A NEWLY arrived Second World War gun is displayed outside Maldon's popular military museum.

The new arrival has been positioned outside the Combined Military Services Museum on Station Road.

The BL 5.5-inch medium Howitzer, kindly given to the museum by the IWM Duxford, saw service in the Second World War.

Museum curator Julie Miller said: "The piece had been placed outside the military barracks at 100RA Luton, prior to being at the Imperial War Museum.

"The regimental insignia painted on the barrel, relate to the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Yeomanry which was disbanded 2013-14.

"The piece has unfortunately been welded 'within an inch of its life' so has very few moving parts."

She added: "We want to thank the IWM for the piece and the lorry driver who managed – after some struggle – to get the gun lifted safely off the low loader and into place."

The aim of the Combined Military Services Museum is to display artefacts from Britain’s military history.

The museum has a range of collections on display, including one of the largest collection of fighting knives from both the First World War and Second World War and the largest collection of firearms on public display in the country.

It is usually open Wednesday to Sunday and every Bank Holiday Monday, from 10.30am to 5pm with last admissions at 4pm.

However, during the school holidays the attraction is open every day.

Contact the museum on admin@cmsm.co.uk and for more information see the website www.cmsm.co.uk.