Wanganui's trophy Krupp field gun
Date: 
Tuesday, 5 November, 2013

I have noticed in your site about guns around NZ that you state that this Krupp in Wanganui is a nine pounder and was buried by the Boers before being presented to the 4th Contingent NZMR by Kitchener.

This is not entirely correct. I have spent seven years restoring and researching this gun, which is a 75mm Krupp BL, built in 1892 for the Republic of Orange Free State and captured by British Forces under Brig Gen Roberts after the 10-day siege of Paardeberg Drift on the 27th Feb 1900.

It was then transported to Cape Town via Kimberley with the other captured guns and gifted to the 4th Contingent on the eve of their return to NZ on the 12th June 1901.

It is proven to be NZ's very first trophy artillery gun brought home by returning NZ troops, and is therefore a national military treasure that greater NZ is blissfully unaware of.

It was never buried by Boers although it was buried by the Wanganui District Council in 1942 and resurrected by the Wanganui Museum approx 1954/5. The myth that it was buried by Boers was mistakenly perpetuated by Colonel Robins in a report written in 1901 by the Under-Secretary for Defence for the House of Representatives, explaining the 'How, Why and Where' this gun came from. The report is still in Government archives. You can read all about it in my book Our Gun and you can learn more from my website, www.ourgun.co.nz

Regards, Geoff Lawson

Thanks for correcting the story Geoff - Editor