Last blast for Bofors
13 August 2007
After 62 years' service to the RAN, the last three 40/60 Bofors guns were fired for the final time at West Head Gunnery Range at HMAS Cerberus on July 19.
It took about an hour for staff to fire 432 round of ammunition from the AN4 Mod 2 guns.
"These weapons have provided outstanding service to the RAN. A very simple weapon to operate, the gun operated on a feed pull mechanism and was easy to maintain," Weapon Training Officer LEUT Mal Bonehill said.
The Fremantle Class patrol boats were the last in the RAN fleet to have operational 40/60 guns but, and with the decommissioning of the last two boats, HMAS Ipswich (II) and HMAS Townsville (II) in 2007, the only remaining firing gun mounts were retained at West Head Gunnery Range.
One gun will be retained at West Head Gunnery Range; one will be donated to the HMAS Cerberus Maritime Museum; and the other one will be returned to stores.
LEUT Bonehill spoke on the history of the guns.
"Prior to WWII the RN and RAN anti-aircraft weapon of choice was the 2 Pounder or 'Pom Pom' in a variety of mounting up to eight barrels for capital ships and some cruisers. The British Army adopted the Bofors 40/60 and it proved so successful an anti-aircraft weapon in the Africa campaign, the Royal Navy began to fit it also.
"With a breech capacity of eight rounds and taking four round clips, the gun could achieve a rate of fire of 120 rpm and a range of 5000 yards. Ammunition retained a contact fuse and a tracer making it easy to aim.
"At one stage nearly all RAN ships carried some form of Bofors 40mm gun in their life. The Battle Class Destroyers HMAS Anzac (II) and HMAS Tobruk (I) retained up to 12 Bofor Guns, while the early Type 12 Destroyer Escorts were originally fitted a twin mounting in lieu of Seacat Missile System.
"The Daring Class Destroyers HMAS Vampire (II), HMAS Vendetta (II) and HMAS Voyager (II) mounted two twin and two single 40/60 guns. The carriers HMAS Sydney (III), HMAS Vengeance (I) and HMAS Melbourne (II) mounted up to eight single and eight twin guns, which included a twin gun being mounted forward of the island on the flight deck.
"Commissioned in the RAN in 1955, the fleet oiler HMAS Supply retained two twin mounts. HMAS Stalwart (II) also mounted 40/60 mounts forward and aft, while HMAS Success and HMAS Tobruk had their mounts removed in the mid nineties. The old Attack Class Patrol Boats and Ton Class Sweepers mounted the old AN 2 Mod forward, while the survey ship HMAS Moresby (I) mounted two single guns in 1965."
