Right: Happy to have the job done. From left: Gordon Sampson, Jan Kruizinga and Col Fell.THE Rotary Club of Kooweerup Lang Lang last week completed an important community service started by Haydn Wright before his untimely death earlier this year.
Lang Lang RSL had asked Haydn to arrange for the transfer of the 25pounder field gun from the Dick Jones Park to the cenotaph area on Kester Kitchin Park.
Rotary president Bob Comber said Haydn intended to carry out the task as a personal community service, involving the Rotary club when needed, and in conjunction with Lang Lang police officer Senior Constable Richard Epskamp.
He arranged with the Army to have the gun moved and restored, but sadly he passed on unexpectedly.
Sen Const Epskamp then asked the club to carry out the transfer with the intention of making the event a gala day, still with the Army involvement.
Unfortunately, the Army chose not to be involved and the Rotary club went ahead with the transfer.
The gun was moved from its longtime spot to make way for the skate park and a new base pad was poured at the cenotaph.
The gun was moved to the new site on Sunday, 11 September.
Members of the working bee were Rotarians Max Kneebone, Rudy DeJong, Sam Loughridge, Gordon Sampson, Jan Kruizinga, Col Fell, John Williams, Abe Kracht, Doug Hamilton, Paul Waite, Geoff Reeve, Bob Comber and residents Steuart Flemming and Sen Const Epskamp.
Mr Comber said the club still intended to carry out restoration work on the gun.
The old 25pounder has always created a little nostalgia for me because I was a technical assistant in the artillery during my national service training.
The gun could send a 25pound shell seven miles with pinpoint accuracy and with devastating impact.
I find some comfort in seeing it resting quietly at the cenotaph, hopefully a reminder that such guns will never be needed again.
It is a pity, however, that the Army chose not to be involved in this small event.
On the other hand, our local police officer was full on with community work.
