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.

New South Wales

Newcastle

Park Battery, The Hill – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Scratchley Battery, Newcastle East – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns and 1 x 6pdr 10cwt gun
Wallace Battery, Stockton – 2 x 9.2in Mk X guns

Port Kembla

Media related to Kembla Fortress at Wikimedia Commons

Breakwater Battery, Port Kembla – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Drummond Battery, Coniston – 2 x 9.2in Mk X guns
Illowra Battery, Port Kembla – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns

Port Stephens

Tomaree Battery, Shoal Bay – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns

Sydney

Banks Battery, North of Cape Banks, La Perouse – 2 x 9.2in Mk X guns
Casemate Battery, Middle Head – 2 x 6pdr 10cwt guns
Henry Battery, Henry Head, La Perouse – 2 x 18pdr Mk IV guns
Hornby Battery, South Head – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Malabar Battery, Malabar Headland, Malabar – 2 x 6in Mk XII guns
Middle Head Fortifications, Middle Head – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns, 1 x QF 12-pounder gun
North Battery, North Head – 2 x 9.2in Mk X guns
Shelly Battery, Shelly Head, Manly – 1 x 12 pdr 12cwt gun
Signal Battery, South Head – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
West Battery, West Head – 2 x 4.7in guns

Note: A 6pdr 10cwt battery was under construction.

Northern Territory

Dudley Battery, Darwin – 2 x 4in Mk VII guns and 1 x 6pdr 10cwt gun
East Battery, Darwin – 2 x 9.2in Mk X guns, 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Emery Battery, Darwin – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Waugite Battery, Darwin – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Elliot Section – 1 x 6pdr 10cwt gun
West Point Section, Darwin – 1 x 6pdr 10cwt gun

Papua New Guinea

Lae

U Battery – 4 x 155mm guns

Port Moresby

Paga Battery – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns, 2 6pdr 10cwt guns
Boera Battery – 2 (?) x 155mm guns

Rabaul

Praed Point Battery – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns

Queensland

Brisbane

Bribie Battery, Bribie Island – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Skirmish Battery, Bribie Island – 2 x 155mm guns
Cowan Battery, Moreton Island – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Rous Battery, Moreton Island – 2 x 155mm guns
Lytton Battery, Lytton – 1 x 4.7in gun

Cairns

False Cape Battery, East Trinity – 2 x 155mm guns

Torres Strait

Endeavour Battery – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Goods Battery – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Kings Battery – 2 x 18pdr Mk IV guns
Milman Battery, Thursday Island – 1 x 4.7in gun
Turtle Battery – 2 x 155mm guns

Townsville

Magazine Battery, South Townsville – 2 x 155mm guns
Kissing Point Battery, North Ward – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Magnetic Battery, Magnetic Island – 2 x 155 mm guns
Cape Pallarenda Battery, Pallarenda – 2 x 4.7in Mk IV guns

South Australia

Fort Largs, Taperoo – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Hummock Hill Battery, Whyalla – 4 x 3.7in Mk II or III AA guns

Tasmania

Direction Battery, Hobart – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Pierson Battery, Hobart – 1 x 6in Mk VII gun

Victoria

Cribb Battery, Port Phillip – 1 x 6in Mk VII gun
Crow's Nest Battery, Queenscliff – 2 x 4.7in guns and 1 x 14pdr gun
Lonsdale Battery, Point Lonsdale – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Nepean Battery, Point Nepean – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Pearce Battery, Point Nepean – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns

Western Australia

Albany

Princess Battery, Albany – 2 x 6in guns

Fremantle

Media related to Fremantle Fortress at Wikimedia Commons^[1]

Harbour Battery, Fremantle – 2 x 6pdr 10cwt, 2 x 18pdr Mk IV guns
Leighton Battery, Fremantle – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns
Swanbourne Battery, Fremantle – 2 x 6in Mk VII guns

Note: A 9.2in Mk Xv battery was under construction.

Garden Island (Cockburn Sound)

Beacon Battery, Garden Island – 2 x 4in ex-US naval guns
Challenger Battery, Garden Island – 2 x 155mm guns
Collie Battery, Garden Island – 2 x 12pdr 12cwt guns

Geraldton

Geraldton Battery, Geraldton – 2 x 4in ex-US naval guns, 2 x 18pdr Mk IV guns

Rockingham

Peron Battery, Cape Peron – 2 x 155mm, 2 x 18pdr Mk IV guns

Rottnest Island

Bickley Battery, Rottnest Island – 2 x 6in Mk XI guns
Oliver's Battery, Rottnest Island – 2 x 9.2in Mk X guns

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

[1] 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

v t e Artillery fortifications and military bases in Sydney and surrounds
Artillery fortifications	Bare Island Ben Buckler Gun Battery Bradleys Head Fortification Complex Breakwater Battery Dawes Point Battery Drummond Battery Flagstaff Hill Fort Fort Banks Fort Denison Fort Macquarie Fort Philip Shelly Battery Signal Hill Battery Smiths Hill Fort Anti-motor torpedo boat defensive battery
Fortifications with tunnels	Bankstown Bunker Beehive Casemate Garden Island Tunnel System Georges Head Battery Henry Head Battery Illowra Battery (Hill 60) Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position Malabar Battery Middle Head Fortifications Steel Point Battery
Barracks, bases and hospitals	Fleet Base East Holsworthy Barracks Hyde Park Barracks Ingleburn Army Camp 118th General Hospital Sydney Harbour anti-submarine boom net Victoria Barracks Wallgrove Army Base
See also	Coastal defences of Australia during World War II Sydney Harbour defences