January 16, 2009

The HCRA and 3rd Brigade, Royal Artillery celebrated St. Barbara's Day with a bang this past December.  The dinner and reception honouring the patron saint of artillerymen was preceded by a demonstration of the Citadel's new 6-pounder Armstrong field gun.  This reproduction piece was built by Tony Walsh, a gun maker from Lanark, Ontario, who uses historic methods to create period artillery weaponry.

This rifled breech-loading field gun was invented by Sir William Armstrong and adopted by the British Royal Artillery in 1859.  It was first used during the Second Opium War in 1860 in China and was considered to be the "most modern armament of the day" (Halifax Evening Reporter, June 3, 1869).

The first Armstrong gun built for the Citadel was brought into service during the summer of 2006.  It was used during the Changing of the Guard event which commemorated the final departure of British troops from Canada in 1906.  The second gun arrived at the Citadel this past December, just in time for St. Barbara's Day.  Honourary Colonel Alec Simpson, a retired officer of the British Royal Artillery and veteran of the Second World War, fired the first shot of the evening to christen the gun.

The gun crew for the evening consisted of Bombadier Thomas Dalton, Bombadier Graeme Hill and Gunner Timothy Burns.  Other Military Interpretation Staff present for the event were Corporal John Todd Martin, Corporal Gabriel Purcell and Gunner Stephen Mosher.  Piping for the dinner was provided by Pipe Major Andrew Bruce.

Special guests in attendance were Rear-Admiral P.A. Maddison, Commander Maritime Force Atlantic; Brigadier-General D.G. Neasmith, Commander Land Force Atlantic Area and patron of the HCRA; Commander Cathy Corrigan, Fleet Administration Officer; and Lieutent Colonel Alex MacDonald, Commanding Officer, 1st Field Artillery Regiment. Alumni present included Mr. Brian Andrecyk, current President of the HCRA, in addition to Board Directors, Mr. Martin Ahern and Mr. Brian White .

The 6-pdr. Armstrong will be on display and in use at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada during the 2009 season.