21-gun salute for Jubilee of Queen’s accession
The New Zealand Defence Force will fire a 21-gun salute in Wellington to mark the anniversary of the accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in her Platinum Jubilee.
04 February, 2022
The anniversary falls on 6 February however gun salutes are not conducted on Sunday so this year will take place on Monday 7 February.
The gun salutes will be fired by personnel from the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, based at Linton Military Camp.
The salute will be conducted from the Saluting Battery at Point Jerningham - the only permanent saluting battery in New Zealand - using four 25-pounder guns.
The site is at Roseneath Memorial Park, below Roseneath School on Mt Victoria, Wellington.
WHERE: Pt Jerningham, Mt Victoria, Wellington
WHEN: Monday 7 February 2022
TIME: 12noon
Background information on gun salutes
The practice of firing gun salutes grew from naval tradition. An approaching warship would fire its cannons to show that its guns were empty, demonstrating they were unloaded and they had no hostile intent. Today all salutes are fired with blank cartridges - be it artillery, ship's guns, or small arms.
There is little difference between gun salutes. A 21-gun salute is the most commonly recognised of the customary gun salutes that are performed by the firing of cannons or artillery as a military honour. One slight difference is that while Royals and heads of state always receive 21-gun salutes, heads of government receive 19-gun salutes.
The unit that fires the gun salutes is 16th Field Regiment. If the salute is conducted at Pt Jerningham, where about 80 per cent of salutes are conducted, the four 25-pounder guns that are stored at that location are used. If the salute is conducted elsewhere, eg Government House, four 105mm L119 Light Guns are used. Salutes conducted in Auckland are generally fired by the Royal New Zealand Navy.