Antique weapons used by the various New Brunswick military units during the 18th and 19th centuries were donated to the New Brunswick Military History Museum (NBMHM) on April 15, 2024, at 5th Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown.
The donation included several rifles, a bayonet, and an officer’s sword, and were collected over a 30-year period by Mr. Lance Howard, with an estimated value of $36,000. The collection was donated by Mr. Howard in an effort to preserve New Brunswick military history.
Several notable speakers thanked Mr. Howard for his donation and expressed their pride in New Brunswick history, including Lieutenant Colonel Marc Cote, Commanding officer of the Royal New Brunswick Regiment, who said he admired the exquisite condition of the weapons and found them to be a significant part of an ever-evolving military history of New Brunswick.
Additional speeches were given by Captain (Ret’d) David Hughes, NBMHM Manager, Mr. Lance Howard, donor, Major (Ret’d) Hal Skaarup, Vice President of the Friends of the NBMHM, and Mary Wilson, Minister responsible for Military Affairs.
During the presentation, the weapons were on display for public viewing, and will be incorporated into the museum’s permanent display in the future.
5 CDSB Gagetown would like to thank Mr. Lance Howard for his generous donation.
