Contact Artefacts please if you have any comments or more information regarding this record.	Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon		Long Tom Cannon Monument Mashishing (Lydenburg) district, Mpumalanga

Date: n.d. Type: Monument Status: Extant   Click to view large map Coordinates: 25°09'50.20" S 30°40'48.17" E Alt: 1764m

See more photographs The monument is a replica of a Creusot siege cannon and it stands 21 km from Sabie on the Mashashing (Lydenburg) Road (R37). It marks the spot where, from 8 to 11 September 1900, 2 of these cannons were used for the last time by the Boer commandos against the British army. The cannons with their long barrels were nicknamed "Long Toms" by the British forces. South Africa purchased four of these cannons in April 1897 with 8 800 shells. They were stationed at the four forts around the City of Pretoria. During the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) these cannons were used by the Boer commandos as field guns against the British army. The British tried hard to neutralise them and the Boer forces were determined that these cannons should not fall into British hands. So, when the shells had been used up, the Boers destroyed the cannons. Specifications: Manufacturer: Schneider et Cie, Le Creusot, France Gun barrel length: 4.2 metres Gun barrel mass: 2 500 kg Gun barrel calibre: 155 mm Striking distance: 9 km Shell types: Grenade, Shrapnel and Grape-Shot Shell mass: 40.6 kg Total mass: 6 250 kg Total length: 7.5 m Drawn by: 16 oxen This monument was erected in 1984 by the Long Tom-Rapportryers of Sabie, in collaboration with the FAK, the Federasie van Rapportryerskorpse and Mondi Timber, who provided the site. Long Tom Pass was built between Lydenburg and Sabie as an alternative route for the waggoners of the 1800s to get through to the Mozambican port of Lourenco Marques (now Maputo) for trade. It took the wagons 10 days to get from here to the coast." What you need to know to see the Long Tom Cannon Monument: No paid entry and there is lots of parking. The monument is to the left as you drive up Long Tom Pass. No toilet facilities, no curios - there used to be but now the place is abandoned and in disrepair. The monument itself is in good condition. (Artefacts Facebook courtesy of Run On Coffee)