The 5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA

Lineage

This Reserve Force regiment originated on 12 October 1883 and incorporates the following regiments and operations room.

The 5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA originated in Victoria, British Columbia on 12 October 1883, when the 'British Columbia Provisional Regiment of Garrison Artillery' was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} It was redesignated: 'British Columbia Brigade of Garrison Artillery' on 7 May 1886;^{Footnote 2} 'British Columbia Battalion of Garrison Artillery' on 1 January 1893;^{Footnote 3} '5th "British Columbia" Battalion of Garrison Artillery' on 1 January 1895;^{Footnote 4} and '5th "British Columbia" Regiment of Garrison Artillery, CA' on 28 December 1895.^{Footnote 5} The regiment was reorganized into two battalions on 1 July 1896, designated the '1st' and '2nd' battalions.^{Footnote 6} The '2nd Battalion' was detached and converted to infantry and used to form the '6th Battalion Rifles' (now 'The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (RCAC)') on 1 August 1899, the '1st Battalion' designation being automatically discontinued.^{Footnote 7} The regiment was redesignated: '5th (British Columbia) Regiment, CGA' on 2 February 1920;^{Footnote 8} '5th (British Columbia) Coast Brigade, CA' on 1 July 1925;^{Footnote 9} '5th (British Columbia) Coast Brigade, RCA' on 3 June 1935;^{Footnote 10} '5th (Reserve) (British Columbia) Coast Brigade, RCA' on 7 November 1940;^{Footnote 11} '5th (British Columbia) Coast Regiment, RCA' on 1 April 1946;^{Footnote 12} '5th (British Columbia) Heavy Anti- Aircraft Regiment, RCA' on 5 February 1948;^{Footnote 13} and '75th (British Columbia) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA' on 29 September 1949.^{Footnote 14} On 17 October 1954, it was amalgamated with the '5th (British Columbia) Coast Regiment, RCA' (see below), the '120th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA' (redesignated '120th Harbour Defence Troop, RCA') and the '8th Anti-Aircraft Operations Room, RCA' (see below) and redesignated the '5th West Coast Harbour Defence Battery, RCA'.^{Footnote 15} On 25 October 1956 the battery was redesignated the '5th Independent Medium Battery, RCA' with the '120th Harbour Defence Troop, RCA' ceasing its amalgamation.^{Footnote 16} It was redesignated: '5th (British Columbia) Independent Medium Battery, RCA' on 25 April 1958;^{Footnote 17} '5th (British Columbia) Independent Medium Artillery Battery, RCA' on 12 April 1960.^{Footnote 18} and '5th (British Columbia) Field Battery, RCA' and allocated to the '15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA', on 28 February 1965.^{Footnote 19} The battery was detached from the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA, to operate as an independent artillery battery on 1 September 1967;^{Footnote 20} and on 13 September 1991 the battery was reorganized as a regiment and redesignated the '5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA'.^{Footnote 23}

Perpetuations

'58th "Overseas" Field Battery, CFA, CEF'

Headquarters Location

Victoria, British Columbia

Allocated Batteries

• 55th Field Battery, RCA
• 56th Field Battery, RCA

Operational History

The First World War

The 5th "British Columbia" Regiment was placed on active service on 10 August 1914 for local protection duties.^{Footnote 31}

The 58th Field Battery was authorized on 15 July 1916 as the '58th Overseas Depot Battery, CEF'.^{Footnote 32} It was redesignated: '58th (Howitzer) Battery, CEF' on 22 January 1917;^{Footnote 33} and '58th (Howitzer) Battery, CFA, CEF' on 25 September 1918.^{Footnote 34} It embarked for Britain on 22 September 1916.^{Footnote 35} The battery disembarked in France on 22 August 1917,^{Footnote 36} where it provided field artillery support as part of the 14th Brigade, CFA, CEF in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 37}The battery was disbanded on 23 October 1920.^{Footnote 38}

The Second World War

The 5th (British Columbia) Coast Brigade, RCA was called out on service for local protection duties on 26 August 1939.^{Footnote 39} Details from the brigade were also mobilized for active service under the designation '5th (British Columbia) Coast Brigade, RCA, CASF (Details)' on 1 September 1939.^{Footnote 40}The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940 and the brigade mobilized an active service unit designated '5th (British Columbia) Coast Brigade, RCA, CASF' on 1 January 1941.^{Footnote 41} It was redesignated '5th (British Columbia) Coast Regiment, RCA, CASF' on 1 May 1942.^{Footnote 42} The regiment provided coastal artillery support as part of the defences of Victoria- Esquimalt, British Columbia.^{Footnote 43} The regiment was disbanded on 31 October 1945.^{Footnote 44}

The 17th Searchlight Battery, RCA (CD) was called out on service for local protection duties on 26 August 1939.^{Footnote 45} Details from the battery were also mobilized for active service under the designation '17th Searchlight Battery, RCA (CD) CASF (Details)' on 1 September 1939.^{Footnote 46} The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940 and the battery mobilized an active service unit designated '17th Searchlight Battery, RCA (CD) CASF' on 1 January 1941.^{Footnote 47} The battery provided searchlight support as part of the defences in Victoria-Esquimalt, British Columbia.^{Footnote 48} The battery was disbanded on 1 May 1942.^{Footnote 49}

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