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PRESS
RELEASES
'TAM
THE GUN' HERALDS THE START OF A NEW ERA AS EDINBURGH'S NEW ONE
O' CLOCK GUN IS FIRED FROM THE CASTLE
Posted
30th November 2001
History
was made at Edinburgh Castle's Mills Mount Battery this St. Andrew's
day (30th November), when Edinburgh residents heard two guns fire
at one o'clock - one new and one old. The new 105 Millimeter Light
Gun will be fired by the Castle's most famous resident, Staff
Sergeant Thomas McKay, better known as Tam the Gun. The old 25
Pounder it replaces will be fired by the Commander of 52nd Lowland
Brigade, Brigadier Hughie Monro.
The
25 Pounder was designed in 1939 and distinguished itself in many
military campaigns. Nowadays it is used only for ceremonial tasks.
The one Tam the Gun has been firing throughout his career has
been in service since 1952 and has fired over 15,740 rounds at
one o'clock, The Army is replacing the 25 Pounder as spares are
becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, making the gun difficult
to maintain. The operational field guns of the Army are the 105
Millimeter Light Guns, which came into service in. 1974 and are
still in everyday use by the Royal Artillery. This gun is one
of the British Defence industry's greatest design successes. It
has been sold to 13 nations and was the first gun to be fired
in defence of UN troops in Bosnia on Mount Igman, above Sarajevo.
It is now also set to be the gun which fires Royal Salutes at
saluting stations all over the country, including Edinburgh Castle,
and one. will now take pride of place in Mills Mount Battery,
where residents and tourists Will hear it every day at one o'clock.
The
Castle's 105 Millimeter Light Gun was prepared for this important
ceremonial role by the Army's Base Repair Organisation, which
is based at Forthside, near Stirling. They have spent months stripping,
painting and chroming the gun to make sure it looks its best and
works perfectly for its new high profile career.
Before
the guns were each fired for the first and last time respectively,
there was a ceremony at the One o'clock Gun Exhibition, under
Mills Mount in front of guests and members of the Royal Artillery.
Following this, at one o'clock, there was the actual firing of
the guns by Tam the Gun and Brigadier Monro at the Battery itself
in front of the guests and the general. This heralded the end
of an era for the 25 Pounder and the start of a glittering career
for the 105 Millimetre Light Gun.
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Ends -
For
further information, please contact :
The
Tattoo Office, 32 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QB
Tel: 0131 225 4783 Fax: 0131 225 8627
Email:
edintattoo@edintattoo.co.uk
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