A FORMER mayor of Okehampton is calling for a piece of artillery to be installed once again in Simmons Park to mark its place as a garrison town.
Jeffe Cunliffe, who raised the issue at an army presentation at Kelly College last week, believes the cannon or gun, which stood in the park between the First and Second World Wars, should be replaced because of Okehampton's long military history.
'When I came to Okehampton in 1942 as a soldier I saw the gun in the park but when I returned from service in Italy and Africa in 1945 it had gone,' said the 83-year-old who served with the Royal Devon Yeomanry.
It turned out that the piece of artillery, believed to be a French 75mm gun, was one of the many items, including iron railings and gates, confiscated by the Government to be melted down for ammunition for the Second World War.
Mr Cunliffe said it was unlikely that there were any guns of this sort still around but, with the town council's approval, he would like to see a more modern one installed in the park where the bandstand used to be.
'The sort of gun I was thinking of was one like the King's Troops use in exhibitions,' he said.
'I know there is a surplus of these type of guns and if we could have one it would be super.'
Mr Cunliffe said Okehampton has been an artillery garrison town for over 100 years.
'Hatherleigh has a sculpture of farmers and sheep because it is a market town, well, we should have a gun.'
The octogenarian said Okehampton Camp was the main artillery range in the country during the Second World War and almost every soldier he met had been through the camp at some stage.
Brigadier Rod Brummitt of Durrington Camp in Salisbury pledged his support to help Mr Cunliffe in his quest at the recent army presentation.
'It could be that other people in the town are not supportive of the idea — I would like to know what they think,' concluded Mr Cunliffe.