Fort Siloso: 7-Inch RML Guns & Magazines
Drawing of the Mount Siloso 7-Inch RML Emplacement.
When first made operational, there were three 7-Inch RML Guns at Fort Siloso. Two were close to the entrance to the Fort with a magazine behind them, the passage between the gun emplacements and the magazine being covered bty a roof. The third 7-Inch Gun was on the top of Mount Siloso with a magazine beside it. A few years later, a fourth 7-Inch RML Gun with a Magazine to the side, was emplaced on the top of Mount Siloso, close to where the 64-Pounders once were.
Very little remains of the two gun emplacements near the entrance to the Fort. The Magazine is intact., but the roof which once covered the passageway has gone. There are substantial remains of the third emplacement, but the fourth has vanished completely. It is very easy to walk past the remains of the two guns near the Fort entrance and not even realise what is there. The No.1 Emplacement, which is closest to the guardroom was rebuilt in 1898 for two 12 Pounder QF Guns, and the No.2 Gun was removed.
On top of Mount Siloso, the No.3 7-Inch Emplacement has been restored. A replica 7-inch RML Gun is mounted there. The disappeared fourth emplacement is shown on a plan in ‘History 1878-1918’.
No.1 & No.2 7-Inch Emplacements
The Nos.1&2 Emplacements 1878
The covered passageway which was once between the No.1 and No.2 guns and the Magazine. The magazine is on the left in the passageway.
12-Pounder Emplacement 1895 The 12-Pounder Emplacement still exists and has two 64-Pounder RML Guns mounted on it. The old No.1 7-Inch Emplacement is outlined in blue.
A photograph, probably early 1950s, showing a water tank in the No. 2 7-Inch RML GUN Emplacement. The covered Magazine Passageway is still in place beyond the tank.
The No.2 Emplacement in the late 1950s. The semi-circular wall of the emplacement is clearly seen to the left of the water tank. The passageway roof has been removed.
The No.2 Emplacement in 2008. To the right is the shop and Surrender Chamber
ABOVE: The No.1 & No.2 Emplacements as seen from Berlayar Point. The shop and Surrender Chamber are between the guns. This shows how the two 7 Inch Guns and later the two 12 Pounders, commanded the harbour entrance. The arrows to the left show where the Mount Imbiah 9.2-Inch Gun was. Also Mount Serapong where an 8-inch Gun Battery, then a 9.2-Inch Battery and finally a 6-Inch Battery guarded the eastern approach to the harbour.
The Magazine for the No.1 & No.2 Guns
The magazine was built to store ammunition for the two 7 Inch RML guns which were on emplacements opposite. The Magazine has thick stone walls and its roof is protected by an earth covering which together were designed to withstand the effects of enemy fire. The roof over the passageway gave cover to the men supplying the guns with ammunition from the Magazine.
ABOVE: Views alongside the magazine.
The left-hand photograph is taken from the end of the Magazine nearest to the Guardroom. The area where the roof once covered the passageway is easily seen above the Magazine's doors. The right-hand photograph is from the other end of the Magazine. The wall on the left of this photograph is that of the Shop and Surrender Chamber. Look inside the Magazine.
Mount Siloso 7-Inch RML Gun
This gun emplacement faces to the south-east and is on the highest part of Mount Siloso. Just beyond the gun emplacement the ground slopes away steeply thus giving the gunners at this emplacement a good view and field of fire, including the southern coast of Blakang Mati.
The replica 7 Inch Rifled Muzzle Loading Gun mounted there is as a real one would have been in the 1880s, on a Garrison Sliding Carriage.