I was born in Oxford – but my parents moved to Tiverton (in East Devon) in 1970. I started school (Wilcombe) in 1972 (when 5-years old) – but changed to a school in Exeter in 1977. However, I have a memory of joining (after school) a group of classmates who “played” on a WWI Naval Gun situated on a public street (situated in Lime Kiln Road)! I have lived in Sutton (South-West Greater London) for over three-decades today – but recently – whilst picking-up my children from school in Cheam, I saw youths dressed in the uniforms of what is today termed the “Combined Cadet Force”, and the thought of myself once playing on a military gun (around 1977) bubbled-up in my mind (although publicly accessible – the gun in question was placed outside the Tiverton Sea Cadets Training Hall). In fact, after having experienced many interest things in my life (including four wonderful years based in Hereford during the 1980s), and having travelled around the world, I surprised myself with this memory and was not even sure it was real!
I was not a Sea Cadet (I had only been connected to the “Army Cadets”) – but I think one of the older brothers of my playmates – had introduced his sibling to the gun, and this knowledge had spread! I contacted Tiverton Museum and the researchers there were very helpful. They confirmed that a) the gun existed, b) it was probably a QF (Quick Firing) “5 inch” Naval Gun (or similar), and c) the gun was publicly accessible. I have since exchanged emails with the current Commanding Officer (Mr Andrew Middleton RMR WO2) of what is today termed the “T.S. Hermes | Tiverton Sea & Royal Marine Cadets” – and he also remembers playing on the gun – but by the time he became a Sea Cadet in 1983, the gun had been removed. This is the “Training Ship Hermes” – and somehow my father at one point during my childhood arranged to take me on a tour of a Royal Navy Submarine – which I think was on display in Tiverton Market Place (again, probably around 1977). My mother seems to think that this had something to do with HMS Hermes (an Aircraft Carrier) but I am not sure.
Furthermore, another Tiverton local (and former-Sea Cadet) states that the British government placed this gun in Lime Kiln Road at the end of WWI. The gun had been captured from the deck of an Imperial German Merchant Ship during WWI – even though it appears to be of British-make. It was deactivated and modified to fire canister cartridges harmlessly discharging tennis-balls and smoke-bombs, etc. Why was this gun placed on a public street? Well, oddly enough, there is a similar story relating to Sutton and Cheam:
In hundreds of places all over the UK – Memorials were established to remember the hundreds of thousands of British military personnel who had perished during WWI (1914-1918). Oddly, the casualties suffered during the British invasion of Soviet Russia (1918-1921) are not included on these Monuments. It seems that the British government distributed excess artillary guns to the cities, towns, and villages of the UK, presumably as a means to “remember” the fallen. These armaments were often incorporated into grand building schemes designed to honour the dead. After suffering nearly a million casualties, the British public were now sickened by war – with many opposing the inclusion of these “weapons” being situated near the names of their deceased love-ones. This was certainly the case in Sutton and Cheam – with people resenting the possibility that the “German Field Gun” allocated to the place might well have been used to kill their relatives during the war. When students vandalised the gun in Cheam – this action was met with support by the local population – and the Police did not pursue the local youths responsible.
I am still researching the Tiverton Naval Gun – and I give two candidates for its exact model above – purely from memory. I am not sure that its presence in Tiverton was linked to the British government re-distributing armaments around the UK – but this action would explain its presence – although a certain practical consideration was given whereby the gun in question was linked directly to Sea Cadet training. I have enquired – through the Tiverton Gazette Newpaper – to see if there are any news articles about this gun remaining on record. I will update this article as and when any further details come to light. As an aside, I thought there used to be a Pagan-era tree in Tiverton near the Naval Gun – but a Tiverton local states that the tree in question was actually located between Tidcombe Lane and Newts Hill. I thin it was a large (old) oak-tree termed either the “Witch” Tree, the “Witching” Tree, the “Wish” Tree, or the “Wishing” Tree, etc. We used to live in MacKenzie Way at the time – which was around half-way between the gun and the tree – the two objects not being anywhere near one another despite my memory suggesting they were adjacent!
From: Andy Middleton – CO <oictivertonscc@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Tiverton (Devon) Sea Cadets – Lime Kiln Road Sea Gun
Date: Friday, 4 July 2025 23:58
Adrian,
I remember the gun as a child, and playing on it.
It was removed from the unit before I became a cadet in 1983.
I expect it would have been returned to the Navy for destruction.
I’m way from the unit at the moment. We don’t have much in the way of historical records at the unit.
If I do find anything, I will send you some pictures etc.
Kind regards,
Andy
WO2 Andy (Mids) Middleton RMR-SAFOR | Commanding OfficerT.S. Hermes | Tiverton Sea & Royal Marine Cadets Canal Basin | Canal Hill | Tiverton | EX16 4HX
T: 01884 251077 (Cadet Nights Only)E: oictivertonscc@gmail.com W: https://www.sea-cadets.org/tiverton
From: Pippa Griffith <director@tivertonmuseum.org.uk>
Subject: RE: Enquiry: WWII Anti-Aircraft Gun – Outskirts of Tiverton
Date: Monday, 30 June 2025 15:38
Dear Adrian,
Thanks for your email. I will look into this and come back to you soon.
All the best,
Pipp
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 