Singapore gun emplacements

[twoeagles]

When I sent one of my team to Singapore to work some issues, I asked him
to look for any fortification remnants from the war and get a picture or two.
These guns covered the bay, and were 9.2 inch rifled bore breach loaders.
(I always send friends to the good spots and draw the crap assignments
for myself!) Last photo is the city from the fortifications.

 

[mosquitoman]

Nice pics!

 

[pbfoot]

good shots

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[timshatz]

Great shots.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Very Cool! Just got done watching a show on the fall of Singapore. Interesting timing!!!

 

[rogthedodge]

I like the statues / sculptures of the gun team. Nice touch.

If you're interested, Noel Barber's book 'Sinister Twilight' is a good read and shows the 'white' establishment British commanders in a very less-than-favourable light.

Sinister Twilight: The Fall And Rise Again of Singapore by Noel Barber

By the end of it I felt they honestly deserved to lose (taking nothing away from the troops who fought valiantly) and that Percival certainly wasn't the only incompetent leader in Malaya / Singapore; although he was the target for most of the blame after the fall.

 

[Emac44]

And the myth about guns of Singapore not being abled to fire upon the city has been exposed as such. A Myth. 11 inch guns and 6 inch guns of the Fort Siloso Battery did actually fire towards the City of Singapore. They fired on the Oil Refineries on the docksides of Singapore Harbour to stop them falling into Japanese hands. They also fired upon Japanese Naval Vessels entering the Harbour and also supported Allied Troops further inland of Singapore Island itself. when the surrender had been annouced the 11 inch gun batteries spiked their guns and rolled them down the cliff face to avoid capture by the Japanese. Just toured Fort Siloso last week

 

[mosquitoman]

I thought the reason they were of no use was because they only had armour piercing shells for anti-ship operations and no HE to take out troop concentrations

 

[Emac44]

Yes Mossie that is correct but 11inch and 6 inch gun crews Fort Siloso did fire on fuel tanks and refinery and assisted the infantry defending Singapore. Unfortunately not all batteries had HE but armour piercing hence the MYTH. But Fort Siloso did fire inland towards Singapore and you definitely do not need armour piercing to destroy and oil refinery and assist infantry. there were more G
Gun Emplacements than Fort Siloso of course Mossie. There were gun emplacements all around Singapore Harbour of course

Fort Siloso: Other Defences link you can check the other locations of gun batteries around Singapore