Big crowds, big guns

A vintage 1776-pattern smoothbore field gun is fired by a well-rehearsed Fort York Guard gun crew. They’re wearing uniforms just like those of the modest Royal Artillery detachment – 16 officers and men – that was unlucky enough to be here in April 1813 to fight the Battle of York. This year’s Artillery Day was spread over May 26 and 27 during the weekend of Doors Open Toronto. The weather was fine and thousands of people turned out.

A gunner (lower right) leans into his instrument. Both his uniform and the gun – a 25-pound howitzer, the standard field piece of Commonwealth armies – are vintage Second World War. They belong to the volunteer Limber Gunner Association, volunteers who keep their guns and tractors operational. In the foreground is the same 6-pounder seen firing above. Also on display were the fort’s rare Coehorn Mortar and a modern C3 105 mm howitzer of the 7th (Toronto) Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, based at Moss Park.