Royal Australian Artillery
Historical Company
ENewsletter Edition No 49 March 2021
|
|
Australian Artillery Association
|
Are you a member of the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company? If not then visit our website, view membership details and benefits and join us today! |
Become a part of history by purchasing your Australia's Memorial Walk paver today. For more information view website. |
Publicise Your Upcoming Event |
Are you a member of an Artillery association? Does your association have an upcoming event? Want to publicise it to a wider audience for free? Contact the Editor for further details.
|
|
Welcome to Airburst No 49 March 2021 |
RAAHC Book of Days -A pictorial book tracing the history of Australian Artillery from 1871 to 2021
As a contribution to the 150th Anniversary of Australian Artillery the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company has produced a photobook and distributes a free copy to all RAA units and sub units. There are a limited number of these books for sale. Cost is $55 which includes postage.
Payment can be made by the order form on the RAAHC website- CLICK HERE or visit the RAAHC website www.artilleryhistory.org
At the moment only one copy can be ordered to ensure equitable distribution. Get in early to secure your copy. Payment can be made by EFT (please ensure you include your name in the transaction), PayPal or Credit Card.
The year flies!
The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust (SHFT) is our landlord for the Cutler Research Centre at North Fort. I note with sorrow that Mary Darwell the
Executive Director is leaving. Mary has been most supportive of the RAAHC and we wish her well for the future. She has not yet been replaced by a permanent Executive Director.
The Avenue of Honour and Australia Memorial Walk will be re-opened to public access from Monday 8th March. For public safety and protection of fauna habitat, these tracks will be locked overnight between 6.00pm and 5.00am. The Obstacle Course, Observation Post & Hanging Swamp tracks will remain closed until these damaged tracks are rebuilt over the next few months. Signage will be installed next week to advise the public of the changed arrangements. Check with Sydney Harbour Federation Trust at general enquiries, please phone (02) 8969 2100 or email info@harbourtrust.gov.au.
Ubique
Ian Ahearn
Chair RAAHC
|
Did You Know?
WARRANT OFFICER
In 1881 the rank of Sergeant-Major was changed to Warrant Officer and the badge of rank was the Royal Crown. In 1915 the rank was changed to ‘Warrant Officer Class One’ and a new rank, ‘Warrant Officer Class Two’, was introduced. The badge of rank for Warrant Officers Class one became the Royal Coat-of-Arms and the badge for Warrant Officers Class Two was the Crown.
Warrant Officers Class Two were issued with a Warrant on promotion, and on promotion to Warrant Officer Class One the relevant person was issued with a new Warrant; this practice ceased in 1938, and from this time-on the initially issued Warrant covered both ranks.
In Australian, in 1976, the Royal Coat-of-Arms badge of rank was changed to that of the Australian Coat-of-Arms.
|
Army tests new SMArt artillery ammo
Army’s Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RAA) has successfully tested a new Sensor-fused Munition for Artillery (SMArt) 155mm round.
Tested during Exercise Chimera held at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Rockhampton in late March, the new round is fired from the M777 155mm howitzer and is specifically designed for long-range, top-attack. Each round contains two sub munitions which descend over a battlefield on parachutes, identify armoured vehicles using advanced sensors, and then fire an explosively formed penetrator warhead into the target.
The SMArt155 projectile provides a capability to efficiently and effectively engage and destroy heavy armoured fighting vehicles, such as main battle tanks.
|
|
NORTH FORT , SYDNEY
War time capsule reopens its gas-proof doors after 70 years - Sydney Morning Herald 10 February 2021
After restoration work that took two years, the North Fort Plotting Room, associated artillery tunnels and gun placements at North Head are now open to small, socially-distanced groups.
More than 70 years after the heavy gas-tight doors were closed we enter the cool and ventilated steel-roofed bunker where 18 men and women worked. Volunteers from the Harbour Trust, supported by the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company, have replaced ceilings and tobacco-stained panels, cut away cancerous concrete and built a replica plotting table from the remnants of the original.
The Sydney Morning Herald article by By Tim Barlass, can be viewed by clicking Here
History of North Fort
As part of a coastal fortress system the North Head fortifications were completed in 1937 a a cost of £2million. The fortifications were equipped with two 9.2 inch calibre guns. Serviced by a 200-metre-long network of underground tunnels, each was capable of firing a distance of 26.4km. Target coordinates were relayed to these heavy weapons from the nearby Plotting Room.
The guns were manufactured by Elswick Ordnance Company Vickers Beardmores, UK and their installation at North Fort was no easy feat.
The North Head Battery, together with the 9.2 inch batteries at Newcastle, Cape Banks and Wollongong combined with the 6 inch batteries located at South Head, Middle Head, Signal Hill (Sydney area), Port Kembla and Newcastle formed and integrated coastal fortress system. The system was dismantled in 1960.
|
|
ABOVE: The Body and barrel of Number One gun moving along the purpose built railway track from the wharf. |
|
 |
Ordinance en route to the gun position |
|
|
|
Tube being lowered onto the cradle |
|
|
|
Australian Women's Army Service personnel in the North Fort Plotting Room in 1944. AWM |
|
Volunteers Peter Lawrence and Ron Ray show the newly restored Fortress and Battery plotting rooms at North Head. CREDIT NICK MOIR |
|
150th Anniversary of Artillery |
|
Queensland
1 st Regiment RAA will train a ceremonial gun line made up of members of 1st Regiment, 20th Regiment and 9th Regiment, RAA to participate in the National Ceremony Salute on 1 August at 1200 hrs. The regiments will fire the salute from Fort Lytton National Park. Fort Lytton Historical Association will coordinate a historical display.
A committee of stakeholders has been formed to plan all aspects of a closed ceremony within Defence and Health Department COVID guidelines. The target audience is current, ex-serving RAA personnel and their families with invited guests.
Stakeholders in the event are:
1st Regiment, RAA, 20th Regiment, RAA,5/11th Battery, 9th Regiment RAA, QLD National Parks, Australian Artillery Association, QLD Artillery Association, Fort Lytton Historical Association, QLD Military History Society, Location, Survey and Target Acquisition Association, ‘A’ Battery Association, 104 Battery Association and 105 Battery Association.
Great to see a close engagement between the serving regiment, retired gunners and the broader community for this special day!
|
|
Gunners Around the Nation & The World |
|
View the latest Newsletters from various Artillery associations around the nation:
RAA Association Victoria Newsletter - Cascabel
Locating Surveillance and Target Acquisition Association - Newsletter
Royal Australian Artillery Association (NSW) -Website
Australian Artillery Association - Website
|
|
P.O. Box R1638
Royal Exchange, 1225 Australia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
