World War Two Mortar Gun Donated and Refurbished Get Moving in May

And Raise Awareness And Funds To Challenge Domestic Violence

You’re invited to hit the pavement, hiking trails, dirt tracks or whatever surface takes your fancy to take a stand against domestic and family violence this month.

May is recognised as Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Prevention Month and is the perfect time to commit to challenging a community-wide issue.

“It’s also about hope, highlighting the message that people can and do emerge from the darkness into the light.”

Since establishing a taskforce in 2018, Mackay Regional Council has led efforts to support and address domestic and family violence.

Having spent six weeks being refurbished in the 102 Field Workshop in Townsville, a donated German mortar gun has now been mounted outside the Calen Memorial Hall.

The new addition, a 7.58-centimetre Minewerefer Trench Mortar Gun, was first used in World War l.

The gun is portable by hand, operated by four or five men and would fire three-inch shells.

Found underneath a tree on a Mount Charlton farm, it is believed the gun had resided there for over 50 years.

It is likely that the mortar gun is one of 100 purchased by the Australian Army around 1930, just before World War I, from Germany.

These guns were modified for a lower angel of trajectory, for jungle canopy engagement.

A handful of the German guns were used by Australian troops in World War Two, on the Owen Stanley Ranges, more specifically, the Kokoda Track.

It is unclear how the mortar gun came to the farm in Mount Charlton, however the donation is appreciated by the Calen War Memorial.

The refurbishment work took six weeks and was undertaken by the 102 Field Workshop in Townsville, before it was returned to Calen, with the help from St Helens RSL Sub Branch.

The unveiling of the refurbished gun took place on the day of the Calen ANZAC Day service and was attended by Member for Whitsunday, Amanda Camm, and Mackay Councillor Pauline Townsend.

“It was good to see them,” Mr Thomas said. The monument now sits outside the Calen Memorial Hall for the community to enjoy.

DFV prevention organisation Challenge DV launched its national Darkness to Daylight 2023 campaign in Mackay last week, where Acting CEO Keith Tracey-Patte said the Darkness to Daylight event is an opportunity for teams and individuals to cover 110 kilometres, either remotely or at the overnight run in Brisbane on May 30th and 31st.

“The distance represents the average number of DFV deaths in Australia every year,” he said.

“We do it to improve general awareness of DFV, encourage people to have courageous conversations about their experiences, and to raise money for our social impact projects.

“This is a heavy topic. But each of us can be ready to help by being informed about domestic violence and how to appropriately respond to somebody who tells you they’ve been impacted.

Mayor Greg Williamson said he welcomed Challenge DV’s decision to celebrate Darkness to Daylight’s 10th anniversary launch in a regional area.

“When you think about that message, darkness to daylight, not only is it about running, it’s actually delivering a very strong message: out of the darkness of DFV, there can be some daylight if communities get behind it,” he said.

“The standard that we walk past is the standard that we accept, and we don’t want to accept DFV in our community.

“We know it happens, but we need to give all the tools possible to everybody in our community to help overcome it.

“We don’t have all the answers, but we definitely know that a community that talks about it, a community that’s invested in finding solutions is far better off than trying to sweep it under the carpet.”

Anyone interested in registering for Darkness to Daylight is encouraged to go to www. darknesstodaylight.org.