Report No 22 of the Heritage Gun Restoration Committee

Gunners washing the Museums Guns.
Gunners washing the Military History Museum’s Guns.

The Heritage Gun Restoration Committee continues to make good progress. Herewith a further update based on developments in May 2022.

GUN REGISTER

There are  464 guns on the current version of the register, of which 262 have now been inspected. In June 2022 Gunner Wassermeier and the Vereeniging Branch will visit Kimberley with the intention of inspecting all of these guns. This register has now been captured on a data base which can be searched according to various criteria, such as “all guns in a particular geographic location”.

The 40mm Bofors at Warrior's Gate
The 40mm Bofors at Warrior’s Gate
Inspecting the 6" 26cwt Gun at the Union Buildings
Inspecting the 6″ 26 cwt Gun at the Union Buildings
The gun located at Smuts House
The gun located at Smuts House

GUNS RESTORED UNDER DIRECTION/FUNDING OF THE GUNNERS’ ASSOCIATION

  1.   6” 26 CWT – Company Gardens, Cape Town
  2.   6” 26 CWT – Johannesburg Zoo
  3.   13 Pdr – Potchefstroom Memorial (resprayed again – April 2022)
  4.   13 Pdr – Potchefstroom Memorial (resprayed again – April 2022)
  5.   18 Pdr – Potchefstroom Memorial (resprayed again – April 2022)
  6.   Sexton – Potchefstroom Memorial
  7.   GV1 – Potchefstroom Memorial
  8.   GV2 – Potchefstroom Memorial
  9.   40mm Bofors – Potchefstroom Memorial (resprayed again – March 2022)
  10.   7” Heavy AA Gun – Potchefstroom Memorial
  11.   GV1 – Ventersdorp Road
  12.   40mm Bofors – Steel Helmet Shellhole
  13.   Armstrong RBL 2.5” Gun – Durban
  14.   Armstrong RBL 2.5” Gun – Durban
  15.   40mm Bofors – Warriors Gate in Durban – (R7500 donation from a Gunner)

 

GV1 at the National Memorial in Potchefstroom
GV1 at the National Memorial in Potchefstroom
The 6" 26 cwt Gun in the Company Gardens in Cape Town
The 6″ 26 cwt Gun in the Company Gardens in Cape Town

GUNS RESTORED WITH INPUT OF THE GUNNERS’ ASSOCIATION

  1. 13 Pdr – Sandfontein Artillery Regiment
  2. 13 Pdr – Sandfontein Artillery Regiment
  3. Sexton – Sandfontein Artillery Regiment
Sandfontein Artillery Regiment 13 Pdr
Sandfontein Artillery Regiment 13 Pdr

GUNS CURRENTLY UNDER RESTORATION

  1. 13Pdr – Durban Gunners’ Memorial
  2. 7” Howitzer – MOTH Western Cape

GUNS UNDER DISCUSSION FOR RESTORATION

  1. 7cm FK M96n.A Gun – Ex Pietermaritzburg City Hall
  2. 7cm FK M96n.A Gun – Ex Pietermaritzburg City Hall
  3. 12 Pdr 12 CWT – Ex Durban City Hall
  4. 12 Pdr 12 CWT – Ex Durban City Hall
  5. Russian ADA Gun – Fort Wynyard
  6. Museum Guns – Apex Base                            
Durban City Hall Gun
Durban City Hall Gun

GUNS CLEANED BY THE GUNNERS’ ASSOCIATION

  1. GV1 – Smuts House
  2. GV1 – GEM Village
  3. GV2 – GEM Village
  4. 7” Howitzer – GEM Homes
  5. 6” 26 CWT – Union Buildings
  6. All guns at Ditsong SA National Museum of Military History (to be done again in June/July by Johannesburg Branch)                                                                                                                                                                               
Pretoria Branch cleaning GEM Village Guns
Pretoria Branch cleaning the SAHA Memorial Guns
Pretoria Branch cleaning GEM Village Guns

Please let me have details of any guns I may have omitted from the above tables. I have not included the guns restored by the School of Artillery, 4 Artillery Regt and Ditsong SA National Museum of Military History.

My thanks to the numerous Gunners involved in these projects.

30 May (16h00) has been set for the unveiling of the 6” 26 CWT Johannesburg Zoo Gun by the Speaker of the City of Johannesburg.

Johannesburg Zoo Gun
Johannesburg Zoo Gun
Johannebsurg Zoo Gun

I think we can be proud of what we have achieved despite Covid-19. However, there are 464 guns on the Heritage Gun Register so there is still much to be done!

Gnr Roy Andersen

Chairman

Heritage Gun Restoration Committee

13 May 2022

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