Oswestry's 25-pounder is put in place
An artillery gun that represents Oswestry's long links with the army has been put on its new plinth in the town park.
The 25-pounder gun was given to Cae Glas Park to mark the military links that ended when the army left Park Hall camp in the 1970s.
It had been a major base for the Royal Artillery and the Infantry over decades.
The gun had to be moved to the left of its position at the front of the park to make room for a new statue of Wilfred Owen, commissioned by Oswestry Town Council.
War poet, Wilfred Owen, was born in Oswestry and served his country in the first world war. His poems look at 'war and the futility of war'. His parents were told that he was killed in action, the day that war ended.
His statue will be one of the highlights of the Wilfred Owen Festival in Oswestry which is running until November.
It will be unveiled in a ceremony in the park on October 20 at 10.30am.
The moving of the gun was met with criticism by some former artillery service personnel.
During its time away from the park the gun has been given a spruce-up with help from local companies.
Father and son, Stan and Oliver Roberts from the Gobowen firm, Sparks 'R' Flyin, said that when the gun was removed it was discovered that the tyres had perished.
"Oswestry company P and B tyres were able to source authentic, military tyres to replace them," he said.
"It's always good to work on something that is a one off, this has been an honour," he said.
The gun was put into place this week by Jones Brothers, the contractors for Cae Glas Park.
The statue is the work of local sculptor and artist Tim Turner and has been cast at the Castle Fine Arts Foundry in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.
During the Wilfred Owen festival there is Artists' Trail across Oswestry, talks, lectures and workshops.
