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Some of the Mafeking defenders with gun made there during siege

Long Tom at Mafeking on a quiet day

Thank you David,

These photographs show "The Wolf" (the howitzer built during the siege of Mafeking) on display at the Royal Artillery "Firepower" Museum, Woolwich.

The barrel is inscribed with punched/impressed lettering: “THE WOLF / MADE IN MAFEKING / DURING THE SIEGE / UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF MAJOR PANZERA / J. GERRANS / CARRIAGE BUILDER / DESIGNED / AND / MANUFACTURED / BY / L. COUGHLAN / MAFEKING / ORDNANCE FACTORY / MAJOR PANZERA, C.R.A., SUPERINTENDENT / FOREMAN / JAMES CONNOLLY / 1900".

Gerrans signed his Mafeking trophies in a similar manner. Renowned for his creativity when designing and making siege souvenirs, Gerrans seems to have been entrusted with the task of inscribing "The Wolf", perhaps the most spectacular trophy of all.






5 inch Howitzer (Wolf Gun) (Mafeking) GUN 3/244
At the siege of Mafeking during the Boer war, the British were very short of Artillery and needed a gun that could hit back at the surrounding Boers. This gun was manufactured in the workshops in Mafeking under the supervision of Major Panzera. It was made out of spare metal parts and the wheels were originally from a threshing machine.
The British named it Wolf after Colonel Baden-Powell who was present during the siege (it was his nickname) and used it to bombard Boer positions.




"The Wolf" featured on the Mafeking £1 note.



SEE ALSO: GERRANS

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Similar punched inscription, this time on a large chunk of 155 mm Creusot "Long Tom" shell from Kimberley ....

"SIEGE OF / KIMBERLEY / THE LAST 100 POUNDER / FIRED INTO KIMBERLEY / DROPPED INTO / RESERVOIR CAMP / FEB 13 1900 / BY BOER"


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A really nice artefact, Neville. Many thanks for posting.

The Boer Nordenfelt at Mafeking