Gladstone bands together for war relic restoration

Treasure amongst the scrap

In early 2023, members of Gladstone RSL Sub Branch caught wind of a 1942 40mm Bofors gun destined for scrap in neighbouring Bundaberg. An anti-aircraft autocannon designed in Sweden in the 1930s, the Bofors gun was one of the most popular guns used by both sides during World War II.

“A member of Bundaberg RSL Sub Branch contacted us and mentioned there was a Bofors anti-aircraft gun sitting in a yard in Bundaberg Council. We said, ‘How do we go about getting it?’,” Gladstone RSL Sub Branch President Ed Dahlheimer recalls.

“Bundaberg RSL Sub Branch consulted with other ex-service organisations and found that nobody wanted it. We then received a letter from Council saying they were happy for us to have it.”

With the help of local company Extreme Engineering, the gun was moved to Gladstone and equipment provided to start its restoration. However, the Sub Branch quickly found that extensive, long-term works were needed, necessitating outside help.

“The initial thought was to have veterans do it, but that would take decades because we’ve got busy lives,” Ed explains.

“So, we’ve partnered with a local company, Deploy Workforce Solutions. They take disadvantaged kids and adults and provide them with base training.”

This includes grinding and welding using hand and power tools initially, and then developing skills in other fields as they move through the training.

Bringing local veterans and youth together

The Bofors gun’s restoration began in July 2023 and involves several community groups.

Youth participants from the Communities of Gladstone Supporting Youth program partner with a veteran mentor for six weeks. Work is completed under the guidance of Deploy Workforce Solutions, which leads the restoration, while Gladstone RSL Sub Branch purchases the necessary materials, tools and consumables to complete the work.

Gladstone RSL Sub Branch and Young Veterans Central Queensland member Jon Felton says the program has been a positive experience for mentors.

“For me, it was about getting our veterans re-engaged in the community and involved in a project where they can get their purpose back,” Jon explains.

“Putting some of those key skills they learned from the military to use, overcoming some of the struggles they have, and the mentor piece have been life-changing for some of our people.”

Army veteran Matt Bull is one such example. He moved to Gladstone following his service discharge in 2022 and has been involved as a mentor in the program since it began in mid-2023.

“I was part of Young Veterans in Victoria and connected with the crew up here when I was asked to participate in the mentor program,” Matt explains.

“Being discharged after 34 years and not knowing what you’re going to do next, to have a program like this to work on and be able to give back is huge.”

Matt’s mentoring role involves imparting the life skills he gained from his extensive career in the military to the program’s participants. Watching his mentees’ confidence develop as they progress has been hugely rewarding.

“A lot of these kids have come from backgrounds that aren’t the most affluent, so to see that people in the community actually care about them helps them understand that not everyone is out there to get them; people are actually there to give them a chance,” Matt says. 

Contributing to Gladstone’s legacy

Once completed, the restored Bofors gun will be displayed at Gladstone’s Anzac Park as part of a memorial walk commemorating various conflicts throughout history.

“Once it’s in Anzac Park, there’s multiple facets of our community that will go ‘I was a part of that’. There will be a lot of younger members of the community who will be very proud of what they’ve done, and also identify that as a stepping stone to a career,” Ed says.

“The veteran mentors have instilled in them a sense of pride and commitment to a relic of a bygone era and restored it back to its original glory so it can be proudly displayed.”

Jon agrees.

“All the participants that have been part of each program have touched it. We want them to be part of a legacy, so in 20 years’ time, any of them can walk past with their own kids or grandkids and say they had a part in restoring this piece of our military history.”