, RCA.

After Confederation
On 20 October 1871, the first regular Canadian army units were created, in the form of two batteries of garrison artillery; thus, that date is considered the regiment's birthday. A Battery in Kingston, Ontario and B Battery in Quebec City, Quebec were to become gunnery schools and perform garrison duties in their respective towns. They are still active today as part of the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.

The Royal Canadian Artillery has participated in every major conflict in Canada's history.

World War I
The Canadian Artillery and the Garrison Artillery were the designations of the Non-Permanent Active Militia as of 1 Jan 1914. The Canadian Artillery and the Garrison Artillery were collectively redesignated the Royal Canadian Artillery on 3 Jun 1935.

By November 1918, the 1st Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:


 * 1st Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 1st Field Battery
 * 3rd Field Battery
 * 4th Field Battery
 * 2nd Howitzer Battery


 * 2nd Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 5th Field Battery
 * 6th Field Battery
 * 7th Field Battery
 * 48th Howitzer Battery
 * 1st Division Ammunition Column

By November 1918, the 2nd Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:


 * 5th Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 17th Field Battery
 * 18th Field Battery
 * 20th Field Battery
 * 23rd Howitzer Battery


 * 6th Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 15th Field Battery
 * 16th Field Battery
 * 25th Field Battery
 * 22nd Howitzer Battery
 * 2nd Division Ammunition Column

By November 1918, the 3rd Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:


 * 9th Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 31st Field Battery
 * 33rd Field Battery
 * 45th Field Battery
 * 36th Howitzer Battery


 * 10th Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 38th Field Battery
 * 39th Field Battery
 * 40th Field Battery
 * 35th Howitzer Battery
 * 3rd Division Ammunition Column

By November 1918, the 4th Canadian Division had expanded to the following artillery units:


 * 3rd Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 10th Field Battery
 * 11th Field Battery
 * 12th Field Battery
 * 9th Howitzer Battery


 * 4th Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 13th Field Battery
 * 19th Field Battery
 * 27th Field Battery
 * 21st Howitzer Battery
 * 4th Division Ammunition Column

Canadian Corps Troops - Corps Heavy Artillery
 * 1st Brigade, C.G.A.
 * 1st Siege Battery
 * 3rd Siege Battery
 * 7th Siege Battery
 * 9th Siege Battery


 * 2nd Brigade, C.G.A.
 * 1st Heavy Battery
 * 2nd Heavy Battery
 * 2nd Siege Battery
 * 4th Siege Battery
 * 5th Siege Battery
 * 6th Siege Battery


 * 3rd Brigade, C.G.A.
 * 8th Siege Battery
 * 10th Siege Battery
 * 11th Siege Battery
 * 12th Siege Battery

5th Divisional Artillery
 * 13th Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 52nd Field Battery
 * 53rd Field Battery
 * 55th Field Battery
 * 51st Howitzer Battery


 * 14th Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 60th Field Battery
 * 61st Field Battery
 * 66th Field Battery
 * 58th Howitzer Battery
 * 5th Division Ammunition Column

Army Service Corps - 5th Divisional Artillery Motor Transport Detachment

Canadian Cavalry Brigade - Artillery - Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Brigade

Army Troops - Attached to the British Expeditionary Force - Artillery
 * 8th Army Brigade, C.F.A.
 * 24th Field Battery
 * 30th Field Battery
 * 32nd Field Battery
 * 43rd Howitzer Battery
 * 8th Army Brigade Ammunition Column
 * "E" Anti-Aircraft Battery

World War II
The R.C.H.A. and R.C.A. expanded tremendously during the war to contribute the following units to the European theater:
 * 1st Canadian Infantry Division
 * 1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
 * 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * 3rd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * 1st Anti-Tank Regiment
 * 2nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
 * 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
 * 4th Field Regiment
 * 5th Field Regiment
 * 6th Field Regiment
 * 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment
 * 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment




 * 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
 * 12th Field Regiment
 * 13th Field Regiment
 * 14th Field Regiment
 * 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment
 * 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
 * 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
 * 15th Field Regiment
 * 23rd Field Regiment (Self-Propelled)
 * 5th Anti-Tank Regiment
 * 8th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
 * 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division
 * 17th Field Regiment
 * 8th Field Regiment (Self-Propelled)
 * 4th Anti-Tank Regiment
 * 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
 * I Canadian Corps Troops
 * 7th Anti-Tank Regiment R.C.A.
 * 1st Survey Regiment R.C.A.
 * II Canadian Corps Troops
 * 6th Anti-Tank Regiment R.C.A.
 * 2nd Survey Regiment R.C.A.
 * 6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.C.A.
 * First Canadian Army Troops
 * No. 1 Army Group R.C.A.
 * 11th Army Field Regiment
 * 1st Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * 2nd Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * 5th Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * No. 2 Army Group R.C.A.
 * 19th Army Field Regiment
 * 3rd Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * 4th Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * 7th Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery

Coastal defences Pacific coast
The RCA was also responsible for the defence of Canada on both the west and east coasts. In 1936 a review was done by Major Treatt of the Royal Artillery of the existing defences and potential sites for new forts. Efforts to improve the existing fortifications and build new ones were well underway by 1939.

There were approximately 10 armed forts and gun positions established along the Pacific west coast. The ones in the Strait of Juan de Fuca were integrated with the U.S. coastal defences. As the war progressed and the threat of attack diminished, the forts were gradually drawn down and demobilised. The last active coastal defence fort on the west coast, Ft Rodd Hill, was deactivated in 1958.

A list of forts and gun positions on the west coast section

 * Albert head
 * Barrett point, Prince Rupert, three-gun fort
 * Duntze Head
 * First Narrows Gantry 49°19′06″N 123°08′11″W. Two 12pdr QF guns. Demolished in the 1970s nothing remaining
 * Fort Rodd Hill
 * McCaulay Point 48°25′05″N 123°24′33″W  three-gun fort dating back to 1895
 * Mary Hill
 * Pt Grey [5] 49°16′10″N 123°15′35″W. Three 6-inch guns and director tower, now the Museum of Anthropology, although one gun position and tunnel entrances remain.
 * Signal Hill (Needs Restoration)
 * Steveston. One 18pdr, later replaced by two 25pdr field guns
 * Stanley Park, Ferguson Point 49°18′03″N 123°09′28″WCoordinates:  49°18′03″N 123°09′28″W
 * Yorke Island coastal defence fort 50°26′57″N 125°58′35″WCoordinates:  50°26′57″N 125°58′35″

Cold War
The Regular and Reserve components of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Royal Canadian Artillery and Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery were collectively redesignated the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery on 29 Oct 1956.

Units of The Royal Canadian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is composed of both regular and reserve (militia) forces. The regular force component is composed of five units, four of which are front line operation units; of these, three are field artillery regiments while the fourth is a low level air defence unit. The fifth regular unit is the Royal Canadian Artillery School. Additionally, while the three field artillery regiments are on the RCA's order of battle, they are addressed as elements of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.

Regular Force

 * 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
 * "A" Battery
 * "B" Battery
 * "C" Battery
 * "Z" Battery
 * Headquarters and Services Battery
 * 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
 * "D" Battery
 * "E" Battery
 * "F" Battery
 * "Y" Battery
 * Headquarters and Services Battery
 * 4th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
 * 119th Battery
 * 128th Battery
 * (Presently under review with a possible tasking amendment to the 4th General Support Regiment of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery in the near future)
 * 5e Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada
 * Batterie "X"
 * Batterie "Q"
 * Batterie "R"
 * Batterie "V"
 * Batterie de Commandement et Services
 * The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School
 * 45th Depot (Fire Support) Battery
 * 67th Depot Battery
 * Maintenance Training Battery
 * Headquarters Battery
 * "W" Battery (Formerly of the presently stood-down 4th Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery)

Regiments

 * 1st (Halifax-Dartmouth) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Halifax)
 * 51st Field Battery, RCA
 * 87th Field Battery, RCA
 * 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Montreal)
 * 7th Field Battery, RCA
 * 50th Field Battery, RCA
 * 66th Field Battery, RCA
 * 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Saint John, New Brunswick)
 * 89th Field Battery, RCA
 * 115th Field Battery, RCA (The Loyal Company)
 * 5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Victoria, British Columbia)
 * 55th Field Battery, RCA
 * 56th Field Battery, RCA
 * 6th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Lévis, Quebec)
 * 57th Field Battery, RCA
 * 59th Field Battery, RCA
 * 58th Air Defence Battery, RCA
 * 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA
 * 9th Field Battery, RCA
 * 15th Field Battery, RCA
 * 130th Field Battery, RCA
 * 10th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
 * 18th Field Battery, RCA (Regina, Saskatchewan)
 * 64th Field Battery, RCA (Yorkton, Saskatchewan)
 * 11th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Guelph, Ontario)
 * 11th Field Battery (Hamilton-Wentworth), RCA
 * 16th Field Battery, RCA
 * 29th Field Battery, RCA
 * 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Vancouver, British Columbia)
 * 31st Field Battery, RCA
 * 68th Field Battery, RCA
 * 20th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
 * 61st Field Battery, RCA (Edmonton, Alberta)
 * 78th Field Battery, RCA (Red Deer, Alberta)
 * 26th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
 * 13th Field Battery, RCA (Portage la Prairie, Manitoba)
 * 71st Field Battery, RCA (Brandon, Manitoba)
 * 30th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Ottawa)
 * 1st Field Battery, RCA
 * 2nd Field Battery, RCA
 * 42nd Field Artillery Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA (Pembroke, Ontario)
 * 89th Field Battery, RCA
 * 109th Field Battery, RCA
 * 49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)
 * 30th Field Battery, RCA
 * 148th Field Battery, RCA
 * 56th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Brantford, Ontario)
 * 10th Field Battery, RCA
 * 54th Field Battery, RCA
 * 69th Field battery, RCA
 * 62nd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Shawinigan, Quebec)
 * 81st Field Battery, RCA
 * 185th Field Battery, RCA

Independent batteries

 * 20th Independent Field Battery, RCA (Lethbridge, AB)
 * 84th Independent Field Battery, RCA (Yarmouth, Nova Scotia)
 * 116th Independent Field Battery, RCA (Kenora, Ontario)

Since spring 2005, 10th Field Regiment, 26th Field Regiment and 116th Independent Field Battery have been grouped together as 38 Canadian Brigade Group's (38 CBG) Artillery Tactical Group (ATG).

Other units

 * The Royal Canadian Artillery Band

Order of precedence
RCHA on parade with guns:

RCHA on dismounted parades:

RCA units:

Note: The honour of "The Right of the Line" (precedence over other units), on an army parade, is held by the units of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery when on parade with their guns. On dismounted parades, RCHA units take precedence over all other land force units except formed bodies of Officer Cadets of the Royal Military College of Canada representing their college. RCA units parade to the left of units of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. The Royal Canadian Artillery does not carry colours. Its guns are its colours and are saluted on parade.

Affiliations

 * 🇬🇧 - Royal Regiment of Artillery
 * 🇦🇺 - Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery
 * 🇳🇿 - Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery

Royal Canadian Artillery Museum
As the principal Artillery Museum in Canada, the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum presents, acquires, preserves, researches and interprets the contributions of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and the Canadian Military to the heritage of Canada. The museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, OMMC and Virtual Museum of Canada.

Recognition
The Freedom of the City was exercised by the 5th. (B.C.) Field Battery, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery in Victoria, British Columbia on November 4, 1979.

Popular culture
The Royal Canadian Artillery is playable force featured heavily in the video game Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts.

Secondary References

 * Barnes, Leslie Canada's Guns; an Illustrated History of Artillery Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, 1979.
 * Camp, A. D. "7th Toronto Regiment, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, 1866-1966" (Toronto: s.n., 1966)
 * Jackson, Harold McGill "The Royal Regiment of Artillery, Ottawa, 1855-1952; a history" (Ottawa 1952)
 * Macdonald, Reginald James "The history of the dress of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, 1625-1897" (London : H. Sotheran, 1899)
 * Mitchell, George Duncan with B. A. Reid and W. Simcock, RCHA - Right of the Line: An Anecdotal History of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery from 1871 RCHA History Committee, Ottawa, 1986.
 * Nicholson, G. W. L. The Gunners of Canada; the History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1967-72.
 * "11th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery : Canada's oldest artillery regiment." (Guelph, Ont. : The Regiment], 1966.
 * "Presence of the Royal Artillery regiment at Quebec from 1759 to 1871" (Canada. Dept. of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. National Historic Parks and Sites Br. National government publication 1978.)