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05 August 2014

The first shots of WW1

Today many blogs and news networks rightfully recognise the Centenary of the declaration of war and the commencement of World War One  The first shots of that war were fired some four hours after the declaration by an Australian coastal artillery emplacement in Melbourne when the German merchant ship SS Pfalz attempted to depart the harbour.  The Pfalz subsequently surrendered, her crew was interred and the ship put into Australian service as a troopship.

The F1 gun crew which fired the first shot of WWI from Fort Queenscliff on August 5, 1914.

Interestingly, the same gun battery fired the first Allied shots of WW2 in identical circumstances, but in that case it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity and the freighter (thankfully undamaged) was friendly.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-05/thousands-to-commemorate-first-shot-of-wwi-in-portsea-victoria/5647724

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/2014/08/05/first-wwi-shot-remembered-a-century-on.html

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6 comments:

  1. The KiwiTuesday, 05 August, 2014

    Interesting. Didn't know about the WWII shot as well.
    cheers

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  2. Stefan (aka. Monty)Tuesday, 05 August, 2014

    Interesting facts, didn't know that.
    Thanks, Pal.

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  3. SamuliTuesday, 05 August, 2014

    That's some interesting info indeed!

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  4. Michael AwdryTuesday, 05 August, 2014

    Fascinating Paul, but what's the dial for?

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  5. Paul WTuesday, 05 August, 2014

    Typical Aussies, always got to be first at everything! Very interesting read :-)

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  6. CincinnatusMonday, 18 August, 2014

    Could the dial depict the windage and elevation on the gun's T&E mechanism such that the battery commander can see it? In any event, definitely looking forward to Great War gaming in the next four years.

    http://petitguerre.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete