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Summary

In 1940 details of a proposed layout for a 6pdr twin quick-fire anti-motor torpedo boat sections at St Mawes and Pendennis were sent by Brigadier Fixed Defences Southern Command to 523 Coast Regiment Royal Artllery, Falmouth. Three weeks later the order was given to commence construction of the emplacements. The emplacements appear partially complete on vertical aerial photographs taken from 1000 feet in 1941.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: none recorded

Monument Type(s):

• BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

In 1940 details of a proposed layout for a 6pdr twin quick-fire anti-motor torpedo boat sections at St Mawes and Pendennis were sent by Brigadier Fixed Defences Southern Command to 523 Coast Regiment Royal Artllery, Falmouth. Three weeks later the order was given to commence construction of the emplacements. The emplacements appear partially complete on vertical aerial photographs taken from 1000 feet in 1941.

The Fort Record Book description of the operation to mount the gun gives some idea of the arrangement of the emplacement: 'the steps between magazine and war shelter had to be jumped, thence round to the right of the emplacement, the vent cowls of the shelter having been dismantled; thence through an opening about 6ft wide to the ledge in front of the emplacement about 15ft wide after a drop of about 10 feet'.

The battery itself comprised emplacement, director tower and sunken magazine with adjacent war shelter. To the south of the emplacement was a group of huts numbered 1 to 3. In the rear of Crab Quay Battery, also part of Middle Point Camp, was a building called 'Q Stores'.

Middle Point Battery together with an identical isntallation at St Mawes Castle (MAWES) and a battery of two 12pdr guns at Pendennic (DENNIS) was responsible for the anti-motor torpedo boat defence of the estuary and harbour. The battery, camp, perimter and searchlights were activitated on 18 November 1941.

Position finding was by Director No 13 sited in a Battery Observation Post at the top of a four storey director tower behind the emplacement. The floor below housed the searchlight directing station operating the lights remotely by contractor gear No 5. Twin 6 director towers tend to follow a similar pattern although regional architectural variations do occur. One would expect to find the first floor room packed with Magslip transmission gear and the ground floor room, at the same level as the gun platform, containing the Royal Artillery store with bench and tools. As with all medium range equipments, position finding could be by 'follow the pointer dials' or by direct laying on the target using 'autosights'. A tidal lever on the auto sights had to be adjusted as the tide rose and fell and to this end a chequerboard datum painted on Black Rock Beacon allowed the gun director to decide when to order the changes from the tower.

190 Battery were equipped with 123 No 3 American rifles and 2 No 0.303 Bren machine guns for the close defence of the camp at Middle Point. The guns were proofed on 12 December 1941. The proofing certificate indicates the equipment mounted was an ordnance Quick Fire 6-pdr, 10 cwt Mk I Royal Gun Foundry/1941 left registration No 191; right registration No 124, mounting Quick Fire 6-pdr Mk II, Royal Carriage Department/1941 (some sources: 6-pdr Twin Mk I) and War Office shield.

By the end of December 1941 the magazine at Middle Point held 1544 high explosive fixed ammunition rounds. Unlike other quick fire equipment at Falmouth the 6-pdr Twin employed fixed ammunition whereby the shell and cartridge were combined at the factory and delivered boxed to the battery. This allowed for very rapid rates of fire from the twinned barrels, approaching 80 rounds per minute.

In July 1942 the battery was issued with land targets to be destroyed in the event that they might fall into enemy hands. POINT battery was to destroy St Anthony Quay, St Mawes harbour, St Mawes castle, St Mawes 6pdr battery and the Naval Radar Station in Battery Field at St Mawes. At the order 'stand to' a Guy truck and two motorcycles would park on Castle Drive at the entrance to the battery solely for its use.

The completed battery and camp is shown in a vertical aerial photograph taken in 1947 with guns and nissen huts in place. The building was demolished in 1957 a year after coast artillery had been declared obsolete. There is no obvious trace of the battery, although a large circular patch of scrub suggests the emplacement survives below ground probably filled with demolition rubble. It seems likely that the subterranean magazines have simply been buried. The concrete steps survive which connected the battery to Castle Drive (1).

<1> Linzey, R, 2000, Fortress Falmouth. An conservation plan for the historic defences of Falmouth Haven Vol II (2000), site U18 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1563.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO455 - Fortress Falmouth

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