12-Pounder 8 cwt RBL (Armstrong) Gun serial number 370
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2012 the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company exchanged a 4.5 inch Howitzer and Limber with the Australian War Memorial for the remains of a 12-pounder Rifled Breech Loading (RBL) gun, serial number 370. Only four examples of this gun are known to exist in Australia. The 12 pounder represented the move towards a breech loading gun with a rifled barrel firing a conical projectile and was the first gun used in Australia with an on-carriage traversing capability. It was made from wrought iron employing the 'built-up' method of construction. It therefore represents an important step in the development of modern artillery.
This gun, serial number 370, is one of three used by the Werribee Half Battery, Royal Victorian Horse Artillery between 1889 and 1892. It was made by the Royal Gun Factory in 1864. Originally used as a field gun the carriage was modified when used by the Horse Artillery, the ammunition box was changed to also be used as a seat. It was on display at Lake Park, Creswick. No information is available as to when or how it came to be there. By 1940 it was in a state of disrepair and was handed over for restoration to be repaired and re-erected in the grounds of the School of Forestry at Creswick. This work was not undertaken and sometime between 1962 and 1964 it came into the possession of a collector who had intended to restore it. Again this work was not carried out and in 1984 the Australian War Memorial purchased the gun and commenced restoration. Before proceeding too far a fully restored gun, number 367, became available and was purchased by the Australian War Memorial. Gun number 370 remained unrestored and in 2012 was exchanged with the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company.
Because of the money already spent on the gun (wheels, axle, breech block and a complete set of engineers drawings) Ministerial Approval was required. The barrel, wheels and metal work were delivered to North Head and stored pending completion of other work. At this time Allan Sterling agreed to take on Project Management and on behalf of the RAAHC successfully obtained funds from the Royal Australian Artillery Association, Victoria ($2000) and the Federal Government from local member Joanne Ryan through Building Stronger Communities Grant ($8000). Additional funding to complete the work is presently being investigated.
With the support of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust volunteers at North Head work commenced in 2015. All the timber work had to be rebuilt, except wheels, and a quantity of the metal pieces fabricated. It soon became apparent the engineer drawings were not accurate but a visit to the Australian War Memorial allowed necessary checks to be made. Credit must be given to Bill Stuart, the carpenter craftsmen, and Steve Hassett, engineer, who have built the carriage.
Bill Stuart and Bill Knight, volunteer carpenters with the RAAHC assist with the off-loading of the barrel No 370 at North Head, 2012
The trail starts to take shape. The final work is of enormous credit to those involved.
Steve Hassett and Bill Stuart fit the barrel to check their work
A special thanks to blacksmith Stephen Nicoll for the major pieces he crafted in Victoria. Other volunteers at North Head assisted with metal work, for example the axle that had been made for the Australian War Memorial was too long and had to be reduced. It is not possible here to clearly show the expertise all these volunteers have provided but the tolerances they had to work too were very fine in many places and they met every one.
The barrel is placed on the carriage for the first time to allow for the fine adjustments
View of the breech, elevation and traversing mechanisms.
The 12 Pounder delivered to Werribee by Linfox transport where restoration will be completed. Linfox took great care in the move.
Work at North Head is now complete and the gun was moved to Werribee where it will be on long term loan to the Werribee Half Battery Living History Group. They will remove the paint from the wheels and stain the carriage and preserve the metal work at a facility provided by the Werribee RSL. Upon completion it is planned to display it at Werribee Park, a return home after 127 years, and to eventually display it at the Army Artillery Museum. Movement of the gun from North Head to Werribee was undertaken by Linfox, pro bono.
From the left: Merv Clifton, Werribee RSL Treasurer and memorabilia officer; Ron Hesse, Werribee RSL Welfare driver; Alex Mort, Bevchain driver (Linfox) ; Allan Sterling, RAAHC 12 Pounder Project Manager and OC Werribee Half Battery; Darryl Ryan, Werribee RSL President; Jas Bercirovic, Bevchain Transport Supervisor, (Linfox).
The gun was designed by the British manufacturer W A Armstrong and entered service with the Royal Artillery in 1859. Victoria ordered six of these guns in 1861 and these were given to the Royal Artillery in 1863 for use in New Zealand. Replacements were ordered and arrived in January 1865 and used by the Metropolitan Artillery Corps of the Royal Victorian Volunteer Artillery. In May 1880 twelve members of the Permanent Victorian Artillery under the command of Captain Anderson and a 12-pounder 8 cwt RBL gun were dispatched by special train from Melbourne to Glenrowan. It was intended to use the gun to blow down Jones' hotel if the Kelly Gang did not surrender. Before they arrived the siege was over and the train was stopped at Seymour and returned to Melbourne.
In 1885 the Victorian Government purchased new 12-pounder breech loading guns and the old RBL guns were placed in storage. In February 1889 Andrew Chirnside, a wealthy landowner, offered to contribute to a half battery on similar grounds to the Nordenfelt Battery raised by Sir William Clarke in 1884. The Government decided to combine the two half batteries, Clarke's Rupertswood half Battery and Chirnside's Werribee Park half Battery became the Right Half Battery and Left Half Battery of the Victorian Horse Artillery. Each half battery was provided with two (later three) old 12-pounder RBL guns which the Government promised to replace with more suitable guns as soon as these could be identified.
Andrew Chirnside died in April 1890 and with the economic downturn of the 1890s his son wrote to the Government in December 1892 seeking to be relieved from his father's commitment. Following the death of Sir William Clarke in May 1897 his son, Sir Rupert Clarke spoke with the Minister of Defence regarding the maintenance of the battery. As the Government was not prepared to incur the cost of supplying modern guns he announced he intended to discontinue his family's contribution to the upkeep of the battery and subsequently the Government disbanded the unit from 30 June 1897. In October 1897, in recognition of the contribution Sir William Clarke had made to the defence of Victoria, the Government presented to Lady Clarke two of the 12-pounder guns. Two other guns were in poor condition and it is assumed the other two found their way to the Chirnside family.
