DOCUMENTED LINEAGE OF 5TH (B.C.) FIELD REGIMENT,

ROYAL REGIMENT OF CANADIAN ARTILLERY

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND VOLUNTEER RIFLES (including Artillery Company)

(6 Jul 1861 – 16 July 1862)         (26 Aug 1861 – 8 Aug 1862)

[Letters – Sheriff G.W. Heaton to Governor J. Douglas, Provincial Archives of BC (PABC)]
[Petition to Major Foster to form Artillery Company, PABC]

Major George F. Foster                                   6 Jul 1861 – 16 Jul 1862

ARTILLERY COMPANY reorganized             9 Aug 1862

[Letter, Captain Wallace to Governor J. Douglas, PABC]

 

Captain Charles W. Wallace                           26 Aug 1862?? – 19 Mar 1864

 

VICTORIA VOLUNTEER RIFLE CORPS

(19 Mar 1864 – 13 Feb 1874)

[Petition to Governor J. Douglas, PABC]

 

Captain D. M. Lang                                         19 Mar 1864 -13 Feb1874

 

VICTORIA COMPANY OF RIFLES

(13 Feb 1874 – 12 Oct 1883)

[Militia General Order d/ 13 Feb 1874]

No. 1 Company

Captain Francis James Roscoe                       13 Feb 1874 – 2 May 1879

Captain Richard Wolfenden                            2 May 1879 – 12 Oct 1883

No. 2 Company

Captain Charles Edward Pooley                     13 Feb1874 – 04 June 1875

Captain James Gordon .Vinter                        04 Jun 1875 – 16 May 1879

Captain Edward Hyde Fletcher                       16 May 1879 – 31 Aug 1883

Captain Rowland Edward Green                     31 Aug 1883 –   ……………

 

No. 1 Company became No. 4 Battery of the

B. C. Provisional Regiment of Garrison Artillery 12 Oct 1883

[Militia General Order No. 22 d/ 12 Oct 1883]

 

No. 2 Company redesignated as

 

VICTORIA RIFLE COMPANY

(12 Oct 1883 – 03 May 1889)

 

Captain Rowland Edward Green                     ……………….  – 23 Oct 1886

Captain Philip Woolacott                                 05 Jan 1887 – 03 May 1889

 

(Victoria Rifle Corps, non-effective, removed from List of Corps with effect from 03 May 1889).

 

 

VICTORIA BATTERY OF GARRISON ARTILLERY     

(19 Jul 1878 – 12 Oct 1883)

[Militia General Order No. 17 d/ 19 Jul 1878]

Captain Charles Thomas Dupont       19 Jul 1878 – …………….

 

BRITISH COLUMBIA PROVISIONAL REGIMENT OF GARRISON ARTILLERY

(12 Oct 1883 – 07 May 1886)

[Militia General Order No. 22 d/ 12 Oct 1883)

Major Charles Thomas Dupont          ………………. –   27 Nov 1885

Major Richard Wolfenden                  27 Nov 1885 – ……………..

 

BRITISH COLUMBIA BRIGADE OF GARRISON ARTILLERY

(07 May 1886 – 07 Apr 1893)

[Militia General Order No. 9 d/ 7 May 1886]

Lt. Col. Richard Wolfenden                ………………. – 15 Jun 1888

Lt. Col. Edward Gawler Prior             15 Jun 1888 – …………….

 

BRITISH COLUMBIA  BATTALION  OF  GARRISON  ARTILLERY

(07 Apr 1893 – 28 Dec 1895)

[Establishment List 1893-94;  Militia General Order No. 21/1893]

 

Lt. Col. Edward Gawler Prior                          …………….. – ……………..

5TH  “BRITISH  COLUMBIA”   BATTALION  OF  GARRISON  ARTILLERY

(9 Mar 1895 –  28 Dec 1895)

[Militia General Order No. 15 d/ 9 Mar 1895]

 

5TH   “BRITISH COLUMBIA”   REGIMENT OF GARRISON ARTILLERY             

(28 Dec 1895 – 01   Aug   1899]
[Militia General Order No. 58 d/ 28 Dec 1895

 

(Note: From 28 Dec 1895 until 15 Nov 1896 the Regiment comprised one unit. From 15 Nov 1896 until 01 Jul 1899 the Regiment was composed of two Battalions.

[Militia General Order No. 69 d/ 01 Jul 1896

 

Lt. Col. Edward Gawler Prior             ………………. – 29 Sep 1896

Lt. Col. Edward Gawler Prior             05 Jun 1897 – 01 Jul 1899

 

1ST BATTALION

Lt. Col. Francis Brooke Gregory                       29 Sep 1896 – ……………….

 

2ND  BATTALION

Lt. Col. Thomas Owen Townley                      29 Sep 1896 – 25 May 1897

Lt. Col. Charles Arthur Worsnap                     25 May 1897 – ……………….

 

 

 

(Note: With effect from 01 Jul 1899, the 2nd Battalion was converted and redesignated as 6th Battalion, Rifles, later redesignated 6th Battalion, Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles, and now known as The British Columbia Regiment (D.C.O.)

 

 

The 1st Battalion was redesignated as

 

5TH REGIMENT, CANADIAN ARTILLERY

(26 Jul 1899 – 01 Jul 1906)

[Militia General Order No. 144 d/ 26 Jul 1899

Lt. Col. Francis Brooke Gregory          ………………. – 10 Dec 1901

Lt. Col. Roberts Ross Munro             10 Dec 1901 – 28 Feb 1903

Lt. Col. John A. Hall                           28 Feb 1903 – ……………..

 

5TH (BRITISH COLUMBIA) REGIMENT, CANADIAN GARRISON ARTILLERY

(01 Jul 1906 – 02 Feb 1920)

Lt. Col. John A. Hall                                        ……………….. – 01 Sep 1909

Lt. Col. Arthur William Currie                          01 Sep 1909 – 02 Jan 1914

Lt. Col. William Norman Winsby                     02 Jan 1914 – 02 Mar 1915

Lt. Col. Richard Angus                                    17 Aug 1915 – 30 Sep 1919

Lt. Col. James Chichester Harris                    23 Oct 1919 – …………………

 

5TH (BRITISH COLUMBIA) REGIMENT OF GARRISON ARTILLERY

(02 Feb 1920 – 01 Feb 1921)

[Militia General Order No. 13 d/ 2 Feb 1920]

 

Lt. Col. James Chichester Harris                    ………………  – 23 Apr 1920

Lt. Col. Francis Arthur Robertson                   28 Apr 1920 – …………..…

 

5TH   (BRITISH COLUMBIA) REGIMENT OF GARRISON ARTILLERY                               reorganized with effect from 01 Feb 1921.

[Militia General Order No. 92 d/ 01 Apr 1921]

Lt. Col. Francis Arthur Robertson                   ……………….. –  ……………..

5TH (BRITISH COLUMBIA) COAST BRIGADE, CANADIAN ARTILLERY

(01 Jul 1925 – 01 Jul 1935)

[Militia General Order No. 82 d/ 01 Jul 1925)

Lt. Col. Francis Arthur Robertson                   ……………….. – 07 May 1930

Lt. Col. Theodore Benning Monk                    07 May 1930 – 01 Feb 1934

Lt. Col. Marshall Aubrey Kent                         01 Feb 1934 – ……………..

 

 

5TH   (BRITISH  COLUMBIA)   COAST  BRIGADE,   ROYAL  CANADIAN  ARTILLERY

(01 Jul 1935 – 01 Apr 1946) C.A.S.F.

[Militia General Order No. 58 d/ 03 Jun 1935]

 

Lt. Col. Marshall Aubrey Kent                         ……………….. – 01 Feb 1938

Lt. Col. Vincent McKenna, MC                        01 Feb 1938 – 30 Apr 1941

01 May 1941 – 12 Apr 1942

Lt. Col. Alfred Entile Romtier, MC                   13 Apr 1942 – 23 Jun 1942

Lt. Col. K. W. Hicks                                         29 Jun 1942 –

A/Lt. Col. Tom McGimpsey

 

5TH COAST REGIMENT, R.C.A.  CA(RF)

(01 Apr 1946)  Militia General Order No. 113 d/ 01 Apr 1946]

 

5TH (BRITISH COLUMBIA) COAST REGIMENT, R.C.A.

(01 Apr 1946)  Militia General Order No. 161 d/ 01 Apr 1946]

 

Lt. Col. George Frederick Paulin                  01 Apr 1946 – ……………….

 

5TH   (BC)   HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENT, RCA CA(RF)

(28 Feb 1943 – 29 Sep 1949)

[C.A.O. Supplement Issue No. 62 d/ 05 Feb 1943]

Lt. Col. George Frederick Paulin                     ………………..  – 01 Apr 1949

Lt.  Col.  Wilfrid John Farnsworth, ED             01 Apr  1949  –  …………

 

75TH   (BC)   HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENT,   RCA     CA(RF)

(29 Sep 1949 – 30 Oct 1954)

[C.A.O. Supplement, Part B, Issue No. 143 d/ 29 Sep 1949]

Lt. Col. Wilfrid John Farnsworth, ED               ……………… – 30 Jun 1954

Lt. Col. James Douglas Baird                         01 Jul 1954 – 01 Sep 1954

 

BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST REGIMENT, RCA, CA(RF)

(01 Apr 49 – 23 Sep 1949)

Lt. Col. George Frederick Paulin                     01 Apr 1949 – ……………..

 

5TH (BC) COAST REGIMENT, RCA, CA(RF)

(29 Sep 1949 – 30 Oct 1954)

Lt. Col. George Frederick Paulin                     ………………. – 30 Oct 1954

 

5TH WEST COAST HARBOUR DEFENCE BATTERY, RCA CA(M)

(17 Oct 1954 – 25 Oct 1956)

[C.A.O. Supplement, Part B, Issue No. 415 d/17 Oct 1954]

Major T. D. Eckford                                         01 Oct 1954 – 25 Oct 1956

Major Harry Gwilliam                                       01 May 1955 – 16 Apr 1956

Capt. L. R. J. Palmer (Acting CO)                   16 Apr 1956 – 15 May 1956

Major Frederick Douglas Haig Nelson            17 Apr 1956 –

 

5TH INDEPENDENT MEDIUM BATTERY, ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY

(25 Oct 1956 – 25 Apr 1958)

[C.A.O. Supplement, Part B, Issue No. 523 d/ 25 Oct 1956]

Major Frederick Douglas Haig Nelson            ………………. – …………………

5TH (BC) INDEPENDENT MEDIUM BATTERY, ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY

(25 Apr 1958 – 12 Apr 1960)

[C.A.O. Supplement, Part B, Issue No. 604 d/ 25 Apr 1953]

Major Frederick Douglas Haig Nelson            ………………. – 31 Jul 1960

I

5TH (BC) INDEPENDENT MEDIUM ARTILLERY BATTERY, R.C.A.

(12 Apr 1960 – 31 Mar 1965)

[C.A.O. Supplement, Part B, Issue No. 670 d/ 12 Apr 1960]

Major Frederick Douglas Haig Nelson            ……………. – 31 Jul 1960

Captain Ken Eraser (Acting CO)                     01 Jul 1960 – 01 Sep 1960

Major George W. Archer                                 01 Sep 1960 – 15 May 1963

Major Tom Gordon Dalzell                              15 May 1963 – ………………..

5TH   (BC) FIELD  BATTERY,   R.C.A.

(31   Mar   1965 – 01 Sep 1967)

[SD 1 Letter No. 64/53 F1901-3 (DO) d/ 26 Nov 1965]

 

Major Tom Gordon Dalzell                              …………………. – 30 Sep 1966

 

5TH (BC) FIELD BATTERY, R.C.A.    

(01 Sep 1967 –  15 Sep 1991)

(Note: The Battery reverted to independent status with effect

from 01 Sep 1967 [CCF Org Order 67/8 d/ 9 Jun 1967]).

 

Major Arthur Edward Sherwin, CD                 01 Jul 1966 – 26 Oct 1970

Major Frederick E. Richardson                        27 Oct 1970 – 31 Aug 1973

Major Robert Grant Humphries                      01 Sep 1973 – 30 Sep 1977

Major David lan Smith, CD                               21 Jun 1977 – 15 Apr 1982

Major Philip Arthur Sherwin                            15 Apr 1982 – 22 May 1985

Major Michael Sean Stone                                 22 May 1985 – 03 Jul 1987

Major Leonard Bradley Woollven                    04 Jul 1987 – 14 Sep 1991

 

5TH (BC) FIELD REGIMENT, R.C.A.

(15 Sep 1991 to the present)

LCol David lan Smith, OMM, CD                   15 Sep 1991 – 26 Aug 1994

LCol Victor Skaarup, CD                                  28 Aug 1994 – 13 Sep 1997

LCol Philip Arthur Sherwin, CD                     13 Sep 1997 – 07 Sep 2001

LCol Lloyd Sherrard, CD                                  07 Sep 2001 – 15 May 2003

LCol Dave Ross, CD                                          15 May 2003 – 13 Sep 2006

LCol Craig L. Cotter, CD                                  13 Sep 2006 –  15 May 2010

LCol Scott Wisdahl,CD                                     15 May 2010 –  25 May 2013

LCol John Fortoloczky, CD                              25 May 2013 – 16 May 2016

LCol Brendan LeBlanc, CD                              16 May 2016 – 25 May 2020

LCol Michael Lomax, CD                                  25 May 2020 – 15 April 2023

LCol Ian Watt, CD                                              15 April – Present

 

initially researched and compiled by

Robert L. Clapp, Curator

5 BC Regt RCA Museum & Archives

20 May 1988