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The Cust Guns

The community of Cust, near Rangiora north of Christchurch, has a long association with New Zealand's artillery. Part of the coronation celebrations for Edward VII in 1901 included a twenty-one gun salute. The figure shows James McLaughlin (centre facing camera) at this occasion.

21 gun salute at the Cust celebration of the coronation of Edward VII, 1901.

In December 1921, a German field gun arrived at Cust to form part of a new war memorial, and the structure was unveiled by Colonel Young on 30 April 1922 with much ceremony. The gun stood on a concrete pad east of the Cust War Memorial for twenty years, but in 1941 the German field gun was scrapped for the war effort. The felloes on the wooden wheels had become rotten, and it was feared that a child could fall while playing on the equipment.

In 1997, a 105mm M101A1 was presented to the Cust West Eyreton RSA, and now stands next to the War Memorial.

M101A1 at Cust, Rangiora, New Zealand
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M101A1 photography: Tony Tustin. Earlier gun research: Gordon Hancock.

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