Bastion Defence Association

The Bastion Defence Association membership is made up of current and former members of the Canadian Forces. The majority of them are field artillery soldiers who spent most of their time in the CF based out of, or recruited from, the Nanaimo area. They also used the C-1 howitzer as their primary training and service artillery piece.

The Bastion De fence Association is a non for profit professional organization dedicated to communicate the pride, heritage and history of the military presence in Nanaimo by collecting military artifacts to mount a permanent collection. The Bastion Defence Association is also dedicated to maintain the memory and support the 56th Battery future for its members, family, and friends of the battery, by maintaining an historical register and financial support through fund raising.

Obtaining a C-1 Howitzer with the purpose of becoming a monument at Nanaimo Military Camp falls squarely within the scope and mission of the Bastion Defence Association. The monument will be located at 709 Nanaimo Lakes Road, in front of the Brigadier D.R. Sargent Armoury on the lighted cement pad which was originally designed, poured and lit for an Artillery piece. Also, by providing a central gun piece to place in front of the recently constructed armoury in Nanaimo, which houses 56^th Battery of the 5^th (BC) Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery would greatly enhance the local unit and Canadian Forces visibility in the community.

The Commanding Officer of the 5^th (BC) Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery as well as the Officer in Charge of the Brigadier D.R. Sargent Armoury has agreed in principal by email to us to reserve the lighted cement pad in front of the Brigadier D.R. Sargent Armoury for a C-1 Howitzer monument, which could be possibly obtained by the Bastion Defence Association.

If an opportunity exists to review all the CFR available to be used as a monument, we would greatly appreciate the possibility to select a regionally significant piece. The Bastion Defence Association is willing to maintain the monument once it is permanently mounted at the Nanaimo Military Camp. It would be significant if a C-1 Howitzer monument could be on location for an official unveiling by December 4^th 2012, which is Saint Barbara’s day, the patron saint of the Artillery, and has been celebrated throughout the commonwealth by generations of Gunners.

Nanaimo Military Camp

For printing, use this link: Monument Proposal Information PDF document.