BALLARAT City Council has turned its back on a volunteer organisation that planned to restore a Howitzer war trophy gun for a fraction of its $50,000 cost.
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The Ballarat Arms Militaria Collectors Society (BAAMCS) were handed four German war trophy Howitzers in 2010 to restore before the 100th anniversary of the Anzacs landing in Gallipoli. The group claimed they could restore three for $30,000 after winning a state government grant of $22,000 to fix the weapons.
But the society claims the council took the weapons in 2012 with no explanation. On Saturday, the council unveiled one German Howitzer ‘short gun’ which cost $50,000 to restore over four years.
Ballarat City Council Mayor John Philips said he believed the council wanted a full and proper restoration of the historic weapons.
“My understanding is that (the Ballarat Arms Militaria Collectors Society) had these guns under their control and (the restoration) was not achieved. The council took the guns back and was working with experts to complete the restoration,” Cr Philips said.
BAAMCS volunteers planned to provide free labour, expendables, housing and their own funds to ensure the restoration project was completed in time.
BAAMCS secretary Nick Smith said volunteers would have professionally restored the weapon to its former glory. He said he was disappointed the wheels were not the original and no work had been done to the carriage while the Ballarat community had been kept in the dark over the project.
“The gun has been preserved. It has not been restored,” Mr Smith said.
“It shows the council’s disrespect to the Anzacs.”
Ballarat’s Miller Brothers Industries carried-out the conservation works while Sovereign Hill constructed the wheels. Council said International Conservation Services researched, prepared and oversaw the process.
“The Ballarat Arms and Militaria Collector’s Society has helped keep the restoration on the agenda,” a council statement says.
The other three rare World War I weapons are believed to be located at the council’s depot awaiting restoration.
BAAMCS president Stewart McClelland said he had received a letter from the council asking him to help organise a fundraiser to help restore the weapons.
“This is a slap in the face,” Mr McCllelland said.
The council contributed $30,000 and the state government $20,000 to the project.
