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| In Dunedin New Zealand the Otago branch of the NZ Antique Arms Assn. is in the process of restoring an Imperial German 175 m/m Minenwerfer .
At the conclusion of the First World war approximately 1,500 machine-guns, 200 field guns, 81 trench mortars plus numerous other items such as anti tank guns etc. were shipped back to New Zealand as war trophies. |
At the time it was the intention of the New Zealand Government to build a National War museum, but for financial reasons this never eventuated. The war trophies were then distributed to interested community groups. From the early 1920s most New Zealand City's , Towns, and even small country communities all had a trophy gun or two mounted somewhere.
Many schools had examples of the 1908 or 08/15 maxim guns on display. However over the years neglect and disinterest mean most of these items , in particular the machine-guns , wound up on the scrap heap. Interestingly it is only the small country Towns that still retain their trophy guns .
The 1916 dated Minenwerfer we are restoring was originally presented to a small coastal Otago town where it remained on display from 1922 until 1959, when it was removed and sold for scrap. It has since come into the hands of our Association and is the center of a major restoration project.
Having been lying in the open for 50 years, disassembly was not easy. However this was successfully accomplished with patience , heat , soaking in penetrating oil, and much care .
| We were lucky in having a further 175 m./m minenwerfer donated to us, also of 1916 manufacture. This had unfortunately been sitting in sand within one mile of the sea , and the base plate was badly rusted . However it had a number of salvageable fittings that were missing on the item we are restoring. Fortunately the gear box containing the reduction gears which rotate the barrel assembly was made of bronze and this had suffered little with its exposure to the weather for 70 years, .
The front pads on which the rotating barrel assembly bears on the base plate are also bronze which greatly helped in getting things moving. One problem we have is finding wheels. The original wheels were intended for quick removal, for on firing, the wheels were removed, and the base plate placed flat on the ground . We do have a complete set of wheel hubs, and will be arranging for a set of wheels to be made. However we have no specifications to work to here, other than scaling the wheels from old photos. | |
If any reader has drawings or original specifications on these Mortars we would be delighted to here from you. Also we would be interested in firing methods, how the propellant charge was ignited etc.
We are also restoring a Model 96 77m/m Field gun, and would be
most interested in corresponding with any person involved in a
similar project.
About the author :
This article was written by Grant Sherriff. If you want to correspond
with Grant, you can send him an email at :
grants5@ihug.co.nz
