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WanAus 132 - Woomera Skylark Missile Traditional Cache

Hidden : 9/19/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Should be an easy find on a missile at the Woomera outdoor display area.

In response to the log by MNALJohnos
BRING YOUR OWN WRITING IMPLEMENT!!!

The cache has been replaced on 26 Aug 22 by pmt123, who wrote "however not magnetic". I would expect that it would be found by placing your hand up through the hole in the rear end of the missile and feeling around near the back wall of the Blast Cone.

WanderingAus wandered by on day 93 of a "climatic refugee" trip, heading South from Coober Pedy, and found this Bofors 40mm Mk 1 Anti-Aircraft Gun among the missiles at the Woomera outdoor display area. I immediately thought of claiming GA1381 RSL War Artefacts/Memorabilia by MADSTARS.

In 2021 the Bofors was relocated to the Woomera RSL, and this cache was moved about 10 metres to the nearby Skylark Missile.

Skylark was a British sounding rocket design. The Skylark was first launched in 1957 from Woomera, Australia and its 441st and final launch took place from Esrange, Sweden on 2 May 2005.

The Bofors series of Anti-Aircraft Guns originated in Sweden. This gun was manufactured under license in 1940 at the Royal Ordnance Factory at Nuffield in the United Kingdom. Bofors Guns were used extensively by many Allied countries during World War 2. 1200 guns of various configurations were manufactured for the Australian Defence Force at the Government Ordnance Factory at Maribyrnong in Victoria during the pderiod 1941 to 1945.

The gun was capable of firing 120 rounds per minute and remained in service with the Australian Army until 1974, when it was replaced by the Redeye Surface-to-Air Guided Missile, which was tested at Woomera prior to entering service.

A different configuration of the Bofors, as I recall known as the "60/40 Bofors", was fitted to many Royal Australian Navy ships, including the former aircraft carrier converted to troop ship HMAS Sydney. I "Embarked For Service Vietnam" on HMAS Sydney in 1970, and later in 1972 was Platoon Sergeant of a composite group of all corps personnel on a three month pilot voyage of a planned regular embarkation on the Sydney, which regrettably became the Sydney's final voyage when Gough Whitlam came to power and decimated the Australian Defence Force. Among his actions was the abolition of three battalions of Infantry, including my battalion, Seventh Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, which I am happy to say was re-instated to the Order Of Battle last year.

MADSTARS offers extra points for his cache if the finder also places a cache on the War Artefact, so I had come equipped for just such an eventuality. After a quick saturation check (nothing within 1.31 kilometres by my calculation) I determined that I could place a cache on the gun, and I had come equipped for just such an eventuality. I hid a magnetic nano containing only a logbook somewhere on the gun. You will need to bring your own writing implement. (The nano was subsequently replaced with an Eclipse mint tin).

Please treat this area with respect and take a moment or two to reflect on the service of those this area commemorates, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

First To Find Award Congratulations to
TeamAstro
on the First To Find.

My thanks to Morgo the geo for replacing the log and container, long before I would have got there.

Ian from Mac & Missus has kindly offered to be local maintainer for this cache.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)