WWII gun seeking home

The East Coast Bays Returned Services Association is welcoming suggestions from the public on where its Oerlikon gun should be re-homed.

A member of the executive committee was running a poll on Facebook to see if the public would like the World War II gun to remain in the area, with the cenotaph in Browns Bay suggested as a new home.

‘‘There are a number of people who would like it to remain in the Bays,’’ East Coast Bays RSA president Kerry Kay said.

Prior to the sale of the RSA’s building last month, Hakaru and Districts RSA had approached East Coast Bays to have the gun, Kay said. ‘‘It would be of value to another RSA.’’

Kay also said the RSA had been approached by a private buyer.

The WWII anti-aircraft gun had had pride of place outside the old RSA building since at least the 1970s, alongside the flagstaff.

The gun came to the RSA after Kauri Point Armament Depot disposed of their redundant Bofors and Oerlikon guns more than 40 years ago.

It was removed, along with the flagstaff, on February 16 by Babcock NZ to be refurbished by the navy due to rust, while a new home was found.

‘‘The Oerlikon is a symbol that the freedoms we enjoy and take for granted today came at a cost. We would like to see it finally located to a place where it is valued,’’ Kay said.

‘‘The Oerlikon is a symbol that the freedoms we enjoy and take for granted today came at a cost’’

Kerry Kay