Collingwood cannons to be 'fired' for first time in 100 years

22-FEB-10

Issued by: Duncan Bennett

Cannons at the Collingwood Monument in Tynemouth which saw action at the historic Battle of Trafalgar will be 'fired' for the first time in more than 100 years on Sunday 7 March to mark the anniversary of the death of naval hero Admiral Lord Collingwood.

The four huge guns were on board Collingwood's ship the Royal Sovereign when it led the British fleet into action at the battle in 1805.

Now they will be heard again to signal the start of a remembrance service for one of the North East's most famous sons on the 200th anniversary of his death. The cannons will be 'fired' at 3.00pm using modern pyrotechnics, as they are no longer in working order.

The service will close with the laying of tributes at the monument and an exchange of salutes between the Royal Navy warship HMS Cumberland, which is visiting the Tyne as part of the Collingwood bicentenary events, and field guns from 101 Regiment Royal Artillery on shore.

This form of salute dates back to the days of sail and muzzle-loading cannon, when visiting ships would 'empty' their guns as an indication of their peaceful intentions. Shore batteries would return the 'salute' thereby indicating an assurance of safe passage for the ship.

For Sunday's salute, HMS Cumberland will fire a salute of 19 guns as appropriate to the presence of the Navy's most senior officer, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope KCB OBE ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff.

Captain Stephen Healy, Chairman of the Collingwood 2010 Festival Committee, said: "The presence of HMS Cumberland and exchange of gun-salute on the Tyne in the shadow of the Collingwood Monument promises to be a moving and spectacular event to commemorate Collingwood's death at sea 200 years ago.

"Anyone who has sailed in or out of the River Tyne, or visited the coast at Tynemouth or South Shields will be aware of the Collingwood Monument and I am confident that we too will witness an historic event, from the first charge fired from the Royal Sovereign's guns to the final one from the field artillery on the foreshore.

"It's not known when the Royal Sovereign's cannons were last fired but it's certainly not in living memory. This will be a unique opportunity to hear how they might have sounded at Trafalgar and also to experience at close hand the exchange of gun salutes with HMS Cumberland as it leaves the Tyne."

The Royal Sovereign cannons weigh almost three tons each and originally fired 32-pound cannonballs. They were brought to the Tyne in July 1848 as an ornamental addition to the monument and also to form part of coastal defences.

The Newcastle Journal reported at the time: "They were conveyed to this port by Her Majesty's ship Myrmidon, from Woolwich, and were landed at the Duke of Northumberland's Quay...amidst the cheers of the vast multitude assembled."

The commemorative service at the monument is being organised by North Tyneside Council. It will be attended by 200 guests, including Collingwood's great-great-great niece Susan Collingwood-Cameron who lives in Northumberland.

Tributes will be laid by the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear Nigel Sherlock OBE on behalf of the Queen, by Sir Mark Stanhope on behalf of the Navy, and North Tyneside's Elected Mayor Linda Arkley on behalf of the Borough.

Mrs Arkley said: "I feel extremely proud that North Tyneside is hosting this important event to commemorate the death of Admiral Lord Collingwood.

"Collingwood Monument overlooks the entrance to the River Tyne and is a major landmark in the borough. There can be few better locations to host a service of this nature.

"The prospect of cannons being fired from both land and water promises to bring the event to a spectacular close."

The service will be conducted by the Rev. Geoff Lowson of Holy Saviours Church, Tynemouth. Admission is by invitation only but the proceedings will be relayed by PA to the public. Prior's Haven car park will be closed but Oxford St and the Spanish Battery car parks will be open.

HMS Cumberland, at 5,300 tonnes and 148 metres in length, belongs to the highly-successful Type 22 Broadsword class of frigates which now rank as some of the most powerful surface combatants in Royal Navy service today.

She will be docked at Northumbria Quay, North Shields, from Thursday 4 March and will be open to the public on Saturday 6 March between 1.00pm and 4.30pm.

HMS Cumberland is visiting the Tyne as part of a special weekend of Collingwood events on Tyneside.

These include a naval parade1 of over 150 serving military personnel and youth groups led by HM Band of the Royal Marines (Plymouth) through Newcastle on Sunday morning and a service of commemoration in St Nicholas Cathedral.

Admiral Lord Collingwood was born in Newcastle in 1748 and went to sea at 13. At Trafalgar in 1805 he was Nelson's second-in-command and as Nelson lay mortally wounded it was Collingwood who directed the fleet to victory. He died at sea on 7 March 1810.

The Collingwood 2010 Festival is devoted to bringing him out of Nelson's shadow and into the public gaze. Throughout the year events will take place in Newcastle, Tynemouth, Gateshead, Morpeth, Sunderland and other venues across the North East.

PIC: Captain Stephen Healy, Chairman of the Collingwood 2010 Festival Committee, and one of the Royal Sovereign cannons at the Collingwood Monument, Tynemouth.

ENDS