What is the banner photo of?
For those regular readers who wonder where the fort scene is taken above in our banner, its historic Fort Scratchly.
The coastal defense installation located in Newcastle East, a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales in Australia, was built in 1882 to defend the then-British colony from attack by the Tsarist Imperial Russian Navy. You see, as part of the Grand Game from 1850-1909 the two Empires often found themselves in a sort of steampunk era Cold War over trade, colonies, etc. This cold war became hot in the Crimea, almost got both the UK and Russia mixed up in the US Civil War, and led to the show down by proxy that was the Russo-Japanese War.
Anyway back to Scratchly. Designed and named for LtCol Sir Peter Henry Scratchley K.C.M.G, the installation started off with a pair of 32-pounder cannon, later augmented with four 80-pounder guns. Later three 9-in Rifle Muzzle Loader (RML) guns were installed followed in 1889 by three 6-inch BL and one 8-in BL disappearing gun were installed. Finally Two 6-in BL Mark VIIs replaced the four disappearing guns in 1911.
It’s the 6-incher that’s in the banner picture above (see top of page). This was a coast defense version of the guns used as casemate rifles in British battleships, monitors, and large cruisers of the time as well as a heavy howitzer for the British Army. They are often found in retired colonial coastal defence emplacements in Canada, Bermuda, and elsewhere.
Photograph of BL 6 inch Mk VII gun, at Newhaven Fort, UK from Flickr user Elsie esq. (Les Chatfield)
Gun Specs:
Weight 16,875 lb (7,654 kg) (gun & breech)
Barrel length 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m) (45 cal)
Shell Lyddite, HE, Shrapnel 100 lb (45 kg)[1
Calibre 6 in (152 mm)
Breech Welin interrupted screw
Rate of fire 8 rpm
Muzzle velocity 2,525 ft/s (770 m/s) (light charge)
2,775 ft/s (846 m/s) (heavy charge)[3]
Maximum range Naval : 14,600 yd (13,400 m) (light charge); 15,800 yd (14,400 m) (heavy charge)
Filling weight Lyddite : 13 lb 5 oz (6.0 kg)
Amatol : 8 lb 14 oz (4.0 kg)
Shrapnel : 874 balls @ 27/lb
These guns at Fort Scratchly served for generations and saw combat in 1942. Japanese submarine I-21 surfaced on 8 June 1942, and briefly shelled Newcastle. Among the areas hit within the city were dockyards and steel works. There were no casualties in the attack and damage was minimal. During the attack I-21 fired 34 shells at Newcastle, including eight illumination rounds, but caused little damage. The Australian gunners at Fort Scratchley fired four shells at the submarine, but scored no hits. The guns were mothballed after the War but the Oz Army kept the base until 1973.
From LSOZI reader Anthony:
“These guns actually fired in anger during ww2. They were lobbing shells at a Japanese sub which had taken a few potshots at the BHP Steel works, they missed by miles and hit the streets behind Fort Scratchly. As a kid, these guns were in King Edward park, Newcastle’s public park over looking Newcastle beach. The guns are now a tourist attraction and are fired on special occasions. The fort Scratchly museum have applied for permission to fire them at midday.”
So there you go.