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| HER Number: | MCO62381 |
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| Name: | PENDENNIS - World War Two battery |
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Summary
On 18 October 1940 Commander Fixed Defences wrote to Brigadier Royal Artillery Southern Command to report on suggested sites for two 12-pdrs temporarily emplaced on East Bastion quick-fire battery. On 16 March 1941, the War Office Siting Committee under Major General F W Barron CB OBE, visited Falmouth Fire Command to fix a site for a new battery described as an anti-motor torpedo boat position. In August 1941, 190 Coast Battery arrived at the castle from 73 Coast Training Regiment for duty manning the 12-pdr guns in East Bastion until the new work was completed in 1941. A report of December 1941 records that Pendennis Battery mounted two ordnance QF 12-pdr, 12 cwt, Mk I guns on mountings QF 12-pdr Mk I.
Protected Status: None recorded
Other Statuses/Codes: none recorded
Monument Type(s):
- BATTERY (World War Two to Late 20th Century - 1941 AD to 1971 AD)
Full description
On 18 October 1940 Commander Fixed Defences wrote to Brigadier Royal Artillery Southern Command to report on suggested sites for two 12-pdrs temporarily emplaced on East Bastion quick-fire battery. On 16 March 1941, the War Office Siting Committee under Major General F W Barron CB OBE, visited Falmouth Fire Command to fix a site for a new battery described as an anti-motor torpedo boat position. In August 1941, 190 Coast Battery arrived at the castle from 73 Coast Training Regiment for duty manning the 12-pdr guns in East Bastion until the new work was completed in 1941. A report of December 1941 records that Pendennis Battery mounted two ordnance QF 12-pdr, 12 cwt, Mk I guns on mountings QF 12-pdr Mk I.
On 11 November 1943 the guns were handed over to the Armament Officer and on 20 March 1944 the battery was put into Care and Maintenance under two gun-storemen. The guns were still mounted in May and June of 1944. From aerial photographs taken during and after World War Two we can see that the battery comprised two emplacements covered with gun houses flanking a Battery Observation Post. It is thought that the magazines of One Gun Battery were probably converted to serve as stores for the new
battery, which would explain the incandescent lighting to be seen within. The guns were supported by two 3° 90 cm fighting lights at Pendennis Point. The work was decommissioned in 1956 at the disbanding of the Coast Artillery arm of the Army. The battery was demolished in 1971 by the Ministry of Works (1).
<1> Linzey, R, 2000, Fortress Falmouth. An conservation plan for the historic defences of Falmouth Haven Vol II (2000), site L5 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1563.
Sources / Further Reading
| [1] | SCO1563 - Cornwall Event Report: Linzey, R. 2000. Fortress Falmouth. An conservation plan for the historic defences of Falmouth Haven Vol II (2000). site L5. |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events
- ECO455 - Fortress Falmouth
Related records
| 18709 | Part of: PENDENNIS - Post Medieval fort (Monument) |
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