Christmas Island Defenses
Christmas Island Defenses
I'm trying to pin down the defenses of Christmas Island before it was taken by the Japanese. I know it had a 6" gun as a shore battery (looks like a 6"/50 (15.2 cm) BL Marks XI ) with a gun crew of 1 Officer, 4 NCO's and 27 gunners from the Hong Kong and Singapore Artillery Regt. There was also a detachment of volunteers numbering 41 men. One source lists the 6"gun, an "anti submarine gun", and concrete blockhouses in Flying Fish Cove. I've found photographs of the 6" gun, but seen nothing other than a reference to the anti-submarine gun or the concrete blockhouses. Were these installed by the RN or later by the Japanese? What was the anti submarine gun? Sources I've found online are below.
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/rev ... 1uy5q.html
http://www.malayanvolunteersgroup.org.uk/node/58
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/rev ... 1uy5q.html
http://www.malayanvolunteersgroup.org.uk/node/58
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Bill
I looked at my sources and didn't find anything. I would have bet that the Australian officials (either Army or Navy) would have some details, but basically nothing. The naval history simply states that the island was occupied on 31 March. One sentence and that was it.
It appears that the island was under the Malaysian government, so I guess the lack of detail in the Aust. works isn't surprising.
Pista! Jeff
I looked at my sources and didn't find anything. I would have bet that the Australian officials (either Army or Navy) would have some details, but basically nothing. The naval history simply states that the island was occupied on 31 March. One sentence and that was it.
It appears that the island was under the Malaysian government, so I guess the lack of detail in the Aust. works isn't surprising.
Pista! Jeff
Jeff Leser
Infantrymen of the Air
Infantrymen of the Air
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Hello everyone,
I'm looking for wartime images of Christmas Island, especially under Japanese occupation, for a project that I'm working on.
Many thanks.
David
I'm looking for wartime images of Christmas Island, especially under Japanese occupation, for a project that I'm working on.
Many thanks.
David
- Akira Takizawa
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Re: Christmas Island Defenses
From Japanese wartime magazine "Shashin Shuho". All photos of both pages are on Christmas Island.
Taki
Taki
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Hi Taki,
Many thanks! Stay safe and well, David
Many thanks! Stay safe and well, David
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Hi OldBill,
Leo Niehorster's site has the defenses as two 6-inch guns at the start of the Pacific War. URL:
http://niehorster.org/017_britain/41-12 ... mmand.html
Also of interest.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160121080 ... stmas.html
Leo Niehorster's site has the defenses as two 6-inch guns at the start of the Pacific War. URL:
http://niehorster.org/017_britain/41-12 ... mmand.html
Also of interest.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160121080 ... stmas.html
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Thanks Gentlemen!
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Hello,
I always believed that only a single 6-inch gun was emplaced at CI. Can we cross check this?
Cheers, David
I always believed that only a single 6-inch gun was emplaced at CI. Can we cross check this?
Cheers, David
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
The invasion & seizure is covered in some detail in Volume 26 of BKS/Senshi Sōsho (1969), which is now available in English translation. No indication of more than one 6" gun in the Smith Pt. battery, however, and no Allied AA defenses to speak of AFAIK.
The Japanese records state that the garrison put up white flags all over the place within ~6 mins of the initial shelling from the sea on 31 March.
FWIW
The Japanese records state that the garrison put up white flags all over the place within ~6 mins of the initial shelling from the sea on 31 March.
FWIW
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Hi FWIW,
Is the Volume 26 of BKS/Senshi Sōsho (1969) available online?
I read a report last night from 1945 when the island was reoccupied that the Japanese had erected two 6-inch dummy guns on the island.I also found a Japanese pill box overlooking Flying Fish Cove when I visited the island.
Thanks for your help, Dave
Is the Volume 26 of BKS/Senshi Sōsho (1969) available online?
I read a report last night from 1945 when the island was reoccupied that the Japanese had erected two 6-inch dummy guns on the island.I also found a Japanese pill box overlooking Flying Fish Cove when I visited the island.
Thanks for your help, Dave
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Answered my own question. Thanks again !
https://www.cortsstichtingen.nl/news/14 ... sho-volume
Cheers, Dave
https://www.cortsstichtingen.nl/news/14 ... sho-volume
Cheers, Dave
- Akira Takizawa
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Re: Christmas Island Defenses
In the account of a war correspondent who was accompanied with the landing of Christmas Island, he wrote that there was only one cannon on Christmas Island. The account is included in the book 「秘録大東亜戦史 蘭印篇」.
Taki
Taki
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Thanks Taki. Does this publication have any photos or diagrams?
Best regards, Dave
Best regards, Dave
- Akira Takizawa
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Re: Christmas Island Defenses
No, only illustrations as shown below. In the middle of the text, "only one cannon of the island defense" is written.
Taki
Taki
Re: Christmas Island Defenses
Okay, thanks again Taki.
Cheers, Dave
Cheers, Dave