The 12 Pounder Gun at Siloso Point
Before WWII, the gunners who manned the 12 Pounder at Siloso Point used to exercise daily. A water carrying boat delivering water to islands such as Bulau Bukom, would pass by every day, and this was used as a practice target. The speed and range of the boat was tracked and fire orders were passed to the gunners, who in turn trained the gun on the boat and duly ‘sank’ it.
Three views of the outer face of the gun ring from left to right. As may be expected good use is made of the ring for storage lockers. The ladder up in to the Director Tower is seen in the right-hand photograph.
The inside of the gun ring. The tracks which can be seen in the two photographs to the right were used for the ammunition replenishment system of the Twin 6 Pounder emplaced here after the war. The Twin 6 Pounder, with its very rapid rate of fire, required a very good replenishment system which would follow it as it tracked a target, hence the rails on which the system trolleys moved. Roy Muthiah (see the ‘With Thanks To’ page) worked on this Twin 6 Pounder when he was an artilleryman.
The door in the centre photograph leads to what is now called the ‘Gunners Room’. The base of the Director Tower with the entrance ladder is in the right-hand photograph.
LEFT: The replica 12 Pounder Gun at Siloso Point.
RIGHT: Tanjong Berlayer from Siloso Point. The position of the Pasir Panjang Battery is arrowed. The commanding position of the two batteries over the entrance to Keppel Harbour can easily be seen.
The Pasir Panjang Battery was also modernised during the 1930s and was armed with two 6 Inch Mark VII Guns. It was renamed as the Labrador Battery.
The pathway around the Director Tower, and the 42 stairs to the surface.