The No.3 Emplacement under construction, 1934

In the Report of the Singapore Commission (General Sir Webb Gillman) of 1927, it was recommended that Pulau Tekong Besar should be armed with two 6-Inch Guns on Pyramid Hill. In 1931 it was stated that a three gun 9.2-Inch Battery on Cemetery Hill was desirable for the island as well as the 6-Inch Battery. Despite this, only a two gun battery was considered. This was later changed back to a three gun battery which was built and named Tekong Besar Battery. The Battery had the code name ‘TEAK’, and came under the Changi Fire Command.

ABOVE LEFT: The entrance to the Power House in 1935. ABOVE CENTRE & RIGHT The entrance in 2008

Aerial View of the Tekong Besar Battery, 1938

Tekong Besar Battery No. 1 Gun, 1938
The Guns at Tekong Besar were Mark X Guns on a Mark VII 35° Mounting.

Aerial View of Tekong Besar

From the War Diary, Changi Fire Command

“5.2.42: JOHORE (15 inch, 2 guns), TEKONG (three 9.2”) and SPHINX (Two 6”) fired on WEST JOHORE BAHRU and mainland North of PONGOL Point. 2 enemy aircraft engaged by AALA fire from PENGERANG”

“6.2.42: TEKONG and SPHINX registered targets on P.UBIN and mainland north of P. UBIN. Later some batteries engaged an area N.W. of PONGOL Point.”

These were not the only times that Tekong Besar engaged Japanese forces.

On the evening of 14th February 1942, on the orders of the C.F.D., the Tekong Besar Battery was spiked. The No.2 Magazine exploded completely, completely destroying the emplacement. The Japanese occupied Pulau Tekong and Pengerang on the 22nd February.

The approximate expenditure of ammunition by the Tekong Besar Battery was given as being, 70 Rounds of H.E. and 200 Rounds of A.P.

LEFT: The destroyed No.3 Gun photographed in 1946.

Remains of the Tekong Besar Battery still exist, but the area is MINDEF land and is not accessible.

Tekong Besar on Google Earth

The land to the south of the Battery has been reclaimed.

Other Batteries
& Defences