Fortress Penang

[Zaf1]

Thanks!

Regards

Zaf

[Zaf1]

British barracks on Pearl Hill

[Zaf1]

British barracks on Pearl Hill

[Fatboy Coxy]

Hi Zaf

I think I got it wrong in the earlier post

Great Photos Zaf

The Gun Pits at Batu Maung may have been built for 9.2 inch coastal guns, but only 2 x 6 inch MK VII Naval guns (14,000 yards range guns) were installed. They were manned by the 8th Heavy Battery HKSRA. I don’t know if more heavy coastal guns were planned, and where might they have been located.

Batu Maung is located at the southern end of Penang Island, Tanjong Tokong is located very close to the old Fort Cornwallis at the northern end, closest to the mainland. I think your spot on in suggesting that an Anti Torpedo Boat battery was planned here. As you say its similar to Singapore, with a Gun Director Tower and Searchlight emplacements. I would have expected the British to have planned to install a number of QF 6 pounder 10 cwt guns in twin turrets. Some had been installed in Singapore but manufacturing output was slow.

As well as the coastal guns, anti aircraft guns were also planned. I’m not sure who was to man them, I have read both 20th Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery HKSRA and 2nd Indian Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, but can confirm neither.

Steve

I now don't think an Anti Torpedo Boat battery would have been appropriate at Tanjong Tokong. But a Searchlight battery would enable guns from both the Auchey and Fort Cornwalis batteries to engage shipping. I'm guessing the Barracks on Pearl Hill (Mount Erskine) are to house the troops manning the searchlight battery at Tanjung Tokong or Tokong Point. Can you give an estimation of how many the barracks could have reasonably held?

Steve

[Zaf1]

Hi Steve

I am unable to answer that because I did not have much information on it. I post some more photos of that site, It does have a nice view of the sea from up the hill because it's right on the very top of that hill

Regards

Zaf

[LaurieB]

Thanks. I have a photo from the Japanese board that shows a Japanese photo of a Malayan airfield under attack. When we did research our historian Shaharom Ahmad found that from google map it is the Butterworth airfield. This is the combined photos.

Regards

Zaf

I am currently researching the fortifications put into place on Penang prior to WWII and have just found this site. Very interesting to read through the posts.

I don't think the airfield in the B&W photo is Butterworth. If you look closely at that photo, there is a river shown running through it. There is no river in a similar position close to Butterworth.

Steve, the buildings at Pearl Hill were likely to have been a Forward Observation Post and a Fire Control Post. As previously mentioned by Zaf, it has commanding views of the northern approaches to Penang Harbour. The area was heavily overgrown when I was there last week.

I have now visited most of the sites covered in this thread and am looking for any more information that might be available.