Army attack on cement works problem

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33700, 25 November 1974, Page 19

Army attack on cement works problem

'(N.Z, Press Association) NELSON. Machine - gun bullets directed into the white hot heat of a 300 ft rotary kiln cleared a build-up of material at the New Zealand Cement Holdings Cape Foulwind works recently.

The Army was called in to help and they used two Bren guns to direct fire 120 feet into the kiln. The blockage was estimated at two feet thick and 20 feet in length. Normally the build-up can be removed with a specially designed shotgun, firing 30z slugs. However the company had no slugs, and had to find an alternative way of clearing the chamber. The experts read in an overseas report that the build-up could be removed using a machine-gun. It was estimated that between 500 and 15,000 rounds might be needed to clear the deposits.

The company thought of the one organisation that could do the job — the Army. A team of three, lead by the officer in charge of the Nelson Army Area, Major P. J. Burtt, was briefed on the problem. Major Burtt checked on the safety aspect and set the operation moving.. The difficulty was to avoid the complications of a complete shutdown. The Bren gunners began firing in short bursts and four times, at intervals of three hours, they were spelled while the kiln was closed and reheated. Twelve hours later 4050 rounds had chipped away at

the blockage and it was decided that enough shots had been fired. A great deal of ] the caked build-up had dropped away and was cleared. 1 The target was identified in the chamber in spite of the glare from the heat, said' Major Burtt.

- This had been one of the o s t unusual tasks of the army.3 The other two soldiers in the team were Sergeant [Major F. McKenzie of Neilson, and Sergeant Major C. Howard, of Greymouth.