Noon Gun is located at Lion Battery on the lower slopes of Signal Hill, above Cape Town city center, South Africa. The site has majestic views across the Table Bay harbour, Cape Town CBD and old town, Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain. Signal Hill separates Sea Point from the City Bowl and it is named after original use of flying signal flags to communicate with nearby ships.
Noon Gun firing is Cape Town’s oldest tradition and done by cannoneer Malgas, a member of the SA Navy. The green cannons (there are two of them, in case one fails) are 220 years old and have been fired since February 1806. Originally designed by Captain Thomas Blomefield and cast in 1794 by London’s Walker and Company, the guns were brought to the Cape in 1795 during the British occupation. The crest of George Rex (Knysna's founder) as well as the British crown is still visible on the machinery as well as the markings of W & Co (Walker and Company). The serial numbers 330 and 249 can also be seen, making is relatively easy to trace the old weaponry back to 1794.
Although both ship weapons are loaded six days a week (not on a Sunday or Public Holidays), only one is fired where the second is used as a backup. Should there be a misfire, the cannoneer’s colleague is on standby and will quickly change over and fire the second gun. The original 1794 18-pounder smoothbore muzzleloaders are still used today and are reportedly the oldest daily used guns in the world. Each cannon weighs more than two tons and are loaded with 1.5 kg of gunpowder.
Related:
Diaz Beach, Cape of Good Hope:
Facebook:
CAPE TOWN:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cape.town.group
WESTERN CAPE:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/western.cape.group
Noon Gun firing is Cape Town’s oldest tradition and done by cannoneer Malgas, a member of the SA Navy. The green cannons (there are two of them, in case one fails) are 220 years old and have been fired since February 1806. Originally designed by Captain Thomas Blomefield and cast in 1794 by London’s Walker and Company, the guns were brought to the Cape in 1795 during the British occupation. The crest of George Rex (Knysna's founder) as well as the British crown is still visible on the machinery as well as the markings of W & Co (Walker and Company). The serial numbers 330 and 249 can also be seen, making is relatively easy to trace the old weaponry back to 1794.
Although both ship weapons are loaded six days a week (not on a Sunday or Public Holidays), only one is fired where the second is used as a backup. Should there be a misfire, the cannoneer’s colleague is on standby and will quickly change over and fire the second gun. The original 1794 18-pounder smoothbore muzzleloaders are still used today and are reportedly the oldest daily used guns in the world. Each cannon weighs more than two tons and are loaded with 1.5 kg of gunpowder.
Related:
Diaz Beach, Cape of Good Hope:
Facebook:
CAPE TOWN:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cape.town.group
WESTERN CAPE:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/western.cape.group
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