Chapter XXIX: The Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery

Lord Kitchener once remarked—in reply to a question—“The Front is where a soldier is ordered to be.” In accordance with this, those men whose duties necessitated their being retained in connection with the Coast Defences, were made to abide by the decision of those responsible for the strategy of the defence of Canadian shores.

After the War, the Permanent Force, of which the R.C.G.A. form a part, are the only persons in uniform; and the imputation of not being an Overseas Unit is not a good advertisement to attract recruits. Moreover, the imputation is not only unjust, but untrue, as the following will show:

In July, 1914, relations between the British Empire and the Central Powers were very strained, and on July 30th, four days before the War was officially declared, the R.C.G.A. were ordered to man the most important forts as a precaution, since it is an axiom in naval warfare that, if possible, a surprise attack is the first and best declaration of war.

On August 5th Fortress Orders contained the following:—“War having broken out with Germany, the Halifax Defence Scheme comes into force herewith.”

On the 6th August, the 1st Regiment, C.G.A., mobilized and proceeded to the Forts to complete the manning, since the R.C.G.A. alone were too few in number completely to man more than the two largest forts.

The first portion of the annual training for the year had just been completed, and one can truthfully say that Halifax was as well able to repel a raid as any other fortress in the Empire at that period.

It was thought by most people in the early days of the War that the War would last only a few months, and the personnel of the Defences had to find accommodation where they could, until well on into the winter; for coast forts in peace time are not provided with accommodation for lengthy occupation; consequently, both officers and men had a far from comfortable time until wooden huts were constructed.

None of the Artillery Units allotted to the Fortress were for any length of time up to full strength, so that barely sufficient men were available to form the necessary reliefs for the guns.

Night and day, all through the War, from July 30th, 1914, until after the signing of the Armistice, November 11, 1919, enough men to work the guns had to be near them and alert, while on each gun was a sentry, who was relieved every hour, and whose duty was to watch seawards for the approach of any hostile craft. Not a very arduous task at first sight, but enough to make most men long to be Overseas after a few months of it.

Fortunately the Germans were not very enterprising, and considered that the presence of the Coast Defences was too great a risk to run, so that Halifax did not have to go through the horrors of a bombardment as well as the explosion, though, had the city been undefended, it would, no doubt, like several English towns, have received a few shells from time to time.

In March, 1915, the 3rd Regiment, C.G.A., from St. John, N.B., came for training, as St. John was about to be fortified, and a portion of this Unit was retained to reinforce the Units already doing duty in the Forts. In April, 1915, No. 4 Company, P.E.I., C.G.A., came for training. Some of these men had already been on duty with heavy field guns at Canso and Sydney. When trained they remained in Halifax, sending drafts Overseas from time to time, and proved themselves efficient gunners.

In June, 1915, a number of N.C.O.’s and men sailed for the Front, but all efforts of others to do so were in vain, though several N.C.O.’s and men took their fate in their own hands and stowed away on transports conveying infantry. Some of these got as far as France, but discipline had to be maintained, and all were brought back. This incident will show that the men of the R.C.G.A. did not remain in Halifax from choice.

In July, 1916, authority was at last obtained for the R.C.G.A. to form a Siege Battery, and this was quickly done; in it were some of the best N.C.O.’s and men in the Corps, and the whole Battery were of splendid physique. This Battery left for Overseas in September, 1916, under the command of Major S. A. Heward, R.C.A. It arrived in France on the 22nd March, 1917, and took part in many big fights, including Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Cambrai and Mons. Men of a Siege Battery get plenty of heavy work and little chance of heroic deeds as individuals, but the Battery has to its credit the following decorations:—Military Cross, 2; Distinguished Conduct Medal, 2; Military Medals, 16; Meritorious Service Medals, 3; while several other officers from the R.C.A. in Halifax were awarded the D.S.O. and M.C.

As soon as the Battery left for Overseas, preparations for raising another were immediately made, and those officers and men Who were unable to go in the previous one vied with each other to get a place in this, but it was not authorized, and drafts only were found as reinforcements to the one already authorized. Moreover, it was deemed advisable that certain specially trained officers and men were essential for the efficient working of the Home Defence, and these could not go, even in drafts, unless they had others to replace them.

It takes some time to make an artilleryman, particularly a garrison gunner, who is expected to know every type of gun from a light field piece to the heaviest coast defence gun, or siege howitzer, all of which form part of the armament of a coast fortress, so that, although no doubt if the War had lasted long enough all would eventually have been replaced, these men had to remain.

A number of R.C.A. officers went over in charge of drafts of the R.C.G.A. or other Units.

The 1st Regiment, C.G.A., sent over many officers and men in drafts to infantry units and to an Ammunition Column.

The P.E.I. C.G.A. Detachment also formed an Ammunition Column.

Early in 1915 the British Government decided to re-arm St. Lucia, and the Units at Halifax, with some additional personnel from Esquimalt and Quebec, were called upon to furnish men for this purpose. The first draft went in March, 1915. They had to mount the guns (some of which were of French pattern and quite strange to them), and generally organize the defences.

In the autumn of 1917 and spring of 1918 the enemy submarines raided the Atlantic coasts of the United States and Canada, and it was very essential that the important port of Sydney, N.S., should be more strongly defended, so new guns of heavier calibre were sent from Halifax and mounted there. This necessitated additional men, and drafts from Toronto and British Columbia were detailed for this purpose.

These men, some of them called under the Military Service Act, were an exceptionally good type and quickly made efficient specialists and gunners. Some were sent for training as officers and would have relieved those officers in the Forts who had been unable to get away. Unfortunately for them the Armistice was declared and hostilities ceased, so that this scheme did not materialize, though some of these men obtained probationers’ certificates.

An important branch of the R.C.G.A. in Halifax is the Royal School of Artillery (Coast Defence and Siege) and this School, the only Siege Artillery School in Canada, was responsible for the training of most of the Siege Artillery Officers and Specialists, as well as several Batteries and Drafts that went Overseas after the First Contingent.

In addition to this, a gun practice at Halifax, Sydney and St. John was carried out under the supervision of the R.S.A. Staff, while courses for officers and specialists, Coast Defence Artillery, were also given.

The establishment of Instructors was one officer and three other ranks, but as one N.C.O. Instructor was stationed at St. John, this was increased by a N.C.O. from the 1st Regiment, C.G.A. Officers from the C.G.A. were attached as assistants for varying periods.

In June, 1915, the I.G., now Lieut.-Col. W. G. Beeman, D.S.O., R.C.A., went Overseas, and in 1916 his successor, Major H. R. N. Cobbett, R.C.A., went over with No. 9 Siege Battery. In 1918 one Warrant Officer Instructor was permitted to go; he was immediately appointed Instructor at the Canadian School of Gunnery, Witley, England, and it was only with great difficulty that he managed to reach France, where he again was utilized as an Instructor.

The rest of the Staff felt most keenly the fact that they had to be retained in Canada, as their position after the War, when dealing with classes who had seen Overseas service, would not be at all enviable. It was very unfortunate that arrangements had not been made to replace them, so that they might go to the Front even for a short time, because although it is a fact that good teachers are born, not made, there is a tendency to think that anyone with long experience in the fighting line must be a good instructor.

Officers from all parts of Canada took courses at the R.S.A., and it speaks well for the training which they received that on reaching England further training, other than three weeks’ at Lydd, was considered unnecessary in most cases, and at Lydd these officers usually took first place in the examinations held there.

Many of them, who were unable to get positions in the C.E.F., were given commissions in the British Artillery, and in several cases commanded Batteries.

Owing to the smallness of Staff and limited demand for siege artillery the actual numbers trained were not as large as those in other Artillery Schools, but with small classes the training was naturally very thorough.

Among the Units trained may be mentioned:—

Coast Defence.

1st Regiment, C.G.A
3rd Regiment, C.G.A.
P.E.I., C.G.A.
Drafts from Toronto and B.C.
And 10 courses for officers and specialists lasting two months each.

Siege.

2nd Montreal H’y B’t’y.
McGill Siege B’t’y and Drafts.
3rd C.G.A. Siege B’t’y and Drafts.
Halifax (10th) B’t’y and Drafts.
And 9 courses for officers and specialists lasting two months each.

Total number trained by R.S.A., exclusive of Batteries:

Coast Defence. Siege
Officers. Men. Officers. Men.
190 301 122 258

SUMMARY OF PERSONNEL WHO WENT OVERSEAS.

R.C.G.A.
Officers. Other Ranks. Sphere of Operations.
13 288 Western Front.
60 To St. Lucia.
1 36 To C.E.F., Siberia.
8 British Mission, Siberia.
—— ———
Total 22 384

1st Regiment, C.G.A.
Officers. Other Ranks. Sphere of Operations.
48 625 Western Front and St. Lucia.

P.E.I. C.G.A.
Officers. Other Ranks. Sphere of Operations.
-3 110 Western Front.

On mobilization these units had:

Officers. O.R.
R.C.G.A. 17 336
1st Regt., C.G.A. 20 230
4 Coy., P.E.I. C.G.A. 3 72
—— ———
Total 40 638

Altogether about 80 officers and 1,500 N.C.O.’s and men of the Artillery Units (including 10th Siege Battery) stationed in Halifax were sent Overseas, and the majority of those mobilized in 1914 who did not go were unable to do so either through being specialists, over age or low category.

When it is realized that these Corps had great difficulty in obtaining recruits, owing to the fear that men would be retained for Home Service, the numbers shown are considered very creditable.