That's right, smack dab in downtown Hopewell Cape, a real live Whiz Bang and you can see it today. If you don't know what a Whiz Bang is, or have never seen one before then you're in luck, because we have a live one.

The term "whiz-bang" was used widely by Allied (most often British and Commonwealth) servicemen to describe any form of German field artillery shells, however the 'whiz bang' was originally attributed to the noise made by shells from German 77mm field guns. The guns that fired the shells were subsequently called Whiz Bang guns. (The smaller cannon in Hopewell Cape is a 77mm FK96 or a Whiz Bang!) In all cases however the name was derived from the fact that shells fired from light or field artillery travelled faster than the speed of sound.

Thus soldiers heard the typical "whizz" noise of a travelling shell before the "bang" issued by the gun itself. Whiz bangs were consequently much feared since the net result was that defending infantrymen were given virtually no warning of incoming high-velocity artillery fire as they were from enemy howitzers.

Now that's a story worth saving!

The Victory Cannon Campaign is raising funds to restore the two captured World War One cannons situated in the square in Hopewell Cape. These cannons were captured by Canadians during the Great War, and were awarded to the people of Albert County. You can donate online to the Victory Cannon Campaign here, and best of all you'll be sent a tax receipt! Click Here to Donate!