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