Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company ENewsletter

Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company
ENewsletter Edition No 14

February 2015

AIRBURST

In This Issue

On This Day - New Website Section

From the Webmaster

Gunners Around the Nation

Did You Know?

RAAHC 18 Pounder Trailer

Featured Article

Ubique 300

Ubique 300 is a Royal Artillery initiative to celebrate their 300th anniversary.

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Dear Gunners (Readers) -

WELCOME TO AIRBURST NO 14 - March 2015,

We are nearly to ANZAC Day 2015 and the ANZAC Centennial 18 Pounder Gun Project has moved on apace. Initial harness and driver training has been conducted by Max Pearce in Goulburn. Max has 35 years experience in the sport of Carriage Driving and is an Equestrian Australia Carriage Driving Level 2 Coach and Coach Educator as well as Current Chair National Carriage Driving Committee. Max's other qualifications are too many to mention.

Jim Frecklington and Kevin Browning continue to watch over the gun as it nears completion. They we persuaded to release it for a trial run in the Goulburn Heritage Parade on Sunday 15 March.

We have commissioned a purpose designed trailer to carry the gun and limber. All up the weight including trailer is 3 tonne so we have to hire a vehicle capable of handling tat weight each time we move it. Any one out there know anybody that would lend us a capable vehicle for 3 years? Only asking. The photos in a separate article below show the trailer in all its glory.

We have been joined by a number of volunteers three of whom have been trained as drivers: Rebecca Wozniak, Molli Mercer and Daniel Bogle. Other volunteers are acting as strappers and general helpers. We thank them all.

We put it all together for a trail run in Goulburn;the first time the team has seen the gun and vice versa. All went well and we will apply some lessons learnt.

Getting ready in the Assembly Area

Last minute adjustments

Prepare to Move!

Through Goulburn

Thanks to all who have been involved. A special mention has to be made of our major donors; AMP, BAE Systems and Hall Rotary as well as Mr Terry Snow and the Staff at Canberra Airport who have provided tremendous assistance.

The Governor General will be welcoming the Team (horses, riders, gun and limber) to Canberra on 15 April at Fairbairn. Timing is 2:30 PM. Check the website for details.

A lot has been achieved. We have reached the point at which we are confident to display all of the components in events and have sufficient funding to keep us going until the end of the year. However the project has another three years to go so keep the donations coming!

Ubique,

Ian Ahearn
Deputy Chair
RAAHC

On This Day (New website section)

On This Day is a new section within the website that can be accessed via the " Moments in History " button. The On This Day section has been designed to record events of an Artillery nature that have occurred throughout our Australian history. These events may range from past to current events, be of a national, historical, unit or personal significance. All we ask is that the event recorded is Artillery orientated.

Full details of the On This Day section, including examples of what may be recorded within this section, can be found by clicking on any of the On This Day links within this article in yellow.

I would like to state publicly my sincere thanks to Christopher Jobson without whose help this section would never have eventuated. Christopher has put together, by far and large, the majority of events recorded at the time of launching this new section. Again many thanks Christopher.

Readers are requested to provide feedback on the new section by emailing the Webmaster with your comments should you wish.

After all, it's all history to us!

From the Webmaster

Members Only Area

Access to the Members Only Area has now been made easier, for those allocated a User ID and Password, with the introduction of a " ENTER Members Only Area" button located on the Home Page immediately below the up scrolling billboard "Breaking News" on the left hand side of the Home Page.

Facebook

The RAAHC now has a Facebook page. The aim's of the Facebook page are to post at least 1 image accompanied by an article per month from within the Library enabling everyone to look back through time; keep people up todate with the current activities of the RAAHC and to enable people to interact and ask questions, deposit old photos that may be of use to the RAAHC and more.

Please click on the below image, shown on the Home Page to "Like Us" on Facebook.

Gunners Around the Nation

View the latest Newsletters from various Artillery associations around the nation:

Locating Surveillance and Target Acquisition Association - Newsletter

12th Field Regiment (Vietnam) Association - Bulletin No 32

A Field Battery Association - Newsletter

131 Locators Association - Newsletter

Did You Know?

Did You Know: The pace stick carried today by

RSMs, and drill instructors at the Royal Military College, was originally an Artillery piece. Referred to as a Gunners' Stick, it was used by gunners to ensure the correct distances between guns deployed in the battle field gun lines. It was later modified by the Infantry to pace-out distances on the parade ground. The original stick's design had a knob at the top and opened like a pair of callipers, and this version is still carried today by Artillery master gunners.

RAAHC 18 Pounder Trailer

The purpose built trailer to transport the 18 Pounder and Limber around the nation has now been finished along with the weatherproof canopy that proudly advertises the 18 Pounder project along with those that have donated to the project to date.