Turkish Cannons/Field guns

[welchboy]

[welchboy]

Found that photo on Pinterest, original is held at The Regimental Museum. It shows the "Cannons / Fieldguns ", outside the Officers Mess, Wrexham Barracks, there is no date recorded.

However, it is must be prior to 1960 as the small artillery piece in the centre which was captured by the 2nd Battalion during the Boxer Rebellion and presented to the U.S. Marines sometime in the 1950's. Now to my memory the Officers Mess was demolished in the 1990's and I assume it would have been at that point the guns in question would have been moved but where too, perhaps to be restored.

[keithwill38]

off subject slightly,what happened to the cannons that were at the depot Crickhowell

[ap1]

Bill Bateman (Malaya Vet) phoned me yesterday. The cannons were at Hightown in the early 1950's when he went through basic.

[welchboy]

I have again e mailed the Manchester Regimental Museum, requesting any information they have with regards to the field guns. Reference number for the request 15178784, logged time 10.4.2017 at 00.50.56 hours, plus their system tells me that they will reply within 20 working days.

[welchboy]

I have again e mailed the Manchester Regimental Museum, requesting any information they have with regards to the field guns. Reference number for the request 15178784, logged time 10.4.2017 at 00.50.56 hours, plus their system tells me that they will reply within 20 working days.

Received confirmation of receipt of my e mail. Let us hope that they can supply information how they came into possession of the guns.

Do not know how other forum members feel, but I would like to see them back either at Wrexham Barracks or The Regimental Museum, if that were possible.

[Baconwallah]

According to Lt Col Crocker a grant was received for restoration of the guns on condition that they should be displayed indoors. The Museum had insufficient floor space and could not take them.

John

[welchboy]

Had a reply to from the Manchester Regimental Museum, stating that my query has been passed to the Curator Mr. Garry Smith you will reply once he returns from leave on the 18.4.2017.

[Bob Lake]

My recollection as Regimental Secretary is that these Guns were originally on display outside HQ 3rd Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers at Hightown Barracks, Wrexham. A survey by an expert who had had been part of the Bells Gun restoration at the Regimental Museum was also asked to look at the various guns at Hightown Barracks. The report found the guns to be in a very poor condition with rotten woodwork and so much so that they were a danger to public safety. The Guns were not captured as an action of the Regiment but were better described as' booty' from a period of occupation. The guns were made up from items from different sources and periods, I seem to remember the the carriages were possibly Napoleonic. THe estimates for restoration were beyond the means of the Regiment, remembering at that time the significant sums spent on the Museum Restoration Project. The trustees decided that the guns were not of significant regimental interest as they were not from an action or 'entire' originals. It was therefore decided that they could be offered to other collections in a better position to manage them properly.

The Manchester Regiment took an interest in the guns and it was agreed that the would be transferred to their collection on the proviso that they were restored properly and displayed with a notice of their Royal Welch connection. I attended the opening ceremony at the council building in Ashton-under-Lyme and noticed that the Prince of Wales conducting the opening took interest in the beautifully restored and displayed guns and read the attribution notices, which was most pleasing as our conditions had been fulfilled. It should be remembered that the Regiment has fought alongside the Manchesters in both World Wars as part of the same Division they provided Machine Gun support to the Regiment. This I feel binds us to the Manchesters and we are honoured that they are proud to display artefacts that were originally in Royal Welch ownership.

The survey report of the Guns should be available at the Museum. I think that an article may have appeared int Y Ddraig Goch at the time.

I trust this is of some use .

as ever

Bob Lake

[welchboy]

My recollection as Regimental Secretary is that these Guns were originally on display outside HQ 3rd Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers at Hightown Barracks, Wrexham. A survey by an expert who had had been part of the Bells Gun restoration at the Regimental Museum was also asked to look at the various guns at Hightown Barracks. The report found the guns to be in a very poor condition with rotten woodwork and so much so that they were a danger to public safety. The Guns were not captured as an action of the Regiment but were better described as' booty' from a period of occupation. The guns were made up from items from different sources and periods, I seem to remember the the carriages were possibly Napoleonic. THe estimates for restoration were beyond the means of the Regiment, remembering at that time the significant sums spent on the Museum Restoration Project. The trustees decided that the guns were not of significant regimental interest as they were not from an action or 'entire' originals. It was therefore decided that they could be offered to other collections in a better position to manage them properly.

The Manchester Regiment took an interest in the guns and it was agreed that the would be transferred to their collection on the proviso that they were restored properly and displayed with a notice of their Royal Welch connection. I attended the opening ceremony at the council building in Ashton-under-Lyme and noticed that the Prince of Wales conducting the opening took interest in the beautifully restored and displayed guns and read the attribution notices, which was most pleasing as our conditions had been fulfilled. It should be remembered that the Regiment has fought alongside the Manchesters in both World Wars as part of the same Division they provided Machine Gun support to the Regiment. This I feel binds us to the Manchesters and we are honoured that they are proud to display artefacts that were originally in Royal Welch ownership.

The survey report of the Guns should be available at the Museum. I think that an article may have appeared int Y Ddraig Goch at the time.

I trust this is of some use .

as ever

Bob Lake

Just had reply from the curator of the Manchester Regimental Museum with regard my earlier e mail. Unfortunately he just refers me to the original article.
So thanks Bob for supplying the most comprehensive answer to the questions raised.