Amherstburg Navy Yard
Amherstburg, Ontario

A Navy Yard was built in Amherstburg in 1796 to replace Detroit as a base and supply depot for the Provincial Marine on Lake Eries and Huron. In 1812 the General Hunter and Queen Charlotte, built here, took part in the capture of Detroit. The next year, his supply lines cut, Robert Barclay's poorly equipped fleet, including the Detroit, was defeated by Oliver Perry, U.S.N. in the battle of Lake Erie. This reverse led the British to burn the Navy Yard on 22 September 1813, before withdrawing from Amherstburg.

Two Blomefield cannons on iron carriages grace the main waterfront park. The Blomefield cannons were named after the Inspector of Artillery, Thomas Blomefield, who designed them in the latter part of the 18th Century. They are distinctive in that they are very plain in design and have a breeching loop cast into the rear portion.

Blomefield's appointment at the time, was rather unusual as he was a land artilleryman and the Board of Ordnance was chiefly focused on the design of naval cannons. However, the board was responsible for providing arms and ammunition to both the Navy and the Army. It appears that after the Napoleonic Wars the Blomefield Guns were quoted as being used for "Upper Deck 74 Gun Ships, Garrison and Battering trains."

Nearly all of the iron guns of this time were manufactured by civilian contractors in England, such as Samuel Walker of Rotherham, The Carron Company of Falkirk and the Low Moor Ironworks of Bradford.

A close examination of the cannons mounted on the wooden carriages provides a double take for most members of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. Familiar with the Royal Cipher inscribed on our current ordnance, members will note that this tradition predates the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and was actually stated well back in the 17th century. Ancient cannons can be traced back to their origins through a careful examination of the various markings. The double take occurs when one looks closer and sees the modern day Ford logo cast in the metal!

Discussions with the local town representatives alludes to the fact that the Ford motor company was a large supporter of the Town of Amherstburg in its upgrading of the waterfront area. A large part of the renovation involved the casting of a considerable qauntity of Blomefield cannons and Carronades by the Windsor Casting Products (Note the WCP in the casting below the Ford logo).

The second set of replicas are those of the carronades, a short, smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland used from the 1770s to the 1860s.

This gun was originally designed as a lightweight, low velocity piece of artillery that could keep up with the infantry rather than the heavier, bulkier cannons that were difficult to transport. The design was adapted for naval gunfire. The advantage of the carronade lay in its lightness.

Both the Blomefield and the carronade predate the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and were never used in service by any of its units.

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Further information can be found at Amherstburg Navy Yard

Photos and text provided by LCol L. Jensen