Fort Siloso
6_Inch BL Battery - No.1 Gun
LEFT: The No. 1 Gun Emplacement photographed in 1993. A 9.2-Inch gun barrel was mounted in each emplacement. These were later moved to their present position near the Gunners Shelter.
In the floor of the centre of the gun pit was a pivot on which the gun mounting was fitted. Electrical cabling for the transversing and gun mechanisms would also be in the pit.
RIGHT: A Replica 6-Inch BL Gun in the No. 1 Emplacement. This replica represents one of the two guns which were installed at these emplacements in 1942. The replica does not accurately depict the Mark VII Guns originally emplaced, but gives an idea of what a 6-Inch coastal gun was like. The bench on the left is where the Observation Post once was.
BELOW LEFT: No. 1 Gun Emplacement seen from Mount Siloso. The ‘Ready to Use' Ammunition Lockers are clearly visible in the face of the gun ring. The stairs to the right lead down to the side of the entrance to the Magazine (arrowed). The replica gun is covered by an attap (Nypa Palm leaf) roof, as many guns in Singapore once were. This would provide the gunners with shade and shelter from rain. The smaller attap roof to the left covers the top end of the Ammunition hoist. The figures are standing on the wooden platform around the gun circle. The No.2 Emplacement is obscured by trees on the left.
RIGHT: The Gun Crew at work. Two men are holding a wooden pole which is inserted into a bucket. Their task was important. After firing, there is a possibility that the bagged propellant charge would leave some smouldering remains in the breech. Their task was to use a wet swab to clean out the chamber, ensuring that there were no such remains. The consequences of inserting a shell and a bagged charge can easily be imagined if there were any hot remains in the chamber.
To be slightly critical of the replica gun, there are several important details, such as the Auto Sights missing. Also, in order to clean the chamber out, the breech of the gun would have had to be open. This is not to detract from a display which does give the viewer and idea of the duties of the the crew of a 6-Inch Gun.
LEFT & RIGHT: Remains of the overhead concrete cover at No. 1 Emplacement. This was built sometime after 1939 and was demolished after the war.
The Ammunition Hoist, and shells on the hoist tray at the bottom of the shaft, ready to be raised to the gun. Each of the guns had its own hoist and ammunition supply. During the battle for Singapore, a hoist broke down and ammunition had to be manually carried from the magazine to the stairs and up to the gun. This was quite backbreaking work for the magazine crew.
These photos show traces of the concrete covers which once shielded the gunners.
LEFT: The No.1 Mark 24 Gun during a practice shoot in the 1950s.
RIGHT: The Centre Pivot Mounting for a Mark 24 Gun with Mark 5 Shield. The gun was bolted to a concrete ‘Holdfast’ in to which 24 long threaded posts were embedded.
The guns were assembled on the emplacements, not taken up as an assembled unit. The barrels were installed by a process called ‘Skidding’. This was labour intensive, and used a great deal of timber to support the barrel.
These images show the No.1 Gun’s barrel being Skidded. The timber has to be very carefully arranged so that no damage is caused to the barrel, shield or emplacement.