Shelldrake

The history of those who have served Canada as soldiers, both in peace and war, predates Confederation. One of Canada’s oldest and amongst the most distinguished regimental families is that of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, whose gunners and their guns have been present and active whenever needed. Over the many years since Canadian gunners fired their first shot in defence of the nation, hundreds of thousands of eager and motivated young men and women have served with pride and enthusiasm while wearing the distinctive Royal Canadian Artillery hat badge. To the members of the larger artillery community the gun is the centrepiece of a long and rich cultural tradition bearing the Royal cypher, acting much like the regimental colors of the infantry regiments as the centre piece of pride and devotion. Gunners have been expected - and have - to fight to the death to protect their guns, and when on formal parade treat them with veneration and an intense degree of symbolism that is not readily understood by those who are not members of the artillery family. When guns become old they do not always fade away. In hundreds of cases they are carefully mounted and preserved as displays and memorial symbols, a tangible link to the thousands who fought our wars and paid the ultimate price. This guidebook is an informative and detailed synopsis of some of the carefully preserved and restored field artillery guns currently on display in Canada.

Major Hal Skaarup’s book is reflective of the passion that gunners have for their guns, and his descriptions of the Canadian guns and the places of honour where they can be viewed will highlight for the interested reader that military planners have had to be continuously creative in adapting to the changes necessitated by contemporary warfare, no matter what the era. Examples include guns that predate Confederation to those that saw action as recently as Afghanistan. It is important to recognise and remember the importance of the people and equipment that defended our nation forward and were present at all of the key turning points in history. This guidebook shows where to find examples of the guns that served, and are preserved, in Canada, and may serve as a window into our past while reminding us that there is a price to pay to preserve our society and values, and gunners and their guns have always done their duty.