Find of British 9 Pdr Cannon in Kandahar - Afghanistan
26/11/2008

The Things You See When You Haven't Got a Gun!

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A tale from Mike Peters in Afghanistan.

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During a recent operational tour with the British Army in Afghanistan` I spent a lot of time in and around the historic city of Kandahar. ` I had read much about the city's prominent role in the campaigns of previous British Army's. ` However~ I had not expected to have any time during my tour here to indulge my passion for military history~ but it is true that you just never know. ` When I first arrived in Kandahar I was shown around by the officer I was replacing~ we were following our handover programme at Kandahar Airfield when I stopped dead in my tracks. ` A familiar shape had caught my eye. ` I had seen what appeared to be a Napoleonic artillery piece lying in the Afghan dust. ` Closer scrutiny revealed that it was in fact a British nine-pounder barrel~ although not of Napoleonic vintage.

I have attached some hastily taken photographs of the barrel exactly as I found it behind the British headquarters in Kandahar. ` Closer examination revealed that the gun was cast in 1860 at a British foundry in Cossipore~ India~ the Indian Army's equivalent of Woolwich. ` I did some research and found out that it was cast by A Broome. As you can see from the photograph it bears Queen Victoria's royal cipher and the number 893 in Roman numerals ` DCCCLXLIII. `

The gun was found in an Afghan Army scrap yard tucked away inside an American camp in Kandahar. ` As you can see from the photographs it has been painted green at some stage - so may have been used as a gate guard or a ceremonial piece during its life. ` It also bears some gauges possibly from small arms fire or shrapnel incurred during its service life or as a result of fighting around Kandahar in one of the more recent conflicts. It is difficult to be certain when the damage occurred as the city of Kandahar has featured prominently in all of the Afghan wars both past and present.

For all of the Gunners out there here are the technical details:

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Length ` 1.64m/5'5"

Muzzle Bore 9.5cm/3"

Width at Muzzle 20cm/8"

Length from Trunnion end to Trunnion end ` 36cm/14"

Widest width near rear 24cm/10"

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The gun is now on route back to England where hopefully research will reveal more about its history. ` Stumbling onto this piece of history in the midst of a modern operation was not only a welcome diversion but also a poignant reminder of the British and Indian troops that have fought in Afghanistan in the past. `

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