Missing parts of cannon returned
WHEN a mischievous kid decided to unscrew and take pieces from an historic cannon at Allora back in the 1960s, no one ever thought they would be seen again.
But they were wrong.
The anti-aircraft weapon - which stands in Apex Park - was given some much-needed TLC last year, but was never quite complete - that is until that mischievous kid decided to come clean.
Stephen Batterham of Sandblast and Powder Paint - the business charged with restoring the piece of Australian history - said he could not have been more surprised when a man dropped the missing pieces into the business last week and confessed to taking them as a child when he lived at Allora.
He made the connection after seeing an article about the restoration in the Daily News.
"The funny thing is, if he had not nicked them, someone else probably would have and then they never would have been returned," Mr Batterham said.
"What are the chances of someone keeping them all of these years?
"I'm over the moon. One of the parts was the rating label which has the serial number on it."
He said this particular piece was significant because the serial number meant the history of the cannon could be retraced.
Mr Batterham said overhauling such pieces of equipment was not unusual for his business, but this story most certainly was.
Allora RSL vice president Des Canning said this just showed how the story of the cannon continued.
"It shows (the child's) maturity through the ages and his understanding of what an important reminder the anti-aircraft weapon is of the service of those who manned it and used it in the defence of our country," he said.
Know more?
If you have any more information about the refurbished World War II anti-aircraft cannon or ones like it, feel free to head to allorarsl.org.au/news.php.
