IT’S a far cry from the battlefields of World War 2, but even the Bega climate can take its toll over time.
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Some keen-eyed readers spotted the 25-pound artillery gun from the Bega War Memorial Gate being loaded on to the back of a truck on Tuesday.
However, fear not for its whereabouts, the WW2 field gun has been sent for a makeover and new coat of paint and will return to its time-honoured position in a month or so.
Bega RSL sub-branch president Barry Stoney said the group had received a grant to assist with refurbishing the historic piece of artillery.
The work is being carried out by Peter Moore Welding in North Bega.
Mr Moore said the 25-pounder would be sandblasted before being given a new coat of standard “olive drab”, and all the metal fittings would be polished up before returning the gun to the memorial.
“I’m going to get every staff member here involved in its restoration [out of respect],” Mr Moore said.
The gun itself weights around 2.7 tonnes according to Mr Moore, who said his three-tonne HIAB crane was given a good test lifting it from its pedestal.
The 25-punder should be back in place in around a month, Mr Moore said.
Mr Stoney said the RSL sub-branch is also hoping to look at refurbishing the Howitzer and trench mortar that also stand guard at the Bega Memorial Gate, but as yet the branch had no funding to carry out the work.
