Mount Siloso 6 Inch QF Battery
Once Fort Siloso had been established, the many upgrades of the armament began to take place. Among the several plans for upgrading the Fort are some which show a new 7-Inch RML Gun emplacement on Mount Siloso, and what may have been a lookout position. It is not known if this plan was implemented. Around 1907, a two gun 6-Inch QF (Quick Firing) Emplacement was constructed on Mount Siloso. This to the east of where the 64 Pounders once stood.
The photographs above show the 6 Inch Gun emplacement from the rear, looking east (left) and west (right). The 1930s Command Centre can be seen to the right of the right-hand photograph. The steel doors on each side lead to ammunition hoists from the underground magazines. The stairs down to the magazines and up to the fire control position can be seen in both photographs.
Three 6-Inch QF Batteries were constructed to defend Keppel Harbour; Fort Siloso, Fort Silingsing (Pulau Brani) and Fort Pasir Panjang (Tanjong Berlayar). The photograph on the right shows what is believed to be the Fort Silingsing 6 Inch QF Battery. The 6-Inch QF Gun had a range of 12,000 yards (10,973 metres) and was capable of a rapid rate of fire when served by an experienced team of gunners.
The 6 Inch Gun was destined to become the mainstay of coastal artillery batteries throughout the British Empire, seeing service world-wide until 1956.
Video Clip
The video shows the 6 Inch QF Emplacement in 1993 before it was restored . The small camouflaged building shown in the clip was built pre-World War II on top of the No.1 Gun position. It was demolished when the emplacement was restored.
Video duration = 41 Seconds.
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LEFT: The No.1 Gun Emplacement on which the small building was. The gun ring has been filled in. The right hand gun of a battery was always the No. 1 Gun.
RIGHT: The stairs leading down to the underground Magazine. The steel doors at each side of the stairs open outwards to allow access to ammunition hoists which were used used to lower shells and propellant charges into the magazine.
The 6 Inch guns on Mount Siloso are believed to have served until the 1930s. Then the Fort’s armament was then again updated following General Gilman’s visit to review defences in Singapore. Two new 6 Inch BL (Breech Loading) Guns were sited to the west, where the old 9.2 Inch BL emplacement was, close to the Casemates.
LEFT: How a gun barrel would have been hoisted into place on the emplacement using a tripod. The blue steel doors cover ‘Ready To Use’ lockers in which ammunition and propellant charges would be stored so that they would be readily available.
RIGHT: Detail of how the barrel would have been slung on the tripod.
In reality, the gun mounting would have been installed first, and then the barrel lifted into position.