The Halifax Noon Day Gun (part 4)
(John C Moss)
Sleeving the gun as a safety precaution was no small feat. This modification meant re-boring the barrel and fitting in a steel liner, intended to add mechanical strength.
The replica gun was no different. During the machining process, the bore was found to 'hard' spots that made machining a difficult and laborious operation. The use of iron or steel supports used in the sand mould for the original casting were probably the cause of the hard spots. Molten metal poured into the casting cooled at a faster rate than material farther removed from the supports. This made the cast harder in the vicinity of the casting props. All this Derek Holbeche had learned during his time as an apprentice armourer. To do the job properly, tool bits used in the boring operation were reshaped, resharpened and frequently replaced from encountering the 'hard bits'.
Completion of the modification work took a full year after which the weapon had to be tested. This was done by securing the barrel on a bed of timber on the lumber truck and lighting the charge of black powder through the touch hole.
Needless to say, the test went off with a bang and the skilled ex-soldiers, Tony Walsh and Derek Holbeche considered themselves well satisfied with their work. The reworked cannon was duly shipped back to Halifax, mounted on its carriage and tumbrels and put back in service. At the ceremony of its first firing since the renovation work the gun fired without a hitch as was to be expected from the skilled hands of its gun fitters.
© John Moss 4 December, 2005
Photos can be viewed at this link http://www.achart.ca/publications/halifax_gun.htm
I wish to acknowledge the generous assistance of those who offered their skill and expertise in the preparation of this article:
Miriam Walls, Information Management Specialist, Parks Canada, Nova Scotia; Hal Thompson of Parks Canada, an authority on muzzle-loading guns who corrected various many technical errors in this article; Ex-apprentice soldier Derek Holbeche (Arborfield 1952B), Tony Walsh, R.C.E.M.E and Ex-apprentice soldier Art W. Cockerill (Arborfield 1943B) who edited the work
Resumos Relacionados
- The Halifax Noon Day Gun (part 3)
- The Halifax Noon Day Gun (part 3)
- The Halifax Noon Day Gun (part 1)
- The Halifax Noon Day Gun (part 1)
- The Arborfield Apprentice
|
|
