116th Independent Field Battery, RCA

The official lineage of the 116th Independent Field Battery, RCA.

Lineage

This Reserve Force battery originated on 1 April 1908 and incorporates the following infantry regiment and artillery battery.

The 116th Independent Field Battery, RCA originated in Kenora, Ontario on 1 April 1908, when the '98th Regiment' was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} It was redesignated: 'The Rainy River and Kenora Regiment' on 12 March 1920;^{Footnote 2} and 'The Kenora Light Infantry' on 1 September 1921.^{Footnote 3} On 15 December 1936 it was reorganized as two artillery batteries designated the '16th Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA' and the '17th Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA' (disbanded 31 March 1946).^{Footnote 4} The 16th Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA was redesignated the '16th (Reserve) Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA' on 7 November 1940.^{Footnote 5} On 1 April 1946, it was amalgamated with the '209th (Reserve) Field Battery, RCA' (see below) and redesignated the '116th Medium Battery, RCA'.^{Footnote 6} It was redesignated: '116th Field Battery, RCA' on 19 March 1965;^{Footnote 7} and '116th Independent Field Battery, RCA' on 1 January 1981.9

Notes:

Upon redesignation as The Rainy River and Kenora Regiment on 12 March 1920 (see above) it was organized as a two battalion regiment with the 1st Battalion (141st Battalion, CEF) on the Non Permanent Active Militia order of battle and a 2nd Battalion (no CEF designation) on the Reserve order of battle. The designation of the 1st Battalion was changed to '1st Battalion (94th Battalion, CEF) on 1 September 1921 (GO 246/21). The reserve unit was disbanded on 14 December 1936 (GO 3/37).

The Kenora Light Infantry was disbanded for the purpose of reorganization and conversion to artillery on 14 December 1936 and reorganized the next day (GO 192/36). This change was administrative and does not affect the lineage of the regiment.

No lineal connection with the '16th Medium Battery, RCA' which was authorized on 2 February 1920 as '- Heavy Battery, CA', but was not formed (GO 13/20). This inactive battery was disbanded on 14 December 1936 (GO 192/36).

The 209th (Reserve) Field Battery, RCA originated in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 2 February 1920 when the '11th Siege Battery, CA' was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 12} It was redesignated: '11th Medium Battery (Howitzer), CA' on 1 July 1925;^{Footnote 13} '11th Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA' on 3 June 1935;^{Footnote 14} '11th (Reserve) Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA' on 7 November 1940;^{Footnote 15} and '209th (Reserve) Field Battery, RCA' on 19 October 1942.^{Footnote 16} On 1 April 1946, it was amalgamated with the '16th (Reserve) Medium Battery, RCA', as above.

Perpetuations

'94th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF'; and 'No. 11 Canadian Siege Battery, CGA, CEF'

Headquarters Location

Kenora, Ontario

Operational history

First World War

Details from the 98th Regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.^{Footnote 17}

The 94th Battalion, which was authorized on 22 December 1915 as the '94th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 18} embarked for Britain on 28 June 1916.^{Footnote 19} Its personnel were absorbed by the '17th Reserve Battalion, CEF' and the '32nd "Overseas" Battalion, CEF' on 18 July 1916 to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field.^{Footnote 20} The battalion was disbanded on 27 July 1918.^{Footnote 21}

No. 11 Canadian Siege Battery was mobilized in England as 'No. 11 Canadian Siege Battery, CGA, CEF' on 7 November 1917 from personnel of the 2nd Brigade, Canadian Reserve Artillery.^{Footnote 22} The battery disembarked in France on 3 April 1918 where it provided siege artillery support as part of the '3rd Brigade, CGA, CEF', in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 23} The battery was disbanded on 23 October 1920.^{Footnote 24}

Notes:

No lineal connection with the '11th Canadian Siege Battery, CGA, CEF' which was authorized on 30 May 1917 and subsequently absorbed into the '1st', '5th' and '8th "Overseas" Battery Siege Artillery, CFA, CEF' on 19 October 1917.

The Second World War

The 11th Medium Battery mobilized the '11th Medium Battery, RCA, CASF' on 1 September 1939.^{Footnote 25} On 1 June 1940 it was amalgamated with the '8th Medium Battery, RCA, CASF' and redesignated the '8th/11th Medium Battery, RCA, CASF'.^{Footnote 26} On 24 May 1941 this amalgamation ceased and it was again designated the '11th Medium Battery, RCA, CASF'.^{Footnote 27} It was redesignated the '11th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA, CASF' on 22 December 1941.^{Footnote 28} The battery disembarked in France on 6 August 1944, where it provided heavy anti-aircraft artillery support as part of the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Mobile) in North West Europe until the end of the war.^{Footnote 29} The overseas battery was disbanded on 7 September 1945.^{Footnote 30}

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Footnotes

Footnote 1

GO 58/08. The regiment was formed from two companies from the '96th Regiment' (now The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment) authorized on the following dates: 'A Company' (No. 5 Company at Fort Francis, 1 December 1905), and 'B Company' (No. 6 Company at Kenora, 1 December 1905); and two newly authorized infantry companies.

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Footnote 2

MO 60/20.

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Footnote 3

GO 246/21.

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Footnote 4

GO 192/36 (Both batteries were allocated to the '7th Medium Brigade, RCA' / Les deux batteries sont attribuées au « 7th Medium Brigade, RCA »). The 17th Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA, was redesignated: '17th (Reserve) Medium Battery (Howitzer), RCA' on 7 November 1940 (GO 273/40); and '16th/17th Medium Battery, RCA' on 1 February 1943 (GO 122/43). The battery was disbanded on 31 March 1946 (GO 113/46).

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Footnote 5

GO 273/40.

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Footnote 6

GO 115/46. The 7th (Reserve) Medium Regiment, RCA', to which the battery was allocated, was redesignated the '40th Medium Regiment, RCA' on 1 April 1946 (GO 116/46).

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Footnote 7

SD 1 Letter No. 64/62; and Message, CENCOM, A 2989, 012015Z Nov 65.

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Footnote 8

CFOO 3.310, 3 May 79.

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Footnote 9

CFOO 3.310, 1 Jan 81.

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Footnote 10

MOO 323/85, 27 Sep 85.

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Footnote 11

MOO 97192, 14 Aug 97.

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Footnote 12

GO 13/20. The battery was attached to the '5th Brigade, CFA' upon formation and subsequently allocated to the '7th Medium Brigade, RCA' on 15 December 1936 (GO 192/36).

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Footnote 13

GO 82/25.

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Footnote 14

GO 58/35.

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Footnote 15

GO 273/40.

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Footnote 16

GO 451/42.

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Footnote 17

GO 163/14.

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Footnote 18

GO 151/15.

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Footnote 19

CEF Sailing List, vol V.

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Footnote 20

Edwin Pye Papers, Summary of History of C.E.F. Units - 94th Battalion, Document Collection/Collection de documents 74/672, Series/séries IV, Box/boîte 12, Folder/chemise 94.

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Footnote 21

GO 101/18.

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Footnote 22

G.W.L. Nicholson, The Gunners of Canada. The History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, 1534-1919, vol. 1 (Toronto, 1967), p.403; and/et List of Canadian Artillery units during the First World War. Compiled from ledger of C.E.F. Units (Mr. Pye) for Col. Nicholson, Sep 63, Kardex file 112.3H1.005 (D4). 23. G.W.L. Nicholson, The Gunners of Canada. The History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, 1919-1967, vol. 2 (Toronto, 1972), pp. 309.

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Footnote 23