THE GUN Where is it now?
Look closely at many of the old school photos and you will see a large gun on it's carriage.
This is it's story / but where is it now?
This is it's story / but where is it now?
From: Kevin B [kb@artilleryguns.org.au]
Sent: Monday, 24 September 2012 6:28 PM
Subject: World War I Trophy Gun - Coburg HS
I am writing to introduce myself and the organisation I represent but especially to thank you for responding to Geoff Green’s enquiry about the World War I trophy gun allotted to Coburg High School. Geoff was as excited as we were to hear that the gun may possibly still exist in the local area.
I am the Project Manager for the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company and the Royal Australian Artillery History Sub-committee who endeavor to record all historic artillery pieces in Australia. They are volunteer organisations raised by the Royal Australian Artillery. We began our work in NSW due to my location and the support of the NSW Heritage Office and are presently working our way into the other States and Territories. You can view the work to date on our website at www.artilleryhistory.org and click on Gun Register. As time permits we conduct additional research on each gun to obtain background on its capture and its history once allotted to an organisation. It is always interesting to see what eventuated when a gun was allotted to a School. In NSW, when the allocation was occurring, the State Government forbid any State school from accepting a gun and some newspaper articles of the time are interesting for the comments they make on this restriction. One town actually displayed their gun in a park opposite a school.
We are keen to obtain photos that show the gun during any period of its time after allocation and where possible any articles in which it is mentioned. The gun may only be visible in the background but it is normally enough to allow us to determine what model gun it is. If the gun still exists photos of the gun in its present condition and photos of any markings on the gun are of great use. According to records we held at the Australian War Memorial Coburg High School were allotted a 77 mm gun, serial number 8063 which is said to be captured by 15 battalion on 11 August 1918.
I look forward to future correspondence
Yours sincerely
Kevin Browning
Sent: Monday, 24 September 2012 6:28 PM
Subject: World War I Trophy Gun - Coburg HS
I am writing to introduce myself and the organisation I represent but especially to thank you for responding to Geoff Green’s enquiry about the World War I trophy gun allotted to Coburg High School. Geoff was as excited as we were to hear that the gun may possibly still exist in the local area.
I am the Project Manager for the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company and the Royal Australian Artillery History Sub-committee who endeavor to record all historic artillery pieces in Australia. They are volunteer organisations raised by the Royal Australian Artillery. We began our work in NSW due to my location and the support of the NSW Heritage Office and are presently working our way into the other States and Territories. You can view the work to date on our website at www.artilleryhistory.org and click on Gun Register. As time permits we conduct additional research on each gun to obtain background on its capture and its history once allotted to an organisation. It is always interesting to see what eventuated when a gun was allotted to a School. In NSW, when the allocation was occurring, the State Government forbid any State school from accepting a gun and some newspaper articles of the time are interesting for the comments they make on this restriction. One town actually displayed their gun in a park opposite a school.
We are keen to obtain photos that show the gun during any period of its time after allocation and where possible any articles in which it is mentioned. The gun may only be visible in the background but it is normally enough to allow us to determine what model gun it is. If the gun still exists photos of the gun in its present condition and photos of any markings on the gun are of great use. According to records we held at the Australian War Memorial Coburg High School were allotted a 77 mm gun, serial number 8063 which is said to be captured by 15 battalion on 11 August 1918.
I look forward to future correspondence
Yours sincerely
Kevin Browning