Mount Siloso 6 Inch QF Magazine
Shell & Cartridge Hoists
1. The restored western Ammunition Hoist in the Magazine. A lantern recess is on the wall to the right.
The hoist is manually operated by a handle attached to the metal casing on the left-hand wall. The handle is connected to a cog which drives a belt of thick links like a bicycle chain. The chain drives a larger cog which moves a continuous belt, like the hand rail on an escalator. One man turns the handle, and another places cased propellant charges on the belt. The shells were sent up on the nearby vertical hoist.
2. A sad looking ammunition hoist in south eastern side of the Magazine. This was photographed in 1993, before the restoration of the Fort.
The operating handle and its assembly is missing, as is the belt which took the propellant charges to the surface. The driving chain can still be seen, as can the drum which it drives to its left.
3. The same Hoist in 1995.
Figures representing Gunners of the Singapore Volunteer Artillery are serving the Hoist. One man is placing cased propellant cartridges on to the hoist prior to them being sent up to the gun. The other man is unloading cartridges from a trolley brought to him from the cartridge store.
As can be seen, there is not a great deal of working room. Neither was there a great deal of light. The nearest lantern was over a metre from the front man's right side.
4. BSM Cooper is supervising men serving the two Ammunition Hoists in the south eastern side of the Magazine.
The man on the left is working hard turning the handle which operates the shell hoist. On his right, there is another man who is carrying a shell to be placed onto the Hoist. Unseen men would be working in the shell store to the right, passing shells out through a hatch in the wall.
5. A shell in the hoist. This hoist is vertical, unlike the cartridge hoist. Shells were placed in the tray and raised to an opening with steel doors to the right of the gun circle above. The propellant charges would appear at a hatch to the rear of the gun circle.
Around the base of the shell are copper bands, raised slightly above the surface. These are ‘Driving Bands’, and engage in the gun barrel's rifling. When the gun is fired this spins the shell thus stabilising it in flight and increasing accuracy.
Video Clip
The clip shows the mannequins of men of the Singapore Volunteer Artillery (SVA) with the Battery Serjeant Major issuing instructions.
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Video duration = 17 Seconds