Artillery batteries at Singapore - sites?

I am researching the 7th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery. I know that it consisted of 11th and 31st Batteries, R.A. and 5th and 7th Batteries, Hong Kong & Singapore R.A. (who were mostly Indian, in fact), and that they manned the fixed defensive positions. The question is, where were those batteries?

If you let me know where to look, I will take it from there.

Belville

 

I can do names but not grid references:

7 Coast Regiment: [Mount] Faber Fire Command

11 Coast Bty RA:
Connaught Battery (Blakang Mati) - 3x 9.2"
Serapong Battery (Blakang Mati) - 2x 6"
Siloso Point (Blakang Mati) - 1x 12pdr
Pulau Hantu - 2x12 pdr
Behala Reping (Blakang Mati) - 2x 6pdr

31 Coast Bty RA:
Buona Vista Battery - 2x 15"
Tanjong Tereh (Pulau Brani) - 1x 12pdr
Batu Berlayer - 2x 12pdr

5 Coast Bty HKSRA
Silingsing Battery (Pulau Brani) - 2x 6"
Siloso Battery (Blakang Mati) - 2x 6"

7 Coast Bty HKSRA
Labrador Battery - 2x 6"
Pasirlaba Battery - 2x 6"

From History of Coast Artillery in the British Army by Maurice-Jones.

I'm ashamed to say I can't find the reference for the source of the map, but here's an extract showing the general area. If you squint hard enough, you can make out a lot of the place names.

Blakang Mati is now Sentosa and the Fort Siloso is preserved. Not sure of the state of the other sites. I think After the Battle have 'done' Singapore, so that may be a good (and relatively cheap) next step.

 

Belville

7 Coast Rgt was deployed as follows:
Faber Fire Command

11 Bty - Connaught Bty 3 x 9.2 in guns, Serapong Bty 2 x 6 in guns, Siloso Point 1 x 12 pdr, Pulau Hantu 2 x 12 pdr, Berhala Reping 2 x 6 pdr

31 Bty - Buona Vista Bty 2 x 15 in guns, Tanjong Tereh 1 x 12 pdr, Batu Berlayer 2 x 12 pdr

5 Bty - Silinsing Bty 2 x 6 in guns, Siloso Bty 2 x 6 in guns

7 Bty - Labrador Bty 2 x 6 in guns, Pasir Laba Bty 2 x 6 in guns

Beat me to it Idler, if no one else does so in the mean time, I will scan and post a clearer map tomorrow.

 

After the Battle No. 31 is the Singapore issue. There's a fair bit on the fate of the guns as it references a Japanese salvage report.

The Fort Siloso site is worth a look.

 

My sister was there last year and sent me some of the photos. Here are a few.

 

And a couple more.

 

Map of Singapore artillery defences

 

Many thanks to all of you. Derek, where does that last map come from?


I have sent for a copy of 'After the Battle, No. 31', but already I can identify all of the batteries (some with the help of Google Earth!).


Jeff, I am writing the biography of an officer who served with the 7th Coast Regt., and was beaten to death by the Japanese in the camp at Kanchanaburi, and I would like to illustrate it. I would need to ask your sister's permission to reproduce one of the photos above (post 5, the second photo) or, if she has one, a photo which shows the barrel more clearly. It is for a book to be published privately.


Best wishes, Belville

 

Belville, the map is from the History of the RA series by Gen Sir M Farndale and is in the volume The Far East 1941-46. The book also contains a few details of the actions of the coast artillery and a short report on the performance of the fixed defences written by Col Cardew, CO of 7 Coast Rgt, whilst in Changi Gaol as a PoW.

 

Belville, the map is from the History of the RA series by Gen Sir M Farndale and is in the volume The Far East 1941-46.

Thanks a lot. I can look at a copy in a local university library, and it will be very useful.

Belville

 

I have been reading the chapter in Sir Martin Farndale's book, and I have another query. The man I am researching was Lt. Stanley Rhodes Armitage, 7th Coast Regiment, R.A. Part of the regiment was 11th Battery, which included the guns in the Connaught battery. On page 62 it says,

"At Fort Connaught, with its three 9.2-inch guns, 11th Coast Battery R.A., under Major JWM Hipkins and Second Lieutenant SE Armitage, was bombed and suffered damage and casualties".

It seems likely, to me, that this was an error in the initial. No-one of that name appears on the C.W.G.C. list of war graves but, of course, if it was someone else, he could have survived. Does anyone know of an officer called S. E. Armitage?

Belville

P.S. I do know that S. R. Armitage is mentioned several times in "The Railway Man" by Eric Lomax.

 

He's mentioned here, too, with a correction here. Commissioned as a 2/Lt here.

There is a Sydney Edward Armitage commissioned into the RA here, but as it's 1943, he couldn't have been in Singapore!

 

Jeff, I am writing the biography of an officer who served with the 7th Coast Regt., and was beaten to death by the Japanese in the camp at Kanchanaburi, and I would like to illustrate it. I would need to ask your sister's permission to reproduce one of the photos above (post 5, the second photo) or, if she has one, a photo which shows the barrel more clearly. It is for a book to be published privately.


Best wishes, Belville

She does not think it will be a problem.

She made about 350 or pics. There may be more that you would want to look at.

Let's talk via PM.

 

He's mentioned here, too, with a correction here. Commissioned as a 2/Lt here.

That's very helpful. In the correction of the announcement that he was mentioned in despatches, it says
"For ... R.A., read ... R.A. (post)"

Does that mean posthumous, do you think? He did die in captivity.

Belville

 

Let's talk via PM.

Will do. Belville

 

Hi Derek,

Would you happen to know of a map detailing the sites of where the various batteries of RA6HAA?

Thanks.
Daisy1942 aka Hazel

 

Hi Brlville,

I wonder if you have come across an account of a Japanese tank being blown up on the Causeway? I read an account of this long long ago (late 1980's?) sadly, a computer crash lost the book details before I manged to buy a copy. My father in law claimed to have seen it and said "It was blown to bits - cogs flying everywhere!" Dad served in R 3/6 HAA and was one of the lucky enough to escape successfully. If you know thee book I should love to hear from you.

Cheers,
Daisy1942 aka Hazel

 

Daisy,

Belville has not logged in since 1/2/2025. Best drop him a PM to get his attention.