Cannon to be restored
THE Momi Bay cannons are now known nationwide as a historic site, visited year-round by school students and tourists alike. While the cannons and the site’s history date back to the early 1940s, the site was given new life as the national historic attraction we know it to be today only 44 years ago.
The Fiji Times of Monday March 17, 1980, reported on the decision to restore the cannons.
“The National Trust plans to use two old cannon dating back to the Boer War as the basis for a combined historic site and scenic lookout at Momi Bay near Nadi,” the article read.
The two 6-inch guns, called this for the diameter of their projectiles, were originally mounted at Momi during World War II. According to the National Trust each gun was 7 metres long, weighed 7.5 tonnes and was once capable of firing a 45-kilogram shell more than 14 kilometres.
Their original purpose was to be the first line of defence against the Japanese fleet.
“It was WWII, Japan declared war on the Allies and began expanding across the Pacific,” the cannon site’s website today reads.
“The threat of Fiji being invaded became a real possibility. In preparation for its defence, and to protect the Royal New Zealand Airforce Base, the capital city of Suva built three gun batteries, protecting its harbour.”
The cannons, however, were used only once in anger during the war, former Minister for Communications and Works Livai Nasilivata told The Fiji Times in 1980.
“And this was at an allied ship,” the report said.
“The Royal New Zealand Navy ship Monowai carrying troops failed to stop, possibly because-no-one read the flag signal and a shot was fired across her bows.”
“She turned tail and headed for the horizon, to reappear later, answer signals and proceed quietly into the bay.”
The guns were reportedly partly dismantled by scrap contractors after the war, but fortunately the larger parts proved too difficult to cut up.
“The cannon were thought to have been used in the Boer War and World War I,” Mr Nasilivata said.
“They were brought to Suva from New Zealand and mounted at Momi Bay when more modern replacements were installed in the capital.”