VOLUNTEERS with a historical society have recalled the staggering moment a “mighty cannon” was unearthed beneath a 200-year-old fort.

The Redoubt Fort, hidden behind rows of housing in Main Road, Harwich, was built in the Napoleonic era to defend the town’s port against invasion.

The fort could house 300 troops in siege conditions, but was abandoned in the 1920s.

In 1969, the Harwich Society took over management of the fort in a bid to restore it to its former glory.

It was a matter of weeks before the hard-working volunteers uncovered something truly amazing.

Andy Rutter, vice chairman of the society, said: “Within weeks of work starting at the Redoubt Fort, local well-wishers were calling to tell us what we should be doing.

"Many of them knew the fort well from childhood adventures there and several spoke of guns being buried in the fort.

“One persistent caller from Mayflower Avenue was happy to show us where a gun was buried.

“To pacify him we probed the area.”

The society were initially unconcerned after uncovering a large object about 3ft below the surface of the moat.

Further excavation revealed what appeared to be a large metal pipe, growing larger the further the group dug.

“Some thought that we had unearthed the main Harwich sewer,” said Andy.

“In due course all was revealed, and it was a mighty cannon.

“For some weeks it lay in its rain-filled hole looking like a hippopotamus while we pondered what to do next.

“Meanwhile we got on with levelling the moat, which at one point reached the top of the retaining wall.”

The group enlisted the help of a JCB driver, who was working nearby on Harwich beach. After assembling as many volunteers as possible, a long rope was attached to the gun and secured to the JCB.

Using only a hand winch, the gun was eased from its hole and pulled half way around the moat to rest under the bridge.

This operation took 11 hours.

Andy said: “The next day a mobile crane arrived which lifted the gun and the JCB onto the bridge.

“A giant forklift truck from Navyard moved the gun inside the fort, but the low arch of High Ward prevented further progress with the giant forklift.

“Once again the project came to a standstill while we pondered how to get the gun around to its original position at Cook Street embrasure.

“Then someone had a brainwave – why not ask the army to move it, since they were expert at this sort of thing.”

The society successfully enlisted the services of the army to move the hulking gun.

The soldiers decided to use a large truck to pull the gun upwards into its final position.

“We were horrified about the possibility of the rope breaking and with its backlash decapitating anyone nearby,” added Andy.

“Cowards that we are we fled the fort and left the army to it.

“We returned the next day to find the gun beautifully positioned at Cook Street embrasure.

“No-one looking at the Gilbert Gun today could imagine the sweat and toil of the volunteers to get it to its present position.”

Identified as a nine inch RML, the gun was later named Gilbert in memory of Roger Gilbert who led the recovery operation.