German Field Gun - World War I (Eltham)

This trophy German field gun was distributed by the Government to Eltham Borough Council after World War I. The gun travelled back to New Zealand with returning troops on HMNZT 293, the Arawa, leaving London docks on October 5, 1919

During World War Two the gun was buried at Taumata Park in order to keep it from Japanese hands and then retrieved in October 1983. After some restoration work it was put back on display at Beck Helicopters, then on the main road in the middle of Eltham, before finding a more permanent home on Bridge St. 

In 2019 it was removed for restoration work by the New Zealand Antique and Historical Arms Association.

War trophies were distributed to many New Zealand communities after the World War I. Cities received siege guns (New Plymouth), medium-sized townships - field pieces or trench mortars (Hawera, Manaia, Stratford, Eltham, Inglewood) and machine guns to even smaller places (Opunake, Patea).

Many of these weapons were destroyed during World War II when the prospect of invasion by Japanese forces was very real. Several South Taranaki machine guns were later recovered from a well at Kakaramea in the 1980s and Inglewood's German trench mortar (minenwerfer) was displayed for many years on the war memorial but disappeared without trace some time in the late 1960s.

Text on Heritage Trail Sign reads:

Eltham Field Gun

German Leichte Feldhaubitze L.F.H.7279

Gifted to Borough of Eltham by the New Zealand Defence Forces 15th February 1920 from the British Government in recognition of New Zealand's contribution to World War One 1914 - 1918.

Once sited in Taumata Park beside the grandstand. The gun was buried in 1938. Found and recovered 45 years later (October 1983). Replace display in Feburary 2005.

Manufactured by: Krupp Industries, Germany.

Bore: 10.5 cm (4.125 in) Weight. 1500 kg (3310lb) Range. 10.25 km (11210 yd)

(Caption for photograph on sign: Vickers Boys "manning" the gun at Taumata Park in the late 1930s. Left, Neil Vickers, right, Peter Vickers, below Sam Vickers.)

Restoration funded by Eltham Community Board and T.S.B. Community Trust