On This Day
On This Day, 21 October 1918
On 21, Oct 2018 | In On This Day | By Nicola Gauld
Birmingham Daily Post
Monday 21 October 1918
ARRIVAL OF THE BIG GUNS IN BIRMINGHAM.
OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN TO-DAY.
The big guns which, in the terms of the popular appeal, are to be fed financially this week, in order to beat the Germans, reached Birmingham yesterday. Despite the cold and cheerless day, the citizens turned out in their thousands, and all the indications point to this, the third big local effort to promote investment in War Bonds and Savings Certificates, proving a great success. The sum of ten millions is the amount aimed at.
The guns, six in number, were brought from Great Brook Street Barracks to Victoria Square, and all along the route—Dartmouth Street, Aston Road, Corporation Street, and New Street —people gathered several deep. In Victoria Square the crowd was extremely dense, and the utmost curiosity and interest were manifested in the caterpillar camouflaged guns and motor tractors. It was between half-past three and four o’clock that the procession, headed by special policemen, reached the Square. Following them came the band of the R.A.M.C., Second First Southern General Hospital, with magnificent St. Bernard dog, their mascot, in front. The band of the Special Police succeeded, and then came the guns—a 9.2 howitzer, a 6in. naval gun of over 40 feet in length, an 8in. howitzer, a 60 “pounder,” a 4.5 howitzer, and an 18 “pounder.” The detachments of the R.G.A. and R.F.A., and the M.T., A.S.C., in charge of these weapons, were under the command of Captain Rigden. Cadets and a company of the W.V.R. brought up the rear.
There was no ceremony of any kind in the Square. In a businesslike way the guns were detached from the tractors and run into emplacements, protected by sandbags. From a platform a number of gentlemen responsible for organising the local effort and one or two military officers, including Colonel Hart and Major Hall-Edwards, watched this work of unlimbering and placing, and then the crowd had the opportunity gratifying their curiosity by means of a closer inspection.
Extract
