LFCA NR 12-003 - May 21, 2012
OTTAWA – In celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – 60 years of reign – The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery (RCA) fired a 60-gun salute at the Canadian War Museum, commencing at noon today.
“It was a distinct honour for the Royal Regiment to pay this tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with this special gun salute,” said Colonel Christopher Simonds, RCA Regimental Colonel. “This honours Her Majesty’s long service to “The Guns” as the Queen is the Captain-General of the RCA, a post she has held since 1952.”
By policy and tradition a 21-gun Royal Salute is typically fired every year on the official birthday of the Sovereign. Extraordinary gun salutes like this, however, are also a part of Canadian tradition for recognizing Crown accessions or jubilees. For example, a Royal Salute of 41-guns was fired on the occasion of the birth of Prince William in 1982, and a 100-gun salute fired in support of Manitoba’s Centennial in 1970. This salute does not affect, nor replace any other 21-gun salutes planned to be fired at provincial capitals.
“This is a great honour for our “gunners” to fire this salute on behalf of the RCA and for all gunners across the country,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Finley Mullally, the commanding officer of the Ottawa-based 30th Field Regiment, RCA. Also known as the Bytown Gunners, this unit traditionally provides the National Salute Troop for the firing of such ceremonial salutes.
Four C3 howitzers from the 30th Field Regiment were positioned on the south-east corner of Canadian War Museum grounds for the event. Each gun fired a blank round, in succession with a standard interval, for a total of 15 for each gun to achieve the 60-round total.
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For more information: Please contact Major James Hampson of 30th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) at 613-291-2762. Questions for Public Works and Government Services Canada can be directed to the Parliamentary Precinct Branch at 613-995-3614
