Historical Specifics:

The 77 mm Field Gun 96n.A, serial number Nr 360 is a World War I trophy gun allotted to Gawler. It was manufactured by Krupp in 1897 and converted in 1907. The Australian War Memorial card records indicate the gun was captured by 12 Australian Infantry Brigade on 18 September 1918 but it may also have been captured on 8 August 1918. Due to the number of 77 mm guns captured by this Brigade on those days it is not possible to identify which battalion (45, 46, 47 and 48) was responsible for neither its capture, nor its place of capture.

Bunyip (local Gawler paper) reported on 20 August 1920 ‘Distribution of War Trophies Committee for South Australia that the allocation was being made on a population basis, and that Gawler had been allotted one gun.’ The Mayor, Cr. Parham, and Mr. R. J. Rudall (President of the local R.S.A.) were named as Trustees. The Bunyip reported on 8 October 1920 the Secretary, War Trophies Committee had advised a gun had been selected and although allotted to Gawler ‘consideration had to be given to the claims of Gawler South and Willaston as within the arena, and the Committee expected that the claims of these people would be considered when the question of site [for display] was debated.’

There then ensued some heated discussions as to where the gun would be displayed. Gawler South was most vocal seeking the gun for display near their Soldiers Memorial. Finally the Bunyip of 8 April 1921 reported Mr E.A Smith, Town Clerk ‘as my Council were not anxious to retain the gun in the town, and Gawler South wanted it as per the request of Mr Garett of the Gawler South Memorial Committee, my Council passed a resolution agreeing to allow the gun to be stationed at the Gawler South Memorial providing the Willaston people agreed.’ The Register reported on Tuesday 27 September 1921: ‘On Saturday afternoon the soldiers' memorial erected in Gawler South on the intersection of Adelaide road and Murray street, was unveiled by Brig-Gen. Leane. An immense gathering assembled, and traffic in the neighbourhood was stopped…. The memorial was dedicated to the memory of the men who enlisted from Gawler, South and Gawler Blocks, is built of Angaston marble, and stands 17 ft. high…. Against the monument is a captured German field piece as a war trophy and the whole is surrounded with an iron railing fence’.

When the gun was moved to Pioneer Park is still under investigation (letter to Council) but the Bunyip reported on 30 June 1939 ‘on Sunday morning, at about 6.30 o'clock a heavy lorry travelling from Adelaide, took a wide sweep and crashed down the protective cast fencing completely wrecking three panels and the gateway into the memorial’. Repairs do not appear to have occurred as questions were asked in the papers in late 1939, 1943 and again in May 1952. It would appear the iron railing was eventually removed and with it the gun moved. (to be confirmed).

Now displayed in Pioneer Park the gun is exposed to the elements and although reported> Some partial restoration has been completed for its 100th anniversary. This would require new wooden wheels, the original ones now long gone and replaced with steel wheels. Regardless of the work carried out the gun needs to be placed under shelter away from the direct effects of the weather.