Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 4, 2017 23:35:38 GMT 12
Some interesting history of our WWII shore defences here, from the PRESS, dated 17 SEPTEMBER 1945.
ANCIENT GUN USED
COASTAL DEFENCE WAR-TIME ARTILLERY INCIDENTS
A gun which was first mounted in the defence of New Zealand in the early ’80’s, at the time of the Russian scare, fired one of its original shells early in the world war just concluded. The shell was fired to test the efficiency of the gun, requisitioned in an emergency. The gun, described by artillery men as a fine example of hand workmanship, was mounted at Otago Heads in the ’80’s, and after the last war it was sold for £5 to a Dunedin man, who saw easy money in the bronze and brass.
The gun, however, weighed nearly seven tons and he found difficulty in removing it. At his request, the Army greased the gun and stored it near its old emplacement and also stored the shells. When the coast defences of New Zealand had to be manned early in the war, any gun was pressed into service. The gun was taken out of storage and mounted. With trepidation, artillery men carried out a test. A fresh charge was placed in the shell, and when the gun was fired the gunners dived for cover. The test was a success; the gun fired accurately but its range was too poor to make it any match for modern guns. The gun was faithfully manned until supplies of modern guns became available and was returned, greased, to its old store, where it now awaits the claim of its owner.
Two Nordenfeldt guns, relics even before the Great War of 1914-18, were requisitioned from their owners for the defence of Tomahawk, a beach considered a vital spot in the defence of Dunedin. They have not been reclaimed yet by their owners.
Very early in the war, the coast defences at Lyttelton and Wellington went into action. The gun at Battery Point in Lyttelton harbour was fired across the bow of an incoming trawler; but the shot was misdirected and struck the vessel. The owner of the trawler was killed and the vessel was sunk. Compensation was paid by the Government. The guns of Lyttelton were not again fired in defence of the port. The Wellington forts were on the alert early in September, 1939, and when the overseas vessel City of Delhi failed to observe the harbour regulations one shot brought her to a standstill. Not another shot was fired "in anger” throughout the war.
A Gun that was Not Fired
There was an occasion when a gun which should have been fired was not fired. The occasion was “hush-hush"; the Gilbertian situation which arose was even more so. It was when a test was to be made at Trentham of armoured plate manufactured at the Temuka wokshops of the Public Works Department, the intention being that some of the plate should be used on the “Semple” tank, built with a bulldozer chassis.
The armoured plate was shipped to Wellington, and a naval gun was transported on a special railway truck from the naval base at Devonport, Auckland. Members of the War Cabinet, high Service officials, Ministers of the Crown, and proud engineers assembled at Trentham to witness the test.
The target was erected and the guncrew busied themselves. Nothing happened. After an awkward wait, inquiries were made as to the cause of delay. The artillery officer had to confess that when the gun was shipped from Auckland no shell to fit it had been sent. Whether the demonstration was ever held later was never whispered by those who had expectantly gone to Trentham that day.
On another occasion a shot which should not have been fired was fired — and the War Expenses account had to meet a debit. A demonstration of the Bofors anti-aircraft gun was being given on a gloriously sunny afternoon near Nelson. Somehow, the order of placing the shell and working the gun was reversed by the demonstrating officer and to the consternation of all the deflected gun spat out a shell. Instead of bursting in mid-air, it landed in Wilkes’s timber mill at Richmond, five or six miles away from Tahunanui. Only a few moments before, the millhands had left the mill to take their afternoon tea-break in the sunshine. The shell burst in the mill, which was considerably damaged, but nobody was injured.
ANCIENT GUN USED
COASTAL DEFENCE WAR-TIME ARTILLERY INCIDENTS
A gun which was first mounted in the defence of New Zealand in the early ’80’s, at the time of the Russian scare, fired one of its original shells early in the world war just concluded. The shell was fired to test the efficiency of the gun, requisitioned in an emergency. The gun, described by artillery men as a fine example of hand workmanship, was mounted at Otago Heads in the ’80’s, and after the last war it was sold for £5 to a Dunedin man, who saw easy money in the bronze and brass.
The gun, however, weighed nearly seven tons and he found difficulty in removing it. At his request, the Army greased the gun and stored it near its old emplacement and also stored the shells. When the coast defences of New Zealand had to be manned early in the war, any gun was pressed into service. The gun was taken out of storage and mounted. With trepidation, artillery men carried out a test. A fresh charge was placed in the shell, and when the gun was fired the gunners dived for cover. The test was a success; the gun fired accurately but its range was too poor to make it any match for modern guns. The gun was faithfully manned until supplies of modern guns became available and was returned, greased, to its old store, where it now awaits the claim of its owner.
Two Nordenfeldt guns, relics even before the Great War of 1914-18, were requisitioned from their owners for the defence of Tomahawk, a beach considered a vital spot in the defence of Dunedin. They have not been reclaimed yet by their owners.
Very early in the war, the coast defences at Lyttelton and Wellington went into action. The gun at Battery Point in Lyttelton harbour was fired across the bow of an incoming trawler; but the shot was misdirected and struck the vessel. The owner of the trawler was killed and the vessel was sunk. Compensation was paid by the Government. The guns of Lyttelton were not again fired in defence of the port. The Wellington forts were on the alert early in September, 1939, and when the overseas vessel City of Delhi failed to observe the harbour regulations one shot brought her to a standstill. Not another shot was fired "in anger” throughout the war.
A Gun that was Not Fired
There was an occasion when a gun which should have been fired was not fired. The occasion was “hush-hush"; the Gilbertian situation which arose was even more so. It was when a test was to be made at Trentham of armoured plate manufactured at the Temuka wokshops of the Public Works Department, the intention being that some of the plate should be used on the “Semple” tank, built with a bulldozer chassis.
The armoured plate was shipped to Wellington, and a naval gun was transported on a special railway truck from the naval base at Devonport, Auckland. Members of the War Cabinet, high Service officials, Ministers of the Crown, and proud engineers assembled at Trentham to witness the test.
The target was erected and the guncrew busied themselves. Nothing happened. After an awkward wait, inquiries were made as to the cause of delay. The artillery officer had to confess that when the gun was shipped from Auckland no shell to fit it had been sent. Whether the demonstration was ever held later was never whispered by those who had expectantly gone to Trentham that day.
On another occasion a shot which should not have been fired was fired — and the War Expenses account had to meet a debit. A demonstration of the Bofors anti-aircraft gun was being given on a gloriously sunny afternoon near Nelson. Somehow, the order of placing the shell and working the gun was reversed by the demonstrating officer and to the consternation of all the deflected gun spat out a shell. Instead of bursting in mid-air, it landed in Wilkes’s timber mill at Richmond, five or six miles away from Tahunanui. Only a few moments before, the millhands had left the mill to take their afternoon tea-break in the sunshine. The shell burst in the mill, which was considerably damaged, but nobody was injured.
