Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
Garter badge of the RCHA
Active1871–present
CountryCanada
BranchCanadian Army
TypeHorse artillery
RoleField artillery
Size3 regiments
Part of
Garrison/HQ
Motto(s)
  • Ubique (everywhere)
  • Quo fas et gloria ducunt (whither right and glory lead)
March
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Brigadier General William Henry Pferinger Elkins CB, C.B.E., DSO
AbbreviationRCHA

The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery is the name given to the regular field artillery units of the Canadian Army.

Organization

Canadian soldiers fire an M777 howitzer in Afghanistan.

The Regular Force has three RCHA regiments:

1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
this is the descendant of the original batteries of artillery formed in 1871, and is thus the senior Regular unit in the Canadian army. 1 RCHA was forward deployed in Germany as part of Canadian Forces Europe for 25 years between 1967, and the final Canadian withdrawal from Europe in 1993. Currently, this regiment is part of 3rd Canadian Division's 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.
2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
2 RCHA was formed in 1950 for service in the Korean War. 2 RCHA is part of 4th Canadian Division's 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and is located in Garrison Petawawa. It is composed of two Gun Batteries (D and E), one Surveillance and Target Acquisition Battery (F), a Forward Observation Battery (Y), and its Headquarters Battery (HQ).
5e Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada
5 RALC is the francophone element of the regular artillery, and was formed in 1968. 5 RALC is part of 2nd Canadian Division's 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. It is composed of two Gun Batteries (X and R), one Surveillance and Target Acquisition Battery (Q), a Forward Observation Battery (V), and its Headquarters Battery (C/S).[1]

History

RCHA units are the senior units of the Canadian land field force, with a history dating back to the birth of Canada as a nation. 'A' and 'B' Batteries of Garrison Artillery were formed as the first units of Canada's permanent military force in 1871 in Kingston and Quebec City respectively, with a third ('C' Battery) authorized in 1883 and formed in 1887 in Esquimalt. These bore the name of the Regiment of Canadian Artillery, with the Royal Canadian Artillery being formed as the militia element in 1895. In 1905, to distinguish between the regular force and militia, the regulars were given the title Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.[2]

In addition to the three regiments currently serving, two further regiments have served in the past prior to being disbanded:

3rd Regiment, RCHA
originally formed as 79th Field Regiment, RCA, this regiment received its name in 1953 during the reorganization of the Canadian Army as a result of Canada's NATO commitments. 3 RCHA was reduced to nil strength in 1992 following the downsizing of the Land Force, and was replaced at CFB Shilo by 1 RCHA on its return from Germany.
4th Regiment, RCHA
originally 81st Field Regiment, RCA, this regiment became part of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery at the same time as 3 RCHA in 1953. 4 RCHA was primarily stationed at CFB Petawawa until 1970 when, following the formation of 5 RALC, it was reduced to nil strength and replaced by 2 RCHA.

The Freedom of the City was exercised by the 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Kingston in 1983; 1996 and May 26, 2012.[3]

Lineage of Royal Canadian Horse Artillery units

Lineage chart[4][5][6][7][8]
1871Independent btys
1898RCA (Fd Div.)
1899Bde Div., RCA
1901DisbandedRCFA
1905RCHA
1914RCHA Bde, CEF
1920Disbanded
19391st Fd Bde, RCA, CASF
19391st Fd Regt, RCA, CASF
19411st Fd Regt, RCHA, CASF
19451st CFA Bn, RCA, CASF
19452nd/1st Fd Regt, RCHA, CASFDisbanded
194671st Regt, RCHA, CASF
194671st Regt (RCHA)
19491st Fd Regt, RCHA
19502nd Fd Regt, RCHA
19511st Regt, RCHA2nd Regt, RCHA79th Fd Regt, RCA
195281st Fd Regt, RCA
19533rd Regt, RCHA4th Regt, RCHA
19685e Régt d'artillerie légère du Canada
1970Supplementary Order of Battle
1992Reduced to nil strength

Commemorations

The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery badge (1968) by Robert McCausland Limited is a stained glass memorial to 2517 Colonel E. Geoffrey Brooks DSO OBE CD (RMC 1952), who served as the Royal Military College of Canada's staff adjutant 1948–1950 and as Director of Artillery, Royal Canadian Artillery in August 1960. He is remembered in the Geoffrey Brooks Memorial Essay Competition – 2,000 to 3,000 words on any topic of military history or specific military interest that pertains to The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. The contest (1st Prize -$500; 2nd Prize -$300; and 3rd Prize – $200) is open to all DND military (Regular and Reserve) and civilian personnel and students attending post-secondary educational institutes.[9]

Location Date Description Manufacturer Inscription Window
Sir Arthur Currie Hall, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario 1968 1 light Royal Canadian Horse Artillery badge Robert McCausland Limited
  • In memory of Colonel Edward Geoffrey Brooks DSO OBE CD 1918–1964 staff adjutant 1948–1950 by classes of 1948–52
  • features badge of Royal Canadian Horse Artillery

Affiliations

The RCHA's Great War Canadian Cavalry Brigade identifying flash.

See also

Media

  • RCHA—Right of the Line: An Anecdotal History of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery from 1871 by B.A.; Simcock, W.; Goski, Joseph G. Mitchell G.D.; Reid (1986)
  • Ataliumasta: Cyprus, August 1985 – March 1986: Second Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, 3 Commando Canadian by unknown (9999)

References

  1. ↑ Canadian Gunner/L'Artilleur Canadian 2010, p. 27
  2. ↑ Major G.D. Mitchell, MC, CD RCHA – Right of the Line
  3. ↑ Freedom of the City Archived 2013-06-15 at archive.today
  4. ↑ "1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery". www.canada.ca. 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  5. ↑ "2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery". www.canada.ca. 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  6. ↑ "3rd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery". www.canada.ca. 2019-02-15. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  7. ↑ "4th Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery". www.canada.ca. 2019-02-15. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  8. ↑ "5e Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada". www.canada.ca. 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  9. ↑ Geoffrey Brooks Memorial Essay

Order of precedence

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