Russian Cannon Rochester

Russian cannon captured during Crimean War 1853-56
From the inscriptions on the trunnions it is a 18 pounder cannon weighing 3080 lbs, serial number 18725, made in the Alexander Factory in the 1820's.
In 1858 the Secretary of War had presented a similar cannon to the town of Maidstone (Russian Cannon Maidstone)and the Mayor of Rochester thought they were missing out, so the Secretary presented them one in 1859. A replacement carriage was made by Woolwich Arsenal for £16. Originally displayed in Guildhall colonnade it was moved to the Gillingham battery of the Kent Artillery Volunteers where it stayed until 1897 when it was repositioned to the Castle Gardens to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Over 4,000 pieces of ordnance were captured at the Fall of Sevastopol in September 1855 and shared amongst the victorious French and British forces. Many were brought back to Britain and gifted to towns and cities. Although many were scrapped during WW2, some 66 remain in Britain and 35 ]in Canada, Australia and Gibraltar.

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Source

• Text: Sharky Ward
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward