Coastal defences of Australia during World War II
The following is a List of Coastal Batteries in Australia and Territories during World War II. The main threat came early in the war from German raiders and threat of Japanese raids or invasion, and hence all available ordnance was pressed into service, including some obsolete guns and field guns adapted for coast defence.
Leighton Battery in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1943
Queensland
Brisbane
- Bribie Battery (Bribie Island) – 2 x 6 inch Mk XI guns
- Skirmish Battery (Bribie Island) – 2 x 155mm guns
- Cowan Battery (Moreton Island) – 2 x 6 inch Mk XI guns
- Rous Battery (Moreton Island) – 2 x 155mm guns
- Lytton Battery – 1 x QF 4.7 inch gun
Cairns
- False Cape Battery – 2 x 155mm guns
Townsville
155mm coastal defence gun emplacement at Magnetic Island, Townsville
One of two 4.7 inch coastal defence gun emplacements built at Cape Pallarenda, Townsville in 1943
- Magazine Battery – 2 x 155mm guns
- Kissing Point Battery – 2 x 6 inch Mk VII guns
- Magnetic Battery – 2 x 155 mm guns
- Cape Pallarenda Battery – 2 x QF 4.7 inch Mk IV guns
Torres Strait
- Endeavour Battery – 2 x 6 inch Mk XI guns
- Goods Battery – 2 x 6 inch Mk XI guns
- Kings Battery – 2 x 18-pdr Mk IV guns
- Milman Battery (Thursday Island) – 1 x QF 4.7 inch gun
- Turtle Battery – 2 x 155mm guns
New South Wales
Newcastle
- Park Battery, The Hill, Newcastle – 2 x 6in Mark VII
- Scratchley Battery, Newcastle East, Newcastle – 2 x 6in Mark VII and 1 x QF 6 pounder 10 cwt gun
- Wallace Battery, Stockton, Newcastle – 2 x 9.2in Mark X
Port Stephens
- Tomaree Battery, Shoal Bay, Port Stephens – 2 x 6in Mark VII
Sydney
Middle Head Fortifications, Sydney Harbour
- Banks Battery, North of Cape Banks, La Perouse, Sydney – 2 x 9.2 inch Mk X guns
- Casemate Battery, Middle Head, Sydney – 2 x 6-pdr 10cwt guns
- Henry Battery, Henry Head, La Perouse, Sydney – 2 x 18-pdr Mk IV guns
- Hornby Battery, South Head, Sydney – 2 x 6 inch Mk VII guns
- Malabar Battery, Malabar Headland, Malabar, Sydney – 2 x 6 inch Mk XII guns
- Middle Head Fortifications, Sydney – 2 x 6 inch Mk VII guns, 1 x QF 12 pounder guns
- North Battery, North Head, Sydney – 2 x 9.2 inch Mk X guns
- Shelly Battery, Shelly Head, Manly, Sydney – 1 x QF 12 pounder guns
- Signal Battery, South Head, Sydney – 2 x 6 inch Mk XI guns
- West Battery, West Head, Hawkesbury River – 2 x QF 4.7-inch guns
Note: A 6 pounder 10cwt battery was under construction.
Port Kembla
Illowra Battery, Port Kembla, New South Wales
- Breakwater Battery, Port Kembla – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
- Drummond Battery, Coniston, Wollongong – 2 x 9.2in Mk X guns
- Illowra Battery, Port Kembla – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Northern Territory
- Dudley Battery, Darwin, Northern Territory – 2 x 4 inch Mark VII and 1 x 6pdr 10cwt
- East Battery, Darwin – 2 x 9.2 inch Mk X, 2 x 6in Mark XI guns
- Emery Battery, Darwin – 2 x 6in Mark XI guns
- Waugite Battery, Darwin – 2 x 6in Mark XI guns
- Elliot Section – 1 x QF 6 pounder 10 cwt gun
- West Point Section, Darwin – 1 x QF 6 pounder 10 cwt gun
Papua New Guinea
Lae
- U Battery – 4 x 155mm guns
Port Moresby
- Paga Battery – 2 x 6 inch Mk XI guns, 2 6-pdr 10cwt guns
- Boera Battery – 2 (?) x 155mm guns
Rabaul
- Praed Point Battery – 2 x 6 inch Mk VII guns
South Australia
- Fort Largs, Adelaide, South Australia – 2 x 6in Mark VII guns
Tasmania
- Direction Battery, Hobart, Tasmania – 2 x 6in Mark VII guns
- Pierson Battery, Hobart, Tasmania – 1 x 6in Mark VII gun
Western Australia
Albany
- Princess Battery, Albany, Western Australia – 2 x 6in QFC guns
Fremantle (Mainland)
- Harbour Battery, Fremantle, Western Australia – 2 x 6pdr 10cwt, 2 x 18 pounder Mk IV
- Leighton Battery, Fremantle, Western Australia – 2 x 6in Mark VII guns
- Swanbourne Battery, Fremantle, Western Australia – 2 x 6in Mark VII guns
Note: A 9.2in Mark XV battery was under construction.
Rottnest Island
- Bickley Battery, Rottnest Island – 2 x 6in Mark XI guns
- Oliver's Battery, Rottnest Island – 2 x 9.2in Mark X guns
Garden Island (Cockburn Sound)
- Beacon Battery, Garden Island, Western Australia – 2 x 4-inch ex-US naval guns
- Challenger Battery, Garden Island, Western Australia – 2 x 155mm guns
- Collie Battery, Garden Island, Western Australia – 2 x QF 12 pounder guns
Rockingham
- Peron Battery, Cape Peron, Western Australia – 2 x 155mm, 2 x 18 pounder Mk IV
Geraldton
- Geraldton Battery, Geraldton, Western Australia – 2 x 4-inch ex-US naval guns, 2 x 18 pounder Mk IV
Victoria
- Cribb Battery, Port Phillip, Victoria – 1 x 6in Mark VII gun
- Crow's Nest Battery, Queenscliff Port Phillip Bay, Victoria – 2 x 4.7in guns and 1 x 14pdr gun
- Lonsdale Battery, Port Phillip, Victoria – 2 x 6in Mark VII guns
- Nepean Battery, Port Phillip, Victoria – 2 x 6in Mark VII guns
- Pearce Battery, Port Phillip, Victoria – 2 x 6in Mark VII guns
See also
Notes
- see Graham McKenzie-Smith (2009), Defending Fremantle, Albany and Bunbury, 1939 to 1945, Grimwade Publications, ISBN 978-0-9806291-0-1 - in particular map on page 6 Coast Defences of Fremantle
References
- Horner, David (1995). The Gunners. A History of Australian Artillery. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86373-917-3.
- Palazzo, Albert (2001). The Australian Army. A History of its Organisation 1901—2001. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-551507-2.
- Spethman, David (2008). The Garrison Guns of Australia 1788–1962. Inala, Queensland: Ron H Mortensen. ISBN 978-0-9775990-8-0.
External links
|
Wikimedia Commons has media related to World War II defence of Australia. |
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.