Deniliquin 12 Pounder Rifled Breech-Loading Gun facts for kids

The 12 Pounder Rifled Breech-Loading Gun is a really old and important weapon located in Deniliquin, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by a famous engineer named Sir William Armstrong between 1855 and 1864. This special gun is also known as the 12 Pounder Rifled Breech-Loading Gun (Armstrong) or simply 12 Pdr RBL. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 15 April 2016 because of its historical importance.

How This Amazing Gun Was Made

When it was designed in 1854, the 12-pounder rifled breech-loading gun was a huge step forward for cannons around the world. It was created by Sir William Armstrong, who many people call the inventor of modern artillery.

A New Way to Load and Fire

Unlike older cannons that were loaded from the front (the muzzle), this new gun was loaded from the back (the breech). This made it much faster to fire. It could also shoot further and more accurately than older guns. Instead of round cannonballs, it fired cone-shaped projectiles, much like today's bullets.

The gun was made from strong wrought iron. Its barrel had special grooves inside, called "rifling." These grooves made the projectile spin as it left the barrel, which helped it fly straight and hit the target better. For the first time, this type of gun was put on a two-wheel carriage. This made it easier to move around and aim up or down.

Sir William Armstrong was an engineer who started designing weapons in the late 1840s. His most famous invention was the Armstrong breech-loading gun. These guns came in different sizes, from 6-pounders to 110-pounders. Because of his amazing work, Armstrong was made a knight in 1859.

How the Gun Came to Australia

In the 1850s, after the Crimean War started, people in Australia were worried about being attacked. So, many communities formed volunteer defence groups to protect themselves. These groups often paid for their own equipment, but their governments gave them weapons.

In the early 1860s, the Australian colonies received some of Armstrong's new guns. Eight of the 12-pounder type arrived. Six of these went to the Victorian Volunteer Field Artillery in 1864. Later, in 1889, three of these guns were given to the Rupertswood Half Battery. This was a special military unit that was privately funded by a very rich landowner named Sir William Clarke.

When Sir William Clarke passed away in 1897, his wife, Janet Lady Clarke, received two of the guns. In 1910, Lady Clarke gave one of these guns to her daughter, Lily Vera Montague Clarke, and her new husband, Major George Landale. They took the gun to their home, "Dunwilly Station," near Deniliquin. This was the first and only gun of its kind in New South Wales. It stood at the entrance to the station for many years.

The Gun Today

In the 1980s, people realized how important this 12-pounder gun was. It was carefully repaired and restored by the Army Apprentices School in 1988-1989. Today, the gun is complete and works perfectly. It is displayed with its carriage and projectiles in a special, climate-controlled building at the Returned and Services League (RSL) Club in Deniliquin.

Australia has a few other rifled breech-loading guns of different sizes. One 12-pounder is at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, and another is in Werribee. There's also one being restored in Victoria. But the 12-pounder gun in Deniliquin is the only one of its kind in New South Wales.

What the Gun Looks Like

This gun is a cannon from the mid-19th century. It still has parts of its original carriage and an example of the projectile it fired. It is kept safe inside a special, climate-controlled gazebo at the Deniliquin RSL Club.

Next to the gun, there are signs and a photograph that explain its history and how it works.

Condition of the Gun

The gun was carefully restored in 1988-1989. Today, it is in excellent condition. It is complete and still works. It is displayed with its carriage and projectiles in a custom-made building at the Deniliquin RSL Club.

Why This Gun is Special

The 12-pounder rifled breech-loading gun in Deniliquin is very important to the history of New South Wales. It's the only gun of its type in the state that is complete and still works. This means it can show us how amazing its design was.

A Big Step in Weapon Design

When Sir William Armstrong designed this gun in 1854, it was a huge leap forward for cannons around the world. People said it was one of the biggest improvements in gun design in centuries.

The rifled breech-loading gun was a truly new invention. It changed how artillery was used everywhere. Because it loaded from the back, it could fire much faster, further, and more accurately than older guns. It also introduced the cone-shaped projectile, which was a big change from the traditional round cannonball.

Its Journey to New South Wales

In the early 1860s, Australia received eight of these 12-pounder guns. The Deniliquin gun first went to the Victorian Volunteer Field Artillery. Later, it was used by the private Rupertswood Half Battery from 1864 to 1897 for training. It wasn't used in real battles. Then, in 1910, it was moved to a private owner in New South Wales.

Important for Learning History

After people realized how important this gun was in the 1980s, it was restored by 1988. Now, it's very important to people interested in artillery in New South Wales. It's the only example in the state that can truly show the amazing advancements of its design. It's also the only place in New South Wales where people can learn about the special technical features of this type of gun.

Rare and Unique

The 12-pounder rifled breech-loading gun in Deniliquin is very rare because it's the only one of its kind in New South Wales. There are a few others in Australia, like one at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, and some in Victoria and Western Australia. However, only the Deniliquin and Canberra guns are complete and still work.

For the people of New South Wales, this gun is especially rare. It's the only remaining example of this revolutionary gun that can show us the incredible technological achievements of its design.