The Noon Day Gun

Time keeper in Scholse Kloof

When the English occupation of the Cape ended in 1795, the Dutch guns were replaced by  English cannons which were bigger. The noon day gun is a 12-pounder field gun used in the First World War and as early as Anglo Boer War.

Since 1806 without fail a shot has been fired from the cannon on Signal Hill at noon every day. The tradition continues and the shot is loaded by the South African Navy and heard by residents at 12 sharp. The noon day gun is the oldest tradition in Cape Town and visitors can visit the site to watch the firing of the cannon. Originally the cannons were fired to signal when ships came into the harbour. With better communication, this was no longer needed. The guns were fired at noon precisely as a timekeeping signal. The loud bang helped everyone set their watches to the correct time. To avoid any mishaps two cannons are loaded in case one does not go off. Sometimes the damp weather causes the gunpowder to get wet and therefore it does not ignite.

An abandoned bunker and the Lion Battery are nearby. The battery, constructed in 1898 was operational in both World Wars. Originally, there were BL 9.2-inch guns but these were moved to Robben Island. Eventually, the battery had three 6-inch Mark XIX field guns.

                 

One master mariner, it was said, climbed the hill to Lion Battery and found an old naval rating in charge of the gun.
“Where do you get your time from ? ” inquired the captain.
“Look through my telescope, and you’ll see a clock outside a jeweller’s shop in Adderley Street,” replied the gunner. “That clock is always dead right.”
The next day the captain walked into the jeweller’s shop and asked the jeweller how he was able to check his wonderful clock.
“Easy,” replied the jeweller. ” I set it by the noon gun.”
Extract from Book by Lawrence Green, I HEARD THE OLD MEN SAY – 1964

Military Road Scholse Kloof

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