Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company
ENewsletter Edition No 80 March 2024
|
|
Dear Gunners (Readers) -
Welcome to Airburst No 80 March 2024
It has been a funny old Summer and beginning of Autumn. It would appear that the hot as hell Summer some how missed! At least in Canberra. Not sure that the rest of the country burnt except parts of VIC?
This newsletter contains an update on the Sydney harbour Scenic Walk. The Sydney Harbour Scenic Walk is a NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) project that links Middle Head and Georges Head. This will create a seamless walking experience to connect the headlands and allow visitors to experience the natural and cultural environment. The Walk contains many artillery historical sites and the RAAHC has provided considerable support to NPWS for the interpretation of artillery sites on the walk, throughout its development.
In 2002 a Hamel 105mm gun in 4th Field Regiment, RAA was destroyed by an ammunition failure. Details are contained below.
A reminder that the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, often referred to by its acronym, HARS, has a 40mm Bofors on long term loan from the RAAHC and are seeking artillery volunteers to assist in its restoration. John E Boland is the HARS Bofors Project Manager and is located at Albion Park in NSW. John can be contacted on Mobile: 0438295577 or Email: johneboland@optusnet.com.au. Please help if you can.
While on the subject of volunteers, I would like to offer a challenge to all our readers. As you are all aware the RAAHC operates on the blood, sweat and tears of our volunteers. I challenge all readers to contact at least one friend/colleague who you know has an interest in Australian Artillery, and persuade him/her to contact the RAAHC to find out how they can help. I am more than happy to act as contact. Email is CHAIR and mobile is 0417691741. If you cannot find a volunteer at least identify a potential member! Give it a Go!
UBIQUE
Ian Ahearn
Chair RAAHC
|
|
The Hamel Incident May 2002
In 1984, the L119 entered service with the Australian Army named the "Hamel gun" to replace the M2A2.The gun was manufactured under licence in Australia for the Australian and New Zealand armies using mostly Australian produced components. Production was carried out at the Ordnance Factories at Maribyrnong and Bendigo.
107th Field Battery, 4th Field Regiment had a unique experience with a “Hamel” during a live shoot in 2002. On 28 May 2002, EX RODEN’S REVERE conducted at High Range in Queensland, was cut short, when Bravo gun from 107th Field Battery experienced a catastrophic explosion when a HE round in the breech detonated prematurely. The explosion blew the barrel 10 metres and the breech sheared off from the barrel. The top of the sight sheared off, the camouflage net was thrown 10 metres to the rear and the recuperator was blown 20 metres forward of the gun. The detachment head 20 rounds prepared, and these started to catch alight.
Injuries sustained were mercifully very light with shock being the major injury. In addition, the number two suffered a broken hip when the breech as it flew rearwards, hit him. The number 3 was hit in the face by fragments of the sight as it shattered. All members suffered from inhaling the supercharged air as it was expelled from the barrel/breech. The luckiest man in the world was the number seven who was standing by the ammunition shelter next to the breech’s final resting place. The rearward section of the round remained in the barrel, less its driving band. The fuse and the forward section of the round were not found.
The gun was written off. The tyres were shredded and the trails badly damaged. The two equilibrators faced skyward with much of the remainder of the superstructure of the gun scattered over a 40 to 50 metre radius.
The Regiment quickly and effectively activated a casualty management system and had all injured parties back in Townsville and families informed with the minimum of delay.
The photographs below show the damage caused by the premature round. The quality is poor but they illustrate the incident.
|
|
 |
The gun completely destroyed |
|
|
|
Parts of the gun structure |
|
|
|
|
The remains of the HE round jammed in the barrel. |
|
|
|
The cartridge case jammed in the barrel. |
|
|
|
|
The breech was blown to the rear of the gun. |
|
|
|
The two equiliberators reach for the sky |
|
|
|
LAND 19 7B (L197B) is the project title for the procurement of an upgrade to Australia’s Air Defence capability. 16th Regiment, RAA, as the stewards of Army’s Air Defence capability, is currently equipped with a very short range air defence capability through the RBS 70 (Robotsystem 70 - range 8km) as an effector, while its radar systems include :
· The PSTAR-ER (Portable Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar – Extended Range - range 40km),
· G-AMB (Giraffe Agile Multibeam radar - range 120 km) and
· LCMR/LSTAR (Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar/Lightweight Search and Track Acquisition Radar).
Command and control (C2) is provided through various Air Land Integration Cells (ALICS) which work in Brigade (Bde) and Division (Div) Headquarters, and Air Operations Centres (AOC), as well as embedded Ground Liaison Officers with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flying units.
|
|
’Middle Head - Gubbuh Gubbuh and Georges Head walking track link to the Sydney Harbour Scenic Walk
The RAAHC has provided considerable support to NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service for the interpretation of artillery sites on the walk, throughout its development .
The 1801 Battery to Georges Head section now open. The longest section of the new walk between Middle Head and Georges Head opened for visitors in December 2023. Visitors can now walk from Chowder Bay, past the Georges Head casemates and Obelisk Bay, to the 1801 Battery and back to Middle Head Road via the Don Goodsir Track.
|
|
Above: Before and after photos of part of the completed section of walking track (M Daniels/NPWS)
What’s Next?
The construction of the final section of the walking track connecting 1801 Battery to Outer Middle Head is underway. The route has been cleared and materials dropped along the alignment.
Below: The walking track alignment cleared with materials dropped along the route (Dan Lin/NPWS)
|
|
Revealing the Inner Defensive Ditch
The inner defensive ditch was one of two excavated across the headland in the 1870s to protect the coastal fortifications from potential enemy landing parties approaching from Cobblers Beach or along Middle Head Road. But as the need for landward protection waned, so too did maintenance, and there is photographic evidence that by 1955, the ditch had started to fill up with soil and vegetation. By the time the land was transferred from the Commonwealth the inner ditch was largely buried.
Below: The outer fortifications at Middle Head, constructed in the 1870s, were protected by two defensive ditches. (State Library of NSW).
|
|
The new track will cross the outer defensive ditch but then enter and walk up through the inner defensive ditch to provide visitors with an appreciation of the purpose and effectiveness of these defences from another age.
Excavation of the ditch, with approval from Heritage NSW and under archaeological supervision, was carefully carried out in December. An assortment of random artefacts, including bottles from the 1930s, rusty fragments of a star picket, a wrench and roller skates, ceramics and plastic rifle blanks (which were only invented in the 1950s), suggests the ditch was used as a rubbish dump. The items were assessed and documented by archaeologists.
|
|
Above left: The inner defensive ditch is revealed for the first time in over 60 years (R Newton/NPWS) Above right: The ditch will form part of the new walking track (Ian Curtis/NPWS).
The bottom of the ditch has been protected with geo-fabric and the filled with gravel to provide a level surface for the RFP boardwalk to be installed without the need for fixings.
To see more information on the Scenic Walk CLICK HERE
|
|
1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade
The Brigade saw action on the Peninsula in 1915, supporting the British 29th Division around Cape Helles from early May, and then the Australian 2nd Division around Anzac Cove from October until the force was withdrawn back to Egypt. From mid-1916, the brigade supported the 1st Division on the Western Front until the end of the war in November 1918. During this time, the regiment consisted of the following: the 1st Field Artillery Battery, 2nd Field Artillery Battery, 3rd Field Artillery Battery, 101st Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery and the 1st Brigade Ammunition Column.
The 101st Howitzer Battery was raised as part of the 21st Howitzer Brigade, in March 1916. Howitzer Batteries were raised in Egypt for deployment to France as part of five Howitzer Artillery Brigades numbered 21-25 with the second digit corresponding to the number of its supported Division.
Supply of howitzers was an issue initially and there weren't enough to go around, so the Howitzer Brigades were broken up and a Battery allocated to each Field Artillery Brigade to augment the Field Batteries in one of the many re-organisations that characterised the AIF artillery in WW1. The 101st was allocated to the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, with which it served out the rest of the war.
The Brigade served in Gallipoli , Egypt, Western Front: Pozieres, Bullecourt, Messines, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Passchendaele, Ancre, Villers Bretonneux, Hamel, Amiens, Albert, Hindenburg Line. One hundred and ninety three men died while posted to this unit.
Individual Honours
· 1 x Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
· 2 x Distinguished Service Order
· 16 x Military Cross
· 8 x Distinguished Conduct Medal
· 55 x Military Medal
· 4 x Bar to Military Medal
· 3 x Meritorious Service Medal
· 26 x Mentioned in Despatches
· 2 x Belgium Croix de Guerre
· 1 x Serbian Silver Obilich Medal for Bravery
Sources. Click on links for more information.
|
|
A gun of the 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade being man handled over the boggy ground at Anzac Ridge, in the Ypres Sector 1917.
|
|
|
A team of Australian artillery drivers and horses dragging 4.5 inch howitzers into position on Westhoek and Anzac Ridges, east of Ypres. They were probably preparing for the Battle of Broodseinde,1917.
|
|
|
|
PORT STEPHENS, NSW. 1938. FIRING AN 18 POUNDER GUN DURING A NIGHT EXERCISE BY THE 1ST FIELD BRIGADE. |
|
|
|
Visit to 8/12th Regiment by Honourable Richard Marles, MP
0n 13th March 2024, the Regiment hosted the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, The Hon Richard Marles, MP.
The Minister got some first hand experiences with our Gunners, including getting an appreciation of lifting and throwing our High Explosive 155mm ammunition (45kg+).
An experience he won't soon forget. Photos below show elements of the visit.
|
|
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.
|
|
CARTOON CORNER-a laugh is as good as a holiday e
|
Did you Know?
Who invented Artillery?
Bronze firearm, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368 ACE)". Photo taken by Yannick Trottier, 2007.
The first documented battlefield use of gunpowder artillery took place on 29 January 1132, when Song General Han Shizhong used huochong to capture a city in Fujian. The world's earliest known hand cannon is the Heilongjiang hand cannon dated 1288, which was found in Mongol-held Manchuria.
|
|
Gunners Around the Nation & The World |
|
View the websites/ Newsletters from various Artillery associations around the nation and overseas:
RAA Association Victoria Newsletter - Cascabel
Locating Surveillance and Target Acquisition Association - Website
Royal Australian Artillery Association (NSW) -Website
Australian Artillery Association - Website
|
|
PO Box 171
Cremorne Junction
NSW 2090 Australia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
