EDITOR- In your edition of the Berea Mail on Friday 12 September 2014, I am quoted as stating that the memorial gun at the Gunners’ Memorial in the grounds of the Old Fort, Durban is a 13 pounder from Germany, which served in the German South-West African Campaign in World War 1.
Please may I point out that the gun was in fact a British gun used by the Transvaal Horse Artillery during the GSWA Campaign. The THA lost two guns to the Germans in the Battle of Sandfontein on 23 September 1914. They were spiked (ie rendered unusable) by the South African Gunners and the Germans dropped them into Lake Outjikoto, north of Tsumeb. The lake is extremely deep but one of them struck an underwater ledge of rock at the side of it and was subsequently recovered and used for training purposes by the South African Field Artillery Depot in Potchefstroom.
The THA coincidentally did most of its Citizen Force training on this gun from 1913 and subsequently (after the War) until 1922. It then ended up in the Wynberg Military Camp and the SADF granted permission for it to be used as a memorial in Durban after strong motivation by Mr Anson Lloyd, who served in the artillery during the Second World War.
The memorial was designed by Mr Keith Gow (who was also a Gunner in WW2 and who later became Chairman of the Durban Branch of the Gunners’ Association). It was unveiled at a Dedication Service held on 27 August 1967. The ceremony was performed by the Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General C.A (“Pop”) Fraser SM and the Guard of Honour was provided by two officers and 101 Other Ranks of the Natal Field Artillery under the command of Commandant Des Fell JCD.
Platoons from three other Units formed three sides of the square, with the NFA’s Guard of Honour in the centre. Sacred music was played by the Regimental Band of the Natal Mounted Rifles and the ceremony was attended by the first woman Mayor of Durban, Councillor Margaret Maytom. The scripture reading and prayers were conducted by Ds JJP Stofberg of the NGK and the Reverend Hugh Yule, the Regimental Chaplain of the Durban Light Infantry.
The Annual Gunners’ Memorial Service has been held at the memorial gun ever since but in view of the significance of this year being the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War, a combined service was held with the Durban Branch of the South African Legion and the Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTH).
Ken Gillings
Honorary Secretary: The Gunners’ Association: Durban Branch
