8.8 cm Flak 18/36 gun : captured by 'A' Company, 2/24th Battalion, A.I.F.

German 8.8 cm Flak 18/36 Dual Purpose Gun. The Flak 36 features a semi-automatic breech which recocks the striker on ejection of the spent cartridge case. The weapon is carried on a cruciform mounting with provisions for detachable wheeled bogies fore and aft for towing. Before firing, the gun is normally lowered from the bogies and emplaced on level ground. The gun is missing some firing control instrumentation and the fore and aft transportation bogies. There is some battle damage on the gun shield. The gun was originally painted overall desert sand but was repainted in 2003, in a three-colour camouflage pattern. There are Australian service numbers, names and place names scratched on the lower edge of the outrigger legs. The undersides of the outriggers retain elements of their original Afrika Korps colour.

This gun is one of at least two Flak 18/36 Anti Aircraft Guns which arrived in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), in March 1943. The gun was used by the German Afrika Korps in North Africa and was captured by Australian troops sometime between 23 October and 4 November 1942, possibly by the 2/24th Battalion at El Alamein, together with one anti-tank gun. It is believed to have been the first '88' captured by Allied forces.

Signatures and service numbers scratched into the gun indicate that 2/2 Australian Line of Communication Recovery Section and 2/1 Australian Army Field Workshop Recovery Unit were involved in the salvaging of this weapon.

The Australian War Memorial (AWM) held the gun until April 1958 when it was donated to 1 Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery. It was reacquired by the AWM in December 1977 and was used as an outside display until 1988.

• Barrel cradle with locking collar : 8.8cm Flak 36 dual purpose Gun.
• Ratchet handle for adjustable feet of 88 mm Flak 36 Anti Aircraft German Gun.
• Ratchet handle for adjustable feet of 88 mm Gun