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Coastal fortifications of New Zealand

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Coastal fortifications were constructed in New Zealand in two main waves: around 1885 as a response to fears of an attack by Russia, and in World War II due to fears of invasion by the Japanese.

The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions. They typically included gun emplacements, pill boxes, fire control or observation posts, camouflage strategies, underground bunkers, sometimes with interconnected tunnels, containing magazines, supply and plotting rooms and protected engine rooms supplying power to the gun turrets and searchlights. There were also kitchens, barracks, and officer and NCO quarters.[1]

The "Russian-scare" forts of 1885

[edit]

In the 1870s New Zealand was a young self-governing colony of Britain. It had developed no coastal defences of any consequence and was becoming increasingly sensitive to how vulnerable its harbours were to attack by a hostile power or opportunistic raider. Fears of invasion by the expanding Russian Empire were common, especially due to the founding of Russia's Pacific port at Vladivostok.[2]

Fears intensified after a hoax article was run in the Daily Southern Cross on 18 February 1873.[2] The article proclaimed that war had been declared between England and Russia,[3] and that a fictional Russian naval cruiser, the Kaskowiski, had attacked Auckland.[2][4]

[The Kaskowiski] – whose very name should have made sober readers suspicious – had allegedly entered Auckland Harbour on the previous Saturday night and proceeded to capture a British ship, along with the city's arms and ammunition supply, and hold a number of leading citizens for ransom. The 954-man Russian vessel obviously meant business, with a dozen 30-ton guns as well as a remarkably new advance in warfare, a paralysing and deadly "water-gas" that could be injected into enemy ships from a great distance.[3]

The Southern Cross article created panic and the Government commissioned its first reports on the colony's defences. It was now clearly understood that Britain would protect its territories and vital shipping routes, but the defence of individual ports was the responsibility of each self-governing colony. Then Russia declared war on Turkey in 1877 producing another "scare".

An 1884 report by Sir William Jervois, the Governor of New Zealand, included recommendations for military forts to be constructed at the country's four main ports at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Port Chalmers.[2] These coastal artillery fortifications or land batteries were to be based on British designs. Heavy artillery pieces and ammunition was ordered from Britain. By 1885, work started in earnest on the construction of what eventually became seventeen forts, further encouraged by yet another Russian scare.[3]

Artillery

[edit]
BL 8-inch Armstrong disappearing gun at North Head.

In 1885 the New Zealand Government bought ten Armstrong BL 8-inch and thirteen Armstrong BL 6-inch guns on disappearing carriages. The disappearing gun was the very latest in military technology in the 1880s. It was "disappearing" because as it fired, the recoil pushed the gun back underground where it could be reloaded under cover. The total costs of this artillery plus the costs of installation including land, emplacements, magazines and barracks was about £160,000.[5]

Following the "second Russian scare" a number of additional RML 7-inch and 64-pdr guns were also installed[6]

Artillery circa 1890 Number Range Notes
Armstrong BL 8-inch Mk VII disappearing guns 10 4 miles Weighed 13.5 tons and fired a 180-pound shell.
Armstrong BL 6-inch disappearing guns 13 3 miles Weighed 5 tons and fired a 100-pound shell.
RML 7 inch 7 ton guns 11 Weighed 7 tons.
RML 64-pdr Mk 3 guns 9 2 miles Weighed 64 cwt

The forts

[edit]
Fort Harbour Way-
point 		Ordnance
circa 1890 		Range
(miles) 		Dates Notes
North Head Auckland 36°49′39″S 174°48′44″E / 36.82750°S 174.81222°E / -36.82750; 174.81222 (North Head) 1 × BL 8 in gun
RML 7 in guns
64-pdr guns 		1870 At Devonport, divided into three sub-forts:
  • North Battery (to defend Rangitoto Channel)
  • South Battery (with a 7 in gun to protect the inner harbour)
  • Fort Cautley (with the 8 in gun on the summit).[7][8][9]
Bastion Point Auckland 36°50′43″S 174°49′29″E / 36.84528°S 174.82472°E / -36.84528; 174.82472 (Bastion Point) 2 × BL 6 in guns 1885– In Mission Bay. Not completed.
Fort Resolution Auckland 36°50′59″S 174°47′31″E / 36.84966°S 174.79183°E / -36.84966; 174.79183 (Fort Resolution) 2 × BL 6 in guns 1885 In Parnell.
Fort Takapuna Auckland 36°48′55″S 174°48′24″E / 36.81528°S 174.80667°E / -36.81528; 174.80667 (Fort Takapuna) 2 × BL 6 in guns 1886– [10][11][12][13]
Fort Victoria Auckland 36°49′36″S 174°47′56″E / 36.82661°S 174.79881°E / -36.82661; 174.79881 (Fort Victoria) 1 × BL 8 in gun 1885 On Mount Victoria, Devonport. The gun fired only once because of complaints from residents whose windows were broken.[14]
Fort Ballance Wellington 41°17′41″S 174°50′02″E / 41.29472°S 174.83389°E / -41.29472; 174.83389 (Fort Ballance) 2 × 7" RML guns
1 × 6" BLHP gun
2 × QF 6 pounder Nordenfelt guns 		1885 (1885–1886) Point Gordon. At Miramar. Wellington's primary military fort until 1911 when Fort Dorset opened.[15]
Fort Gordon Wellington 41°17′41″S 174°50′02″E / 41.29472°S 174.83389°E / -41.29472; 174.83389 (Fort Ballance) 1 × 8" BLHP gun 1895-1924 Point Gordon
Fort Buckley Wellington 41°15′38″S 174°47′17″E / 41.26056°S 174.78806°E / -41.26056; 174.78806 (Fort Buckley) 2 × 64-pdr RML guns 2 At Kaiwharawhara.[16][17][18]
Point Haswell Battery Wellington 41°17′06″S 174°49′34″E / 41.28506°S 174.826°E / -41.28506; 174.826 (Point Halswell Battery) 1 × BL 8 in gun 1889 At Miramar.
Kau Point Battery Wellington 41°17′23″S 174°49′54″E / 41.28978°S 174.83177°E / -41.28978; 174.83177 (Kau Point Battery) 1 × BL 8 in gun 1891-1922 At Miramar.
Fort Kelburne Wellington 41°14′46″S 174°48′53″E / 41.24623°S 174.81471°E / -41.24623; 174.81471 (Fort Kelburne) 2 × BL 8 in guns 1885 At Ngauranga. Since been demolished due to construction of the Wellington Urban Motorway.[19]
Battery Point Lyttelton 43°36′10″S 172°44′25″E / 43.60278°S 172.74028°E / -43.60278; 172.74028 (Battery Point) 2 × 7in RML guns
1 × QF 6 pounder Nordenfelt guns 		1885 On the north side of Lyttelton Harbour, 3 miles from mouth.[20][21]
Fort Jervois Lyttelton 43°37′11″S 172°45′15″E / 43.61972°S 172.75417°E / -43.61972; 172.75417 (Ripapa Island) 2 × 8in BL guns
2 × 6in BL guns 		1886 On Ripapa Island on the south side of Lyttelton Harbour.[22] Fort Jervois is an internationally rare 1880s “Russian Invasion Scare” structure, which has retained a high level of authenticity of both structure and hardware (6” and 8” disappearing guns). It is one of only five examples of this type of fortification in the world. The Island has been managed by the Department of Conservation since 1990.[23]
Spur Point Battery Lyttelton 43°36′16″S 172°44′03″E / 43.60435°S 172.73405°E / -43.60435; 172.73405 (Spur Point Battery) 1 × 64-pounder RML gun 1885 Site of battery, quarried away as part of land reclamation during the 1970s to build Cashin Quay.[24]
Lawyers Head Battery Port Chalmers 45°54′32″S 170°32′06″E / 45.90889°S 170.53500°E / -45.90889; 170.53500 (Lawyers Head Battery) 1885 Eastern Ocean Beach, Dunedin South.
Ocean Beach Battery Port Chalmers 45°54′25″S 170°30′25″E / 45.90686°S 170.50702°E / -45.90686; 170.50702 (Ocean Beach Battery / Central Battery) 1886
St Clair Battery Port Chalmers 45°54′51″S 170°29′15″E / 45.9142°S 170.48752°E / -45.9142; 170.48752 (St Clair Battery / Forbury Head Battery) 1885 On a spur of Forbury Hill above Second Beach, Dunedin. No remnants remain; the area was cleared and subdivided for residential housing.
Fort Taiaroa Port Chalmers 45°46′26″S 170°43′40″E / 45.77389°S 170.72778°E / -45.77389; 170.72778 (Fort Taiaroa) 1 × BL 6 in gun 1885 Otago Harbour. This Armstrong Disappearing Gun was installed in May 1889 and was recommissioned during World War II. It is the only one of its kind working and is still in its original gun pit.[25][26]

World War II coastal fortifications

[edit]
Tunnel layout for a three gun emplacement system.

The second main wave of building coastal fortifications occurred during World War II. This was mainly a response to a perceived threat of invasion by the Japanese after the attack on Pearl Harbor. From 1942 until 1944, when the threat receded, 42 coastal artillery fortifications or land batteries were either developed using historical fortifications or were built from scratch. The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions. Radar was installed which allowed long range shooting at night and replaced the traditional fortress system of range finding.[1]

Ordnance

[edit]
9.2-inch gun emplacement at Stony Batter.

The fortifications were equipped with both old and new ordnance, mostly British. Some World War I ordnance was requisitioned from museums and recommissioned.[citation needed]

Ordnance used during World War II Number Range Notes
9.2-inch guns 6 18 miles
BL BL 6 inch Mk 24 guns 3 14 miles
BL 6 inch Mk 21 guns 6 13 miles
6-inch Mark 7 guns 32 12 miles
6in EOC gun 2 6 miles Elswick Ordnance Company
5"/51 caliber guns[27] (USA naval guns) 6 10 miles 51 calibre MkVII 1912
4.7 in guns 1 6 miles
4-inch Mark 7 guns 11 9 miles
155 mm guns 2 9 miles
75 mm guns 2
QF 12 pdr guns 8 8 miles
QF 6-pdr guns 12 5 miles
Bofors 40 mm guns 48 4 miles
CASLs 48 Coastal Artillery Searchlight

The fortifications

[edit]

The fortifications were administered by the Royal New Zealand Artillery, which grouped them into four areas. Each area was under the command of a heavy artillery regiment. Within each regiment the fortifications were grouped into batteries.[citation needed]

     Also used (highlighted below in yellow) were seven of the now historic Russian scare fortifications     

Upper North Island

[edit]

Under the command of the 9th Heavy/Coast Regiment.[28][29]

Battery Name Way-
point 		World War II
Ordnance 		Range
(miles) 		Dates Notes
60 Motutapu Island 36°45′03″S 174°55′09″E / 36.75083°S 174.91917°E / -36.75083; 174.91917 (Motutapu Island) 3 × 6in Mk 21 guns
2 × CASLs 		13 1936
-1945 		Consisted of a battery, camp, gun emplacement, pill boxes and US naval magazines. Its remains are administered by DOC.[30]
61
RHQ 		North Head
[Russian scare] 		36°49′39″S 174°48′44″E / 36.82750°S 174.81222°E / -36.82750; 174.81222 (North Head) 2 × 4in Mk 7 guns
2 × 12-pdr guns
4 × 6-pdr H&N
6 × CASLs 		9 1870
-1957 		Part of Auckland's coastal defence system from the Russian scare in 1885 to World War I. By World War II, with ships' guns able to fire long distances, the old fort was too close to the city it was meant to defend. New batteries were built at Motutapu, Castor Bay, Whangaparaoa and Waiheke Island and North Head became the centre of administration.[31] A complex of tunnels, guns, searchlights and other fortifications remain and it is now a historic reserve managed by the Department of Conservation.[7][8]
61 Bastion Point
[Russian scare] 		36°50′43″S 174°49′29″E / 36.84528°S 174.82472°E / -36.84528; 174.82472 (Bastion Point) 2 × 12-pdr gun
Twin 6-pdr guns
3 × CASLs 		8 1885– Located in Mission Bay. The fortifications were buried in the 1940s when the Michael Joseph Savage memorial was built, and effectively forgotten. The underlying tunnels were later rediscovered.
61 Great Barrier Island 36°10′34″S 175°21′10″E / 36.17605°S 175.35273°E / -36.17605; 175.35273 (Great Barrier Island Battery) 6in Mk 7 gun
4in Mk 7 gun
4 × 40 mm Bofors 		12 Located between Fitzroy and Okiwi Bay[32]
61 Manukau 37°03′29″S 174°32′16″E / 37.05816°S 174.53774°E / -37.05816; 174.53774 (Manukau Head Battery) 1 × 4.7 in gun 6 1942 Built by American Forces [unknown unit] at the end of Harvey Road, Manukau Heads, approximately 100 m north of lighthouse site, this open fronted fortification had one gun, and an observation post inland. Accommodation was at the end of Harvey Road, with only concrete pads remaining for some buildings. Due to the erosive nature of these compacted sandhills the gun emplacement was undermined and slipped down the cliffs in the early 1980s. According to local residents, the gun was only fired 6 times, cracking the concrete abutments.
61 Motuihe Island 36°48′40″S 174°49′29″E / 36.81111°S 174.82472°E / -36.81111; 174.82472 (Motuihe Island) 2 × 4in Mk 7 guns 9 1872– During World War II (1941) the Motuihe buildings became HMNZS Tamaki naval base, a training establishment. Now in the care of the Department of Conservation.[33][34][35]
62 Fort Takapuna
[Russian scare] 		36°48′55″S 174°48′24″E / 36.81528°S 174.80667°E / -36.81528; 174.80667 (Fort Takapuna) 2 × 4in Mk 7 guns
2 × CASLs 		9 1886– Also known as HMNZS Tamaki, and Narrow Neck. In 1963 the RNZN moved its New Entry Training School HMNZS Tamaki from Motuihe Island to the fort. The navy built a new Gunnery School and set up an Officer Training School. Previously officers had been sent overseas for training. Only the Officer and Trade Training schools remain. Has been under the care of the Department of Conservation since 2000.[10][11][12][13]
63 Castor Bay 36°45′22″S 174°46′0″E / 36.75611°S 174.76667°E / -36.75611; 174.76667 (Castor Bay) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns
2 × CASLs 		12 1942
-1944
Bunker at Castor Bay

Notable for its camouflage strategies during World War II.[36][37][38]

64 Whanga-
paraoa 		36°36′09″S 174°50′16″E / 36.60250°S 174.83778°E / -36.60250; 174.83778 (Whangaparaoa) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns
2 × CASLs 		12 SE tip of peninsula
163 Whanga-
paraoa 		36°36′09″S 174°50′17″E / 36.60250°S 174.83806°E / -36.60250; 174.83806 (Whangaparaoa) 2 × 9.2 in guns 18 SE tip of peninsula
164 Stony Batter
 36°45′45″S 175°10′27″E / 36.76250°S 175.17417°E / -36.76250; 175.17417 (Stoney Batter) 2 × 9.2 in guns 18 1942– Waiheke Island. Now in the care of the Department of Conservation.[39][40]
68 Moturoa Island 35°13′07″S 174°11′21″E / 35.21861°S 174.18917°E / -35.21861; 174.18917 (Moturoa Island) 4 × 6in Mk 7 guns
8 × 40 mm Bofors 		12 Bay of Islands
68 Whangaroa 35°00′40″S 173°45′21″E / 35.01111°S 173.75583°E / -35.01111; 173.75583 (Whangaroa) 6in Mk 7 gun 12 South Head of harbour.
139 Bream Head
 35°51′01″S 174°31′35″E / 35.85028°S 174.52639°E / -35.85028; 174.52639 (Bream Head) 5in Mk 7 gun (USA) 10 1942
-1944 		Entrance to Whangarei harbour. Remaining structures are the (Colchester) gun shelter, engine room, and observation post. The most significant feature is the spotting mural with compass bearings painted above the slit window in the observation post.[41][42]

Lower North Island

[edit]

Under the command of the 10th Heavy/Coast Regiment.[43]

Battery Name Way-
point 		World War II
Ordnance 		Range
(miles) 		Dates Notes
70 Palmer Head 41°20′14″S 174°49′01″E / 41.33722°S 174.81694°E / -41.33722; 174.81694 (Palmer Head) 3 × 6in Mk 21 guns
4 × CASLs 		13 1936
-1957 		At the entrance to the Wellington Harbour. The abandoned gun pits were blown up in the late 1960s. The only remains are the underground plotting rooms, which are closed for safety reasons.[44]
71
RHQ 		Fort Dorset 41°19′33″S 174°50′14″E / 41.32583°S 174.83722°E / -41.32583; 174.83722 (Fort Dorset) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns
2 × 4in Mk 7guns
4 × 12-pdr guns
7 × CASLs 		12 1908
-1991 		At the inner entrance to Wellington harbour. The fort was demolished in 1998.[45][46]
72 Fort Ballance
[Russian scare] 		41°17′41″S 174°50′02″E / 41.29472°S 174.83389°E / -41.29472; 174.83389 (Fort Ballance) 2 × 4in Mk 7guns
Twin 6-pdr guns
2 × 75 mm guns
6 × CASLs 		9 1885–
1945 		(1885–1886) Point Gordon

By Mount Crawford, Karaka Bays, Wellington's primary fort until 1911 when Fort Dorset opened, Fort Ballance was closed in 1945 but remnants remain.[15]

73 Fort Opau 41°13′20″S 174°41′46″E / 41.22222°S 174.69611°E / -41.22222; 174.69611 (Opau) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns 12 1942
-1944 		On a high headland above Mākara, on Wellington's west coast, protecting Cook Strait.[47][48][49] The fort was built in 1941, and comprised two covered 6" gun emplacements, a battery operations post, and an observation post and a radar post, with a large barracks several hundred metres inland.
165 Wrights Hill Fortress 41°17′46″S 174°44′21″E / 41.29611°S 174.73917°E / -41.29611; 174.73917 (Wrights Hill Fortress) 2 × 9.2 in guns 18 1942
1957 		This British-designed fortress was similar to the 9.2 inch fortresses built at Whangaparaoa and Stoney Batter. 2,030 feet (620 metres) of interconnecting tunnels were dug. Two 185 hp diesel generators provided power to manoeuvre the guns. Each gun weighed 135 tons and could fire a 380-pound (172 kg) shell across Cook Strait or up to Plimmerton. The fortress was used for training purposes up to the mid-1950s. In early 1960 the guns were sold for scrap, ironically, to the Japanese. The Wrights Hill Fortress Restoration Society is restoring the coastal battery to its former state.[50][51]
77 Bluff Hill 39°28′43″S 176°55′03″E / 39.47861°S 176.91750°E / -39.47861; 176.91750 (Bluff Hill) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns
4 × 40 mm Bofors 		12 At Napier. Also a signal station during World War II,[52] although never a lighthouse,[53] despite being situated on Lighthouse Road.
77 Titirangi (Kaiti Hill) 38°42′03″S 178°03′56″E / 38.70083°S 178.06556°E / -38.70083; 178.06556 (Kaiti Hill) 5in Mk 7 gun (USA) 10 Located at Gisborne.
78 Moturoa 39°03′49″N 174°01′44″E / 39.06372°N 174.02887°E / 39.06372; 174.02887 (New Plymouth Battery) 2 × 155 mm guns
4 × 40 mm Bofors 		9 At New Plymouth.[54]
140 Languard Bluff 39°57′30″S 175°01′20″E / 39.95833°S 175.02222°E / -39.95833; 175.02222 (Languard Bluff) 5in Mk 7 gun (USA) 10 At Wanganui.[55][56]

Upper South Island

[edit]

Under the command of the 11th Heavy/Coast Regiment.[28][29]

Battery Name Way-
point 		World War II
Ordnance 		Range
(miles) 		Dates Notes
80
RHQ 		Godley Head 43°35′13″S 172°48′21″E / 43.58694°S 172.80583°E / -43.58694; 172.80583 (Godley Head) 3 × 6in Mk 24 guns
2 × CASLs 		14 1939
-1963 		At the northern entrance to Lyttelton Harbour, the last NZA to be decommissioned. It last fired a gun in 1959. In its heyday in World War II, it was staffed by over 400 men and women and was a self-contained community. It is ranked in the top ten New Zealand coastal defence heritage sites.[57] It is now under the care of the Department of Conservation and the Godley Head Heritage Trust.[58][59]
81 Battery Point
[Russian scare] 		43°36′10″S 172°44′25″E / 43.60278°S 172.74028°E / -43.60278; 172.74028 (Battery Point) 2 × 4in Mk 7guns
Twin 6-pdr guns
5 × CASLs 		9 1886– On the northern side of Lyttelton Harbour, 3 miles from mouth.[20][21]
81 Fort Jervois
[Russian scare] 		43°37′11″S 172°45′15″E / 43.61972°S 172.75417°E / -43.61972; 172.75417 (Ripapa Island) 6in EOC gun 6 1886 On Ripapa Island on the southern side of Lyttelton Harbour.[22] It is an internationally rare 1880s “Russian Invasion Scare” military defence structure, which has retained a high level of authenticity of both structure and hardware (6” and 8” disappearing guns). It is one of only five examples of this type of fortification in the world. The island has been managed by the Department of Conservation since 1990.[23]
Magazine Bay
[Russian scare] 		43°36′39″S 172°42′18″E / 43.61081°S 172.70488°E / -43.61081; 172.70488 (Magazine Bay) ? 1886 Lyttelton, in conjunction with nearby torpedo boat base.[60]
84 Whekenui Battery 41°12′21″S 174°18′16″E / 41.20589°S 174.30439°E / -41.20589; 174.30439 (Whekenui Battery) 6in Mk 7 gun
12 × 40 mm Bofors 		12 Queen Charlotte Sound[61]
84 Maraetai 41°15′21″S 174°08′01″E / 41.25583°S 174.13361°E / -41.25583; 174.13361 (Maraetai) 6in Mk 7 gun 12 In Tory Channel, Queen Charlotte Sound.
84 Blumine Island 41°09′30″S 174°14′11″E / 41.15833°S 174.23639°E / -41.15833; 174.23639 (Blumine Island 1); 41°09′31″S 174°14′39″E / 41.15861°S 174.24417°E / -41.15861; 174.24417 (Blumine Island 2) 2 × 6 in Mk 7 guns 12 1942
-1945 		Guarding the northern entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound, the guns are positioned separately on the two northern points of Blumine Island. Associated with each emplacement are a magazine, observation post and accommodation camp.[62][63]
84 Post Office Point 40°58′16″S 173°59′37″E / 40.97112°S 173.99369°E / -40.97112; 173.99369 (Post Office Point Battery) 6in Mk 7 gun 12 In Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere.
84 Maud Island 41°01′01″S 173°54′21″E / 41.01694°S 173.90583°E / -41.01694; 173.90583 (Maud Island) 6in Mk 7 gun 12 At the entrance to Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere. Under the care of the Department of Conservation.[64][65]
84 Port Hills 41°16′10″S 173°15′59″E / 41.26944°S 173.26639°E / -41.26944; 173.26639 (Port Hills) 6in Mk 7 gun 12 In Nelson.
85 Smithfield Freezing Works 44°22′16″S 171°14′41″E / 44.37111°S 171.24472°E / -44.37111; 171.24472 (Smithfield Freezing Works) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns
4 × 40 mm Bofors 		12 1942–
1944 		In Timaru. The No 2 (Colchester type) gun shelter is in an excellent state of preservation.[66]
134 Westport 41°43′48″S 171°35′15″E / 41.73000°S 171.58750°E / -41.73000; 171.58750 (Westport Gun Emplacement) 5in Mk 7 gun (USA)
4 × 40 mm Bofors 		10 1942–
1944 		On South Spit. The gun emplacement is no longer there but the battery observation post is visible on Google Earth.[67]
134 Cobden 42°26′15″S 171°12′45″E / 42.43750°S 171.21250°E / -42.43750; 171.21250 (Cobden) 5in Mk 7 gun (USA)
4 × 40 mm Bofors 		10 1942–
1944 		At Greymouth. Establishment: 2 Officers, 1 WO, 3 Sergeants and 26 ORs. Grey District Council destroyed part of this site, without consultation, in 2007 to make way for a sewer line.[68]
143 Wainui 43°49′46″S 172°54′17″E / 43.82944°S 172.90472°E / -43.82944; 172.90472 (Wainui) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns
4 × 40 mm Bofors
2 × CASLs 		12 1942–
1944 		In Akaroa Harbour on Banks Peninsula[69]

Lower South Island

[edit]

Under the command of the 13th Coast Regiment.[28][29]

Battery Name Way-
point 		World War II
Ordnance 		Range
(miles) 		Dates Notes
RHQ Dunedin
82 Fort Taiaroa
[Russian scare] 		45°47′12″S 170°43′39″E / 45.78667°S 170.72750°E / -45.78667; 170.72750 (Taiaroa Heads) 6in EOC gun
5 × CASLs 		6
Armstrong disappearing gun at Taiaroa Head
Close to Taiaroa Head at the northeastern tip of Otago Peninsula. Restored, and open to the public. Includes what is believed to be the only 1889 Armstrong Disappearing gun remaining in working condition in its original gun pit.[70]
82 Rerewahine 45°47′13″S 170°44′45″E / 45.78694°S 170.74583°E / -45.78694; 170.74583 (Rerewahine) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns 12 Otago Peninsula.
82 Tomahawk 45°54′19″S 170°33′11″E / 45.90528°S 170.55306°E / -45.90528; 170.55306 (Tomahawk) 2 × 6in Mk 7 guns 12 Dunedin
82 Harington Point 45°47′00″S 170°43′28″E / 45.7834°S 170.7245°E / -45.7834; 170.7245 (Harrington Point) 2 × twin 6-pdr guns
2 × 6-pdr H&N 		Dunedin
141 Cape Wanbrow 45°07′13″S 170°58′50″E / 45.12028°S 170.98056°E / -45.12028; 170.98056 (Cape Wanbrow) 5in Mk 7 gun (USA) 10 1942– Under the care of the Oamaru Coastal Defence Restoration Group[71][72]
142 Bluff 46°36′44″S 168°21′13″E / 46.61215°S 168.35365°E / -46.61215; 168.35365 (Bluff Battery) 6in Mk 7 gun 12

Post war

[edit]

The advent of air warfare and missiles made these forts redundant and most were decommissioned by the 1950s. Godley Head continued because of compulsory military training and last fired a gun in 1959. The Department of Conservation has the remains of around 30 installations on land it manages.[57]

Postscript

[edit]

None of the forts fired a gun in anger, though in October 1939 a Battery Point gun at Lyttelton accidentally sank the fishing boat "Dolphin" and killed its skipper.[73]

In 1972 the United States declassified a contingency plan for invading New Zealand. This plan consisted of a 120-page intelligence document called Naval War Plan for the Attack of Auckland, New Zealand. The intelligence for the report was gathered during the visit of the Great White Fleet to Auckland over six days in 1908. The plan advocated Manukau Harbour as the best invasion point and landing heavy guns on Rangitoto Island to shell the forts on the North Shore. The plan was not very realistic and may have been an exercise to keep young officers busy (see United States war plans; which allocated the colour Garnet to New Zealand as part of War Plan Red).[74]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Coast Artillery Defences in New Zealand". riv.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 October 2009. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Veart, David (2011). "North Head: Engineering Auckland's Victorian Defences". In La Roche, John (ed.). Evolving Auckland: The City's Engineering Heritage. Wily Publications. pp. 220–222. ISBN 9781927167038.
  3. ^ a b c Wolfe, Richard (2007) With Honour – Our Army Our Nation Our History. Page 51. ISBN 978-0-670-04565-5
  4. ^ "War With Russia". Papers Past. Daily Southern Cross. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  5. ^ Rivers, CM. "Harbour Defences 1885". riv.co.nz. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  6. ^ Rivers, CM. "Disappearing Guns". riv.co.nz. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Maungauika/North Head Historic Reserve". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  8. ^ a b "North Head". Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  9. ^ North Head self-guided walk
  10. ^ a b Rivers, CM. "9 Coast Regiment at Fort Takapuna". riv.co.nz. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Fort Takapuna Historic Walk". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Fort Takapuna Historic Reserve". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  13. ^ a b Fort Takapuna
  14. ^ "Fortifications at Mt Victoria, Auckland – Nation and government – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". Archived from the original on 5 April 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Fort Ballance, Wellington". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 24 January 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Fort Buckley". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 12 December 2004. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Fort Buckley: period photo". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 3 August 2001. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  18. ^ "Fort Buckley". Flickr. August 2005. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  19. ^ "Fort Kelburne: Period photo". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 6 September 2002. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  20. ^ a b "WWII Coastal Defence Fortifications – Battery point". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  21. ^ a b Annotated photo of Battery Point
  22. ^ a b "New Zealand historic heritage: Our work". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  23. ^ a b "Fort Jervois Restoration" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-16. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  24. ^ Glackin, Russel (2009). In Defence of Our Land: A Tour of New Zealand's Historic Harbour Forts. Penguin Group. p. 64. ISBN 978-014301186-6.
  25. ^ Fort Taiaroa
  26. ^ Raising the Guns
  27. ^ DiGiulian, Tony, "United States of America 5"/51 (12.7 cm) Marks 7, 8, 9, 14 and 15. British 5"/51 (12.7 cm) BL Marks VI and VII
  28. ^ a b c Cooke 2002, pp. 275–277.
  29. ^ a b c "NZ Coastal Artillery Units of World War 2". Royal New Zealand Artillery Association. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  30. ^ "New Zealand historic heritage: Our work". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  31. ^ "Maungauika/North Head Historic Reserve". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  32. ^ "NZ Coastal Defences - Great Barrier Island Battery". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  33. ^ "New Zealand historic heritage: Our work". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  34. ^ "HMNZS Tamaki". Archived from the original on 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  35. ^ "Long, Instructor Lieutenant A.G." Archived from the original on 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  36. ^ "Campbell's Bay Primary School". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  37. ^ McCarthy, Christine (2002) Camouflage: Military Upholstery and Interior Disguise. Space and Culture, Vol5, No4, 320–332.
  38. ^ Rivers, CM. "Ngaire's War – 9th Heavy Regiment". riv.co.nz. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  39. ^ "New Zealand historic heritage: Our work". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  40. ^ "Stony Batter". Archived from the original on 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  41. ^ "New Zealand historic heritage: Our work". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  42. ^ "Bream Head Gun – Well worth a visit". Archived from the original on 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  43. ^ Rivers, CM. "10 Coast Regiment". riv.co.nz. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  44. ^ "Palmer Heads fortress, Wellington". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  45. ^ "Fort Dorset". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 5 March 2002. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  46. ^ "Photos of guns at Fort Dorset". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 3 August 2001. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  47. ^ "Fort Opau, Wellington". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  48. ^ "Fort Opau: Photos". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 24 January 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  49. ^ "Fort Opau: More photos". Archived from the original on 2008-01-23. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  50. ^ "Wrights Hill Fortress: Home Page". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  51. ^ "Wrights Hill Fortress". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  52. ^ "Bluff Hill Lookout". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  53. ^ "Napier Bluff". newzealandlighthouses.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  54. ^ "NZ Coastal Defences - New Plymouth Battery". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  55. ^ "Wanganui gun emplacements". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 12 December 2004. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  56. ^ "Photos of Wanganui Coastal Battery". orcon.net.nz. Archived from the original on 17 January 2006. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  57. ^ a b "Godley Head coastal defence battery".
  58. ^ "The Godley Head Heritage Trust". Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  59. ^ "Godley Battery and Camp". Archived from the original on 2008-01-23. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  60. ^ "Lyttelton Torpedo Boat Museum | Lyttelton". lytteltoninfocentre.nz. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  61. ^ "NZ Coastal Defences - Whekenui Battery". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  62. ^ Defence Installations, Blumine Island
  63. ^ "SustainableBlumine – Background". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  64. ^ "Maud Island (Te Hoiere) (Scientific Reserve)". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  65. ^ "Second World War Gun Emplacement on the NE point of Maud Island. Te Hoire, Maud Island, Marlborough Sounds, Marlborough District, Marlborough Region, New Zealand (NZ)". naturespic.com. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  66. ^ "WWII Coastal Defence Fortifications – Timaru". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  67. ^ "WWII Coastal Defence Fortifications -Westport". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  68. ^ "WWII Coastal Defence Fortifications – Cobden". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  69. ^ "WWII Coastal Defence Fortifications – Akaroa". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  70. ^ Velthoven, Herman van. "Otago Peninsula Royal Albatross Centre". otago-peninsula.co.nz. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  71. ^ "WWII Coastal Defence Fortifications – Oamaru". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  72. ^ "Home". Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  73. ^ "Today in History: October 12". Stuff.co.nz. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  74. ^ Stevens, David and Reeve, John (2001) Southern Trident: Strategy, History and the Rise of Australian Naval Power, Page 184–188. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-86508-462-6

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Cooke, Peter (2002). Defending New Zealand: Ramparts on the Sea 1840s–1950s. Wellington: Defence of New Zealand Study Group. ISBN 0-473-08923-8. Two volumes. Reviewed by Capital Defence.
  • Corbett, Peter D. (2003). A First Class Defended Port: The History of the Coast Defences of Auckland, its Harbour and Approaches. ISBN 0-478-22452-4 (Available from Auckland Conservancy, Department of Conservation).
  • Glackin, Russell (2009) In defence of our land: a tour of New Zealand's historic harbour forts, Penguin, ISBN 0-14-301186-3.
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