Ras cannons

In December 1880, Ras requested and obtained permission from General Piet Cronjé to return home to his farm Bokfontein, near Brits, to build a cannon for the Boer forces.

Marthinus Nikolaas Ras bought a number of iron shod wagon wheels from a dealer in Rustenburg, which were melted down and from which the cannons were cast.

In 1885 a mad Austrian named Compolier loaded the cannon with rocks, aimed and fired it at the State Presidential residence in Pretoria.

When the British marched into Pretoria in 1900, it was already a museum piece, otherwise it would probably have met the same fate as the other Boer war cannons, which were sent to England to be melted down.

He was further honoured in 1981 by the regiment, by the firing of a Salute at a memorial service to celebrate the achievements of the gunmaker, 100 years after the manufacture of the first gun.