C - The Armoury and RWR Museum

April 20, 2025 News

C - The Armoury (1897) and the Royal Westminster Regiment Museum (1973)

by Jim Wolf

NWHPS 2018 Homes Tour The ArmouriesPhoto credit: Paul Fuoco — Photo: Paul Fuoco, HNW

The the Armoury: A Military Landmark in the Heart of New Westminster

The Armoury, home to the Royal Westminster Regiment, is a living monument to New Westminster’s military and civic heritage. The Regiment itself traces its roots back to 1863, with the arrival of the Royal Engineers, and has served continuously since 1910.

Following a decision by the Dominion Government in 1895, the current Armoury was built in 1897 to replace the original Drill Shed that stood at McKenzie and Carnarvon Streets. Designed by Dominion Engineer Frederick W. White in the Victorian Romanesque style, the building features arched windows, squared towers, and flared buttresses. Local contractor David Bain completed the timber-frame structure for $7,000.

Boasting the largest open-span interior in the city, the Armouries opened in 1897 with a community dance. Just one year later, after the Great Fire of 1898, it temporarily housed displaced residents—an early example of its importance to the broader community.

Designated a Federal Heritage Building in 1987, the Armouries remains Canada's oldest active military wooden structure and continues to serve the Royal Westminster Regiment with pride.

History of the Westminster Regiment

From its modest formation as a volunteer home defence force in 1863, the formation of the Reserve Force regiment was authorized in 1910. The Regiment rose to national prominence during WWI by training and mobilizing over 6,500 men from New Westminster and the Fraser Valley. Because of their fighting spirit and dogged courage, casualties were particularly heavy; 899 lost their lives, 1,718 were wounded.

Between the wars, the regiment became more of a volunteer organization, holding weekly parades and exercises.

In 1939, the Westminster Regiment was mobilized for active service. As a motor regiment, it saw more combat than any other Canadian fighting unit. Its casualties numbered 467, of which 135 were killed in action or died from their wounds. More than 4,236 officers and men passed through its ranks. During the Second World War, the men of the Westminster Regiment. In recognition of outstanding service, Queen Elizabeth bestowed the title "Royal" upon the Regiment in 1966.

The Armouries is home to the Regimental Museum, containing an outstanding collection of artifacts and stories.

The Museum of the Royal Westminster Regiment: Preserving a Proud Legacy

Established in 1969 and officially opened on March 13, 1973, the Museum of the Royal Westminster Regiment was the first regimental museum in Canada to receive official recognition. Housed in the Armouries’ former Gun Room, it offers a compelling glimpse into the regiment’s long and distinguished history.

The museum’s collection includes photographs, uniforms, medals, weapons, and rare artifacts, as well as a memorial case honouring fallen soldiers and a detailed diorama of the motor battalion in WWII. With roots in the Royal Engineers, New Westminster Volunteer Rifles, and various units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, the museum chronicles over 160 years of service.

During WWI, over 6,500 men from New Westminster and the Fraser Valley trained and mobilized here. The Regiment suffered heavy casualties—899 killed, 1,718 wounded. In WWII, it was mobilized as a motor regiment and saw more combat than any other Canadian fighting unit, with 4,236 men passing through its ranks and 135 killed in action. In recognition of its service, Queen Elizabeth granted the title “Royal” in 1966.

The museum continues to grow, with overflow displays now housed along the walls of the Armouries’ drill hall -- ensuring the Regiment’s enduring legacy.

See the WWII stories of New Westminster Victoria Cross recipients Lieutenant Colonel John (Jack) Keefer Mahony (VC) and Sergeant Ernest Alvia ‘Smokey’ Smith (VC) in the Main Drill Hall.

The WWII stories of Flight Lieutenant Robert Lewis “Buster” Brown, Sergeant Noel Patrick Julian, Private Mayo Grenville Barber, Corporal Bruce Barber, Pilot Officer Bruce Hutchinson, Flying Officer Thomas Gifford Robb, and Pilot Officer Warren Somers Wooster will be displayed at the homes with which they are associated along the Homes Tour route.

The Officers' Mess will be open for drinks and refreshments on Tour Day.

See the story of New Westminster and the Homefront in World War II.

This year’s Heritage Homes Tour theme, “On the Homefront,” commemorates the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day – the end of World War II in Europe. Heritage researcher and bestselling author Jim Wolf recalls that time in our city’s history: Learn more >