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1956 a year with many changes

Colin Parkinson

Army.ca Myth
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I note that 1956 seemed to have a lot of changes for the RCA & RCHA. In these pictures you see 15th RCA and 2 RCHA training with the new 3/4ton trucks, new M1A1 105mm howitzer, 155mm towed Howizter, 25pdrs. A 25pdr Sexton, 90mm AA guns and L19 observation aircraft.

http://www.vancouvergunners.ca/wainwright-1956.html
 
Golden oldies indeed. I grew up as a soldier in that world, albeit in Petawawa.

Tac signs - the system was straight forward with a letter-based system. For example guns and gun tractors used the troop letter and A-D for the guns. So the FB vehicle was the second gun in F Troop of F Battery. The G vehicle was the GPO's vehicle which also did the troop recce , so GD was the troop recce vehicle of D Troop, E Battery.Other vehicle were: X - BC; K - BK; H - CPO; R - Troop Commander (FOO) ie RA, RB, etc; J1 to J3  - BSM and TSMs; and S1 to S4 - Sigs vehicles.
 
Hey your not supposed to reading computers screens yet!!!!!  OS, I am really glad you are recovering. However it's the world's way of telling you to get off your arse and write a book about those days before you kick off to greener pastures. I figured you would like these pictures :)
 
First off, great photographs. Lots of detail for a uniform geek like me, and lots of equipment that one doesn't normally see. Thanks for posting the link.

Like you, I'm also curious about the operators for the 155mm howitzers. Regular regiments didn't have a medium battery until late 1958. I'm guessing that Militia medium regiments were issued with them to replace their older 5.5" guns.

Second, I remember asking Brian to write his memoirs, years ago. He said that he was to busy then. It was before the release of No Holding Back. I agree that it's time for him to get busy putting his own career on record. When Brian? When?

Cheers,
Dan.
 
Thanks Guys.

A couple of corrections:

a. The sigs vehicles, M1-M5, all of which were equipped to lay line. M1 was the battery sigs sergeant jeep, while the others were 3/4 ton. M2 was in the gun group, M3 and M4 were with the troop commanders and M5 was in the BC's party. A lot of emphasis on line communications between the OPs and the guns.

b. J1 was the TSM of the senior troop, J2 ditto for the junior troop, while J3 (a jeep ambulance) carried the BSM.

As for the 155ms, when I joined 4 RCHA in Petawawa in June 1958, W Battery had six 155ms. They would have converted from a 12 tube 4.2-in mortar battery within the last year. It was an excellent battery with remarkable morale and unfortunately was a very early victim of force cuts, which is why I recommended the school support battery be named W Battery.
 
For you that our on FB and are artillery geeks, excellent pictures of US heavy artillery dug in in France right after Normandy. Some very interesting details, including a fireplan.

https://www.facebook.com/Radio.WW2/photos/a.1686501091595880/1686501121595877/?type=3&theater
 
This article details the first meeting engagement between the North Koreans and the US Army. There is a detailed account of 105mm M1A1's engaging NK T34-85's. Without HEAT rounds your screwed.

https://history.army.mil/books/korea/20-2-1/SN06.HTM?fbclid=IwAR3oMOe8cYeCGclOgjHBcGQvtwEeJswnZQk3CU7_T3KxAsgrxYkvge9oUZE
 
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