War Trophies

[janwhin]

The presentation of German guns to Amble and their eventual end in the quarry has been discussed before on the forum. The Council had a lively debate in 1919 when a gun was offered. By October the Council had already agreed to accept a war trophy but at their 28 October meeting a letter from the War Office was received which specifically said they would be given a German gun.
Mr Tulley didn't want any German rubbish; Mr MacAndrews said they'd already agreed and that 5 million men had been sent to capture Germans and their guns and historically a great price had always been placed on war trophies; Mr Sanderson didn't want to see anything in Amble that had caused the deaths of hundreds of men; Mr Earnshaw thought it would be a valuable monument to teach children the difference between right and wrong.
Mr Dixon, a new council member who had fought in France said he wouldn't vote for anything German and having been in close touch with these guns they always gave him a feeling of hatred for anything German.
The Council eventually confirmed they would accept the gun.
The people of Amble made their feelings plain and dumped them in the quarry.

[janwhin]

The fate of the two German guns is reported in the Morpeth Herald of 1 October 1920.....dumped in the quarry on 15 September:

"The clerk read a letter from the inspector of police at Amble, with reference to the German guns, reporting their removal on the night of the 15th inst. About 9 pm a number of men proceeded to Newburgh Street, and there took from its position one gun that had been placed there. After attaching ropes to the gun, and drawn it down Panhaven Road to the Quarry, accompanied by a crowd estimated at about 300, composed of men and women (young and old), girls, youths and children. He (Inspector Spratt) got the gun stopped at the end of Panhaven Road, and asked if they were adopting the best means in having the guns removed from the town. He was answered with shouts of "Yes" and informed by one man, that "That was the gun that blew my leg off."...The gun was tipped into the water of the Quarry. The crowd then proceeded to the Wynd, and on the way up was continually increased. After some difficulty the gun was removed from its position, and drawn down the street accompanied by cheers. It was also tipped into the Quarry. No action was taken by the police.....He might state that the removal of the guns seemed to well suit the entire approval of the crowd, as there had been, to his knowledge, a great amount of feeling against them being there. Apart from the illegal action in removing the guns he must say the crowd was orderly and showed no sign of any desire to injure any private property. The presence of the police was tolerated with a great amount of good humour......"

[george gray]

I have heard of the gun at the wynd,but never the one at newburgh street.
I wonder where it was positioned?

[janwhin]

I was surprised when I read it, I'd always thought both guns were on the Wynd.

[hollydog]

Shall I ask for the loan of a JCB on saturday Janwhin?

[janwhin]

Great, are we going to dig up the paddling pool