WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY: Restoration complete! Australian-Captured WWI Feldkanone 96 documentary

On the 4th of July 1918, an Australian-led offensive commenced around the village of le Hamel.
Such was its success that it led to being used as a model for future combined arms offensives.
During this battle, the 21st Battalion, 2nd Division captured a German 7.7cm Feldkanone 96. It was sent home as a war trophy and wasted away in a park in Ararat, Victoria.
After being rescued from being sent away for scrap metal, this rusty old piece has been acquired by the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum, where Al (the master craftsman of sheet metal) has finished restoring it.
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[@highlander147]

Wednesdays aren’t complete ‘til I’ve watched Workshop Wednesday. Kudos to Allan for the skill and respect he brought to that task, and to Jason for a really great narrative on the gun, its markings and why it mattered to Australia.

[@kiwifruit27]

Al has done an incredible job yet again, he’s a real asset to the team

[@davidbutterfield2949]

Thanks for preserving this amazing piece of Australian military history 👍🏻🇦🇺

[@TheBurt007]

Simply amazing video... these are almost becoming TV quality documentaries! Well done Kurt 👍

[@philmenzies2477]

Nope. Far better than what any advertiser driven media outlet could dream of providing. These small YT channels are going to be the death of MSM

[@TheBurt007]

@@philmenzies2477 Agree 👍

[@davidwarren9204]

"...Our Artillery Forklift..." You guys have the coolest jobs ever :)

[@chrisjackson9978]

Great to see the gun finished and an important part of Australian military history preserved.

[@neilpalandri-jones689]

Absolutely awesome job Alan, and everyone who lent a hand. Great to see these small pieces of history restored and maintained for future generations.

[@davemiller6893]

Well done Allan Congratulations mate on a wonderful restoration. Amazing engineering skills mate 👍👍👍

[@mikerogers582]

Well done the Museum for saving that particular gun. It was an outrage that Council thought to scrap this historic piece!

[@russellnixon9981]

Liked the inclusion of the history and context of the gun as well as the excellent work put in, to restoring it to the collection.

[@Golden-dog88]

🫡 thankyou to all men and women who have fought for our safety and freedom through every war…. Lest we forget 🫡

[@josephkerley363]

Your crew of mechanical magicians are superb! One more piece of history preserved! Good on all of you!

[@stevenszczurko512]

Magnificent job, Al. Something to be proud of.

[@silviemcquade2034]

What a beauty. We have an identical gun captured in Ypres at our park in Mount Gambier South Australia

[@jameswalshjr]

Well done Aus armor! What an incredible job Allan performed in restoring a piece of Australian history. It's very obvious what it means to him. Well done Allan. Loved the history of the battle as well. It gives a very real insight into the history of the piece. Great stuff here....

[@ray.shoesmith]

Gen. Monash was Knighted in the field by King George. Fair praise.

[@lukefriesenhahn8186]

Yay! The Feldkannon is finished! Great job. 👍 ⚫⚪🔴

[@jmsmaxwell]

Enjoy seeing items from our past preserved for future generations to enjoy and see what items were used to preserve our freedoms and heritage around the world. it helps make history come alive and appreciate the sacrifices our ancestors endured to help keep us free.

[@TheSlugstoppa]

A very moving tribute by Al at the end - Well Done Al, great to watch.

[@georgesgohier484]

Well done Al !

[@samrodian919]

Thanks Al ! You have made a Silk Purse out of a very sore Sow's Ear and kept a great bit of Aussie history alive mate. I for one, am grateful for all the Aussie and Kiwi efforts in both the First and Second World Wars . Greetings from a Pom!

[@georgedistel1203]

Looks absolutely fantastic. It's too bad that the breach block was not installed . That would have added to the beauty of this piece. I always have felt that a complete display is needed to give the history lesson that especially young people need.

[@andrewsteele7663]

WOW, absolutely the best episode of Workshop Wednesday to date. Al deserves an OAM and Jasons knowledge is unbelievable. Thanks again, I just love Workshop Wednesday, Cheers

[@mikedunajew6122]

Thank you all for bringing such a piece of history back to life for us here online!

[@sweethomevirginia7746]

Many thanks to all the craftsman restoring this piece. The excerpt showing the battle of Hamel with vintage video was very helpful. Thank you. Great tribute to the soldier heroes of the past and the workshop heroes of the present. Cheers from Virginia.

[@jamessteele1550]

❤videos from Montana, USA. My great grandfather was a member of the Royal Canadian Army 1918.

[@tenstorme426]

Thanks for putting together a video on this great bit of Australia, especially with age creeping on, it's a lasting legacy. And hey, the gun's not half bad either! :D

[@michaveh6257]

Being forklift certified is cool. But have you ever tried being artillery forklift certified? Awesome job Allan, thanks to you and all involved for preserving history and to Kurt for the great coverage as usual! Greetings from Germany

[@pilsplease7561]

I am forklift certified lol

[@nickraschke4737]

Thanks for the history. Monash was amazing.

[@MrAtlas40]

It is a few years since I visited this museum, and I can't recommend it enough. If you are in Cairns, it will be time well spent.

[@WalterMitty1966]

Hi Kurt , Awesome , as usual , many thanks as usual , to all my Anzac brothers & sisters , from England , and especially you , and your team's , keeping our history alive !! Cheers Phil

[@bgdavenport]

Genius episode! The finished exhibits should have a placard identifying the person/s responsible for the restoration! A photo would be nice, too.

[@dbenci2071]

To think how many people have lost their lives behind that gun,and it was almost lost .. it has to be preserved,to remind people how precious life really is.

[@SuperLaplander]

Thank you all at Oz armour, I hope to visit some day! Best regards from Sweden.

[@richardverkade3520]

Al, it is a privilege to witness your craftmanship.

[@hondakar]

Wonderful restoration!!👍

[@norsehall309]

G'day, well done Alan you should be proud of yourself for a bloody great effort restoring that WW1 German Field Gun, it will make a fantastic historical display, cheers to all, Neil 🤠.

[@Ronaldl2350]

It's amazing that they have that piece of history! Too bad the breach block is missing and the barrel is plugged.

[@__d7216]

It always fills me with a lot of humility to watch Al work. I am a trained mechanic myself and come from the agricultural sector. My greatest respect to the whole team for their work. It is always a great pleasure to watch you at work. Thank you. Maybe I will make it across the pond to you. Greetings from Germany.

[@jaybazza248]

Congratulations and Thanks to all the AAAM Team, those on the tools and behind the lens 👍🏻

[@johntreloar8203]

Give Alan and the crew a big pat on the back, restoration done looks fantastic.

[@stevepringle2295]

Congratulations Al🎉🎉🎉.

[@grandpaweber2097]

Glad the piece is done, and sad that it's done, too; I enjoyed the restoration.

[@DaiElsan]

Fantastic work guys.

[@stephenparkes626]

Amazing work al now people will admire your craftsmanship restoration for many years to come .good on you mate

[@rickygutierrez8617]

Absolutely Amazed in Ballard Seattle, Washington USA,,Thank you so much for Your whole team in the Awesome Country of Australia and Bless all your Veterans and Fallen POW for Serving in All World Wars respectively I'm absolutely in Awe of your Show and everyones hard work and Knowledge Thank you Again I'll do what I can to donate and Hopefully but a T-shirt God bless

[@xray86delta]

I wish the US Army would contract with you fellas to restore the artillery pieces on the "Cannon walk" at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the home of the US field artillery. Beautiful historic pieces weathering away in the open. My favorite, a German flak 88 captured in North Africa, was in a terrible state when I saw it last, probably 20 years ago.

[@andilucas6926]

My German great-grandfather served on a FK 96 n./A. for the duration (with 3. Batterie / Kgl. Sächs. 4. Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 48 from Dresden), so I'm delighted to see this one brought back to life! By summer 1918 it was conventional practice for a divisional Feldartillerie-Regiment to allocate one or two guns specifically for anti-tank defence, and deploy them well forward in 'ambush' positions. These dedicated guns would not be fired except in the appropriate emergency, so as to prevent the enemy from locating them. I would strongly suspect that the gun in question was being used in this way. The operating unit should be identifiable - it would almost certainly be the organic Feldartillerie-Regiment of the division holding that sector at the time. If it has a published history, there may even be a map of the battery positions... The battery and regiment would originally have been marked on the side of the trail, but this late in the war this could have been omitted or even be an outdated marking for a previous owner of the gun.

[@andrewevans3100]

Great work Al, good to see a tradie showing his skills in such a prestigious way.

[@craigtanner6916]

“We are simply passing through history, This IS history” (Raiders of the lost arc ). You guys should be extremely proud. Exceptional restoration, and awesome presentation. Preserving history is paramount! Thanks again for your dedication in bringing history alive, and showcasing the details of how hard that is.

[@simonbailey1006]

Best work shop Wednesday- excellent

[@CAPNMAC82]

Outstanding stuff, Kurt. And bravo for hitting the pronunciation difference between "material" and "materiel"--having a museum filled with the latter probably driving that point home.

[@seanmcardle]

Good job. And nice to hear Monash getting his due as well.

[@kittonsmitton]

Great Job Alan and all your support team, this history must be cherished and not forgotten lest history repeate itself.

[@robertmiller2173]

I can't wait until I can cross the ditch and see this place in Aussie!

[@ChristopherBourseau]

Love this guys work! These KZbin documentaries are REALLY great

[@stevedavie4480]

Fantastic restoration Allan, a true craftsman!

[@nandi123]

A wonderful project and a great video. Thank you all!

[@gerhard6105]

Very nice and interesting video. My neighbour here in Belgium gave a head from a: Z c/91 for canon type: C/73 from 1873. He found it in a transition between a very old house wall and the wooden floor. Battle of the Bulge area.

[@MyCaptainPugwash]

Also Monash, one of the trail blazers in combined arms tactics, and in my mind the equal best commander of WW1 along with Currie.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Awesome Work Al. Proud of ya mate . I hope to come up and see this Gun and lay my eyes on your hard work , one day

[@toolshed3216]

Good on ya Al. Supportive Bleep Boop

[@N5877wGabby]

Hi, I'am Kurt McClure. You may remember me from "Happiness is a warm howitzer 3. And "The Wackiest Sherman at Hürtgen Forrest"

[@davidbarnsley8486]

It’s so good to see this important piece of history being saved I have been very fortunate to go to that part of France and see the front line and the damage that is still there In the landscape To go to some of the cemeteries and see the sea of crosses 😍😍👍👍🇦🇺

[@bigmac60]

Excellent work by Alan. Well done to all.

[@dje1944]

Awesome! Jason's got the best job....doing the markings.

[@kalaharimine]

Well done Allan, nice job particularly love the wheels.

[@williamsnelling3544]

Fantastic, this has to be one of my all time favourite restorations undertaken by The Australian Armour and Artillery Museum. Keep up the good work everyone.

[@russwoodward8251]

Great presentation, thanks for the backstory and research. Al is the best. His work is appreciated.

[@MrChrisStarr]

Fantastic work Alan!👏

[@OJAUS]

Great job all round boys. Always look forward to Workshop Wednesday. Hoping to actually visit sometime this year!

[@N5877wGabby]

In all seriousness, great work guys. I haven't yet visited the Museum, but am planning one with my step father soon. My late Father, Nick Watling Senior restored many radio and communication sets that would have been fitted in American, Australian and other Second WW Allied vehicles, land and air 😀

[@didiercombier6716]

a magnificent restoration and an incredible piece of Australian military history👍

[@Tobi-ln9xr]

? It’s a German gun.

[@TaylorLiam87]

Amazing work Allan!! What a treasure you are!

[@brianbattle3651]

A fantastic restoration and a labour of love. I wish I lived in a place where people cared as much. For ten years I was the curator at the museum in the Ingleburn Military Heritage Precinct ( the old Ingleburn Army Camp) but now no one cares because the local population consists of over 50 % new immigrants who couldn't give a continental about Australia's history.

[@oldtimers6460]

A wonderful job of restoration ,congrats to the entire crew.

[@BC-op7rj]

This captured gun is significant, having been taken at the Battle of Hamel. It's capture was done via the fist combined air operation where the solders food and ammunition was resupplied by the RAAF by special air drop cannisters. The man leading this air innovation was Lawrence Wackett. The very same guy who would head up aircraft design at Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, before during and after WW2. The Australian artillery involved had to be well coordinated and suppled, so planning went into very specific details for timing and positioning of fire. It's been said that post war studies of this battle were part of the lessons to inspire German generals to develop their Blitzkrieg tactics ready for WW2. British tanks were used for the first time with noticeable success after having failed to work as planned for the British Army offensives. Soldiers tanks and aircraft went through detailed drills prior the battle and each tank had soldiers assigned to it to guide it through the battlefield and save it from being lost or trapped in entanglements. In planning the battle General Monash assigned newly arrived American units among the Australian units. They were new to battle so were to be broken up and distributed among the Australians so they would not be massacred by the Germans. Unfortunately just days before zero hour US General Pershing got word that his American soldiers would be reinforcing "British forces" and gave specific orders to his subordinates not to participate in this offensive. He wanted to build up US forces and wait until 1919 to run his own massive American led offensive. This left the Australian plan seriously short staffed at the last minute. Fortunately some American units ignored Perishing's orders or simply swapped into Australian uniforms to join the battle. Thus this was probably the very first successful combined arms battle with Australian soldiers, artillery and pilots, American soldiers and British tanks and their crews directed by a Jewish Australian General.

[@kendolan1570]

Great video. Restoration with the history - great!

[@zaynevanday142]

Thanks Kurt

[@troymolitor7766]

Just brilliant. Love the explanation on the operational use and the history behind this canon. #1 fan from Chattanooga TN. Well done Gents! Cheers.

[@jeffdayman8183]

Top notch job on the restoration Al, well done! The markings resto by Jason looks great too. Cheers and thanks for posting such great content. Always enjoy the videos. Cheers from Canada.

[@johnboy384]

Thanks AAM, happy Wednesday.

[@michaelreynolds1904]

Al is amazing! They don't make men like him anymore.

[@54mgtf22]

Love your work 👍

[@RodRosenberg]

An artillery forklift is a handy piece of gear to have around.

[@udondave]

Good stuff Kurt - well presented. Keep up the amazing work Allan!

[@larrymiglore7508]

Kurt, One of the best mini-history lessons, ever! Thanks for including it along with the new museum piece. Well done!

[@samadams4070]

Great video. The maps and battlefield overlay were excellent. Thank you for your work.

[@maispao]

Simply outstanding to work on such a piece of history. Beautiful restoration.

[@vinnoschop107]

Looks amazing!! Lots of respect for the craftsmanship! And great to learn a little bit about the history. Hope to visite the museum one day! (Have to fix my fear of flying first)

[@jerryplews1023]

Well done al and the museum for preserving another piece of history

[@NSYresearch]

Amazing stuff as always...

[@jeffkeith637]

Thanks guys. Great work.

[@roberthocking9138]

Wonderful work Al

[@Rich1ab]

Thanks for everyone’s hard work on a beautiful restoration and video!

[@thurin84]

awesome! looks great1 so glad you saved this important piece of history. loved learning about the gun itself and the history of this particular one. its like getting to visit the museum despite being 10,000 miles away! thanks guys! kudos to al for his craftsmanship and kurt and the whole crew for bringing it to us!

[@michaveh6257]

Seeing Dylan happily driving the artillery forklift makes kings sitting in golden coronation coaches look like peasants

[@Bill53AD]

Beautiful restoration of a field gun. Keep up this great work and videos.

[@neilfairless4589]

Beautiful production Kurt. Deserving of an amazing restoration.

[@FrancSchiphorst]

Wonderful restore and awesome video to show it's history!