Common menu bar links

Artillery From British Columbia Heads South for Shoot

Story By: Master Corporal Trevor Reid
Photos By: Sergeant DK Clark

March 18, 2006 A guns crew from 5 (BC) Field Regiment RCA prepares to fire a 105mm Howitzer,

Yakima, Washington USA - The turret of a derelict tank shivers as a 105mm squash head target tracer round slams into its side. Cheers from the gun crew of a C3 howitzer ring out briefly then abruptly cease as new fire control orders are shouted out.

Artillery Reservists from across B.C. had good reason to cheer as they finished a busy three days, March 17 - 19, 2006 with Exercise CAUSTIC SHOCK - a large shoot involving direct and indirect firing at the Yakima Range in Washington State, USA.

March 18, 2006 - Master Bombadier William MacKeigan of 5 (BC) Field Regiment prepares to load a round into a 105mm howitzer.

"We can't fire live in British Columbia, so we come down to Yakima," said Master-Bombadier Jaie Lenius, "direct fire shoots are not something we get to do often...not many people get to fire 40 rounds (direct)."

Only three weeks ago, members of 5 Field Regiment from Victoria were firing a 21 gun salute in honour of the Governor General's visit to the provincial Capital. The week after Vancouver's 15 Field Regiment joined 5 Field in Kamloops, B.C. where they played an opposing infantry force during 39 Brigade's Exercise COUGAR SALVO.

March 18, 2006 A guns crew from 5 (BC) Field Regiment RCA prepares to fire a 105mm Howitzer,

"We disengaged from an infantry role, moved 900 km to pre-staged equipment, picked it up and we're now in the field in a firing exercise," said Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Kuhn, Commanding Officer of 15 Field Regiment, RCA, and exercise commander for CAUSTIC SHOCK.

"Yakima is well suited to artillery, the ground is open and hilly...it creates a challenge to navigate and to shoot here," said Lt.-Col. Kuhn.

March 18, 2006 Gunner Catherine Bell from 5 (BC) Field Regiment RCA extracts an empty casing from a 105mm howitzer

Gunner Catherine Bell of 5 Field Regiment, RCA, from Victoria said "We've had a lot of clean runs...it's been good training value, lots of ammunition so we've all got a chance to get our time in."