9.2inch B.L.
Drawings
9.2inch B.L. Carriages |
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The following list has been meticulously researched, amended and added to by Dag Schmidtke who has very generously allowed the information to be shared on this website. If anyone acan add to it or offer corrections please contact the webmaster so that it can be passed to Dag.
Disposition of the 9.2inch B.L. gun
United Kingdom
New Needles Battery built 1893-95
1900 2 x 9.2-inch BL 'C' Mark IX on Barbette III . A third added in 1904.
1911-14 emplacements for Mark VB mountings. The original 9.2-inch guns were removed from the two flank emplacements in 1913 and replaced with new Mark IX barrels in September 1914. The centre barrel was not replaced and was scrapped in 1928.
In late December 1939 the two remaining Mark IX guns were replaced by Mark Xs.
Isle of Wight
Warden Point Battery
Emplacements for 2 x 9.2-inch Mark X BLs installed in 1898-1900. A third added in 1900.
The guns were mounted in 1900-01 and 1902 respectively.
Culver Battery
1906 2 x 9.2-inch Mark X on Mark V mountings
1914 2 x 9.2-inch Mark X on Mark V
1922-4 2 x 9.2-inch Mark X on Mark VI
Nodes Point Battery
1908 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X
1927 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark ?? (15 degrees)
Warden Point Battery
1898 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Puckpool Battery
1904 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Portsmouth
Southsea Castle East Battery
1904 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Gosport
Gilkicker Fort Gosport
1904-1906 2 x 9.2-inch Mark X on Mark V mountings
Browndown Battery Gosport
1904-1906 2 x 9.2-inch Mark X on Mark V mountings
Portland & Weymouth
East Wear Battery A Portland
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Upton Fort Portland
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Blacknor Battery Portland
1914 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Dover
Citadel Battery Dover
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Langdon Battery Dover
1912 3 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Plymouth
Hawkins Battery Plymouth
1916 2 x 9.2inch B.L. Mk VI on HA
Rame Church Battery Plymouth
1911 2 x 9.2inch B.L. Mk VI on HA
Penlee Point Battery Plymouth
1910 2 x 9.2inch BL MkX
Renney Battery Plymouth
1907 3 x9.2inch B.L.
Thames
Isle of Grain Fort Thames
1912 3 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Fletcher Battery Thames
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Slough Fort Thames
1905 2 x 9.2inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Medway
Isle of Grain Fort
1905 2 x 2 x 9.2inch BL Mark X on Mark V (unmounted)
Ravelin Battery Sheerness Lines
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Felixstowe
Brackenbury Battery Felixstowe
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Humber
Green Battery Humber
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Godwin Battery Humber
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Tyne
Frenchmans Point
1905 1 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Tynemouth Castle
1912 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Clyde
Ardhallow
1905 1 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
The Forth
Inchkeith Batteries Forth
1905 3 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Kinghorn Battery Forth
1905 1 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Barrow
Walney Island
1905 1 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V (unmounted)
Milford Haven
West Blockhouse Battery Milford Haven
1907 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
East Blockhouse Battery Milford Haven
1907 2 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
South Hook Battery Milford Haven
1905 1 x 9.2-inch BL Mark X on Mark V
Lough Swilly Ireland
Lenan Fort (Lenan Head)
1901 2 x 9.2 BL MK I on barbette I
1 x 9.2 BL Mk IV on barbette I
1909 1 x 9.2 BL MK I on barbette I
1 x 9.2 BL Mk IV on barbette I
1911 1 x 9.2 BL MK I on barbette I
1 x 9.2 BL Mk X on Mk V mounting
1912 2 x 9.2 BL Mk X on Mk V mounting
1946 care and maintenance, abandoned 1952
Cork Ireland
Templebreedy Battery
1909 2 x 9.2 BL MK X on Mk V mounting
1938 2 x 9.2 BL MK X on Mk V mounting
1946 care and maintenance, removed some years later
Fort Carlisle
1904 1 x 9.2 BL MK X on Mk V mounting
1905 2 x 9.2 BL MK X on Mk V mounting
1914 (Aug) 1 x 9.2 BL MK X on Mk V mounting + 1 in reserve
1918 1 x 9.2 BL MK X on Mk V mounting
1938 removed, transferred to Templebreedy as replacement for damaged gun
Berehaven Ireland
Rerrin Battery
1901 1 x 9.2 BL MK X on Mk V mounting
1915 removed, transferred to Brackenbury Battery, Harwich
Lonehort Battery
1901 1 x 9.2 BL MK IX
1904 dismounted
1905 1 x 9.2 BL Mk X on Mk V mounting
1915 removed, transferred to Brackenbury Battery, Harwich
Colonies and Coaling Stations
Australia
Port Philip, Melbourne, Victoria
Nepean Fort
1889 2 x 9.2-inch Armstrong 20 ton gun (Mk VI) on HP mount Mk IV cylinder
1910-11 Replaced with 2 x6-inch Vickers Mk VII
Queenscliff Fort
1890 1 x 9.2-inch Armstrong 20 ton gun (Mk VI) on HP mount Mk IV cylinder
1 x BL 9.2-innch Armstrong 20 ton (Mk VI) on barbette (Vavasseur) CP
1905-10 Replaced with 2 x 6-inch Vickers Mk VII
Port Jackson, Sydney, NSW
Signal Hill Battery, South Head
1893 1 x 9.2-inch Armstrong 20 ton gun (Mk VI) on HP mount Mk I cylinder
1937 removed, gun barrel on display at Australian Army Artillery Museum, North Fort, until 2010
Ben Buckler Battery, Bondi
1893 1 x 9.2-inch Armstrong 20 ton gun (Mk VI) on HP mount Mk I cylinder
1945 disposal, gun and mounting remain buried on site
Shark Point Battery, Cogee
1893 1 x 9.2-inch Armstrong 20 ton gun (Mk VI) on HP mount Mk I cylinder
1945 disposal
North Head Battery
1938 2 x 9.2-inch Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1945 care and maintenance, guns removed 1952
Cape Banks Battery
1938 2 x 9.2-inch Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1945 care and maintenance
Newcastle, NSW
Wallace Battery, Stockton
1942 2 x 9.2-inch Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1945 care and maintenance
Port Kembla, NSW
Drummond Battery
1943 2 x 9.2-inch Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1944 removed to east Battery, Darwin
1945 care and maintenance
1946 2 x 9.2-inch Xv on Mk IX mounting
Darwin, NT
East Battery
1945 2 x 9.2-inch Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1945 care and maintenance
Fremantle, WA
Oliver Hill Battery, Rottnest Island
1938 2 x 9.2-inch Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1945 care and maintenance, preserved as museum
Scriven Battery, Garden Island
1945 2 x 9.2-inch Xv on Mk IX mounting
1945 care and maintenance, disposal 1963
Bermuda
Victoria Battery
1904 2 x BL Mk X on Mk V
1909 1 x BL Mk X on Mk V
1935 Removed from approved armaments, 1 gun and mounting preserved, at the National Museum of Bermuda
St David’s Battery
1909 1 x 9.2 BL Mk X on Mk V + 1 mounted in reserve
1935 Removed from approved armaments, both guns and mountings remain in place
Canada
British Columbia, Esquimalt
Signal Hill Battery
1912 2 x Mk X on V
1938 guns removed to Albert Head
Albert Head Battery
1939 2 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1943 1 x Mk X on Mk CVIa muunting (35-degree)
2 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1944 3 x Mk X on Mk CVIa mounting
1946 care and maintenance, guns removed 1956, sold to Turkey
Nova Scotia, Halifax
Sandwich Point Battery
1905 2 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1943 guns removed
Fort McNab
1906 1 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1942 gun removed to Devil's Point
Devil's Point Battery
1942 3 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1954 guns removed, sold to Turkey
Nova Scotia, Sydney
Oxford Battery
1947 3 x Mk Xv on Mk IX mounting
1947 care and maintenance
1952 guns removed, sold to Portugal
Ceylon
Colombo
Battenburg Battery
c1891 1x Mk VI on HP I
1912 removed from approved armaments
Mutwal
c1891 1 x Mk IV on HP I
1 x Mk VI on HP I
1911 removed from approved armaments
Galle Face
c1891 1 x Mk IV on HP I
c1909 dismounted
1911 2 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1942 3 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
c1944 care and maintenance
Rockhouse
1912 2 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
by 1939 removed
Trincomalee
Ostenberg
c1939 2 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1942 3 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
c1944 care and maintenance
Gibraltar
Willis
Governor's Lookout Battery
by 1895 1 x Mk IV on barbette I
1906 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
1940 removed
Middle hill
West Battery
c1892 2 x Mk IV on barbette I
2 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
after 1950 removed, replaced by 5.25-in
Windmill Hill
Buffadero Battery
c1893 1 x Mk VI on barbette Mk I
1907 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
1950 removed and scrapped
Jew's Cemetery Battery
1891 1 x Mk IV on barbette Mk I
1906 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
1928 removed from approved armaments
Edward VII's Battery
1902 2 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
1928 removed
Levant Battery
1903 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
after 1973 removed
Upper ridge
Lord Airey's Battery
1899 1 x Mk IX on mounting Mk IV
1936 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk VII
1976 removed from service, preserved
O'Hara's Battery
1899 1 x Mk IX on mounting Mk IV
c1935 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk VII
1976 removed from service, preserved
Rock Battery
1904 1 x Mk IX on mounting Mk IV
1923 removed
Spur Battery
1905 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
1934 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk VII
1976 removed from service
1981 gun and mounting removed, moved to Imperial War Museum Duxford
Breakneck Battery
1906 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
1953 abandoned, gun and mounting still in place
West side batteries
Rooke Battery
1907 1 x Mk X on mounting Mk V
after 1928 removed
Hong Kong
Victoria Battery
1893 1 x Mk IV on Mk II barbette
1907 removed, Battery abandoned by 1914
Kowloon east
1895 1 x Mk IV on Mk II barbette
1907 removed
Pottinger Battery, Devil's Peak
1904 2 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1939 removed, to Bokhara
Gough Battery, Devil's Peak
1910 1 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1936 removed, to Stanley
Mount Davis
1911 3 x Mk X on V
1912 5 x Mk X on V
1935 3 x Mk X on V, 2 guns to Stanley
1941 destroyed
Stanley
1937 3 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1941 captured by the Japanese
1945 2 x Mk X on VII, not reactivated
1952 guns removed, dismantled
Bokhara
1941 2 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1941 destroyed
Jamaica
Victoria Battery, Port Royal, Kingston
1892 2 x Mk I on HP I
1907 Battery destroyed in earthquake, both gun barrels remain on site
Fort Nugent, Kingston
1910 1 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1945 care and maintenance
Late 1940s gun removed
Malta
Fort Delimara
1892 1 x Mk VI on HP Mk I
1912 1x Mk X on Mk V
1913 2x Mk X on Mk V
1938 Guns Removed, replaced with 6-in
Garden Battery
1894 1 x Mk VIB on HP Mk I
1907 Guns removed
Spinola
1894 2 x Mk VI on HP Mk I
1907 Guns removed
Benghisa
1903 2x Mk X on Mk V
1943 Care and maintenance
1949 Guns removed
St Leonardo
1898 2 x Mk IX on Barbette Mk III
1912 2 x Mk IX.c on Mk V.a
1929 2 x Mk X on Mk V
1943 Care and maintenance
c1955 Guns removed
St Rocco
1904 3 x Mk X on Mk V
1936-37 Guns removed, replaced by 6-in guns
Tigne Battery
1903 2 x Mk X on Mk V
1937 Guns removed
Pembroke Battery
1899-1900 2 x Mk IX on Barbette Mk III
1911 1 x Mk IX on Barbette Mk III
1 x Mk X on Mk V
1912 2 x Mk V on Mk X
1919 Removed from official armaments
1929 Guns removed
Bingemma
1904 1 x Mk X on Mk V
1943 Care and maintenance
Early 1950s Guns removed
Madliena
1906 2 x Mk X on Mk V
1944 Care and maintenance
1954 Guns removed
Mauritius
Port Louis
Royal Battery, Fort George
c1891 2 x Mk VI on HP I
1918 defences closed down
1926 removed
Fort William
c1891 1 x Mk VI on HP I
1907 Removed from approved armaments, mounted in reserve
1918 defences closed down
1926 removed
New Zealand
Wellington
Wright’s Hill fortress, Krarori
1947 2 x 9.2-inch Mk Xv on IX mounting
1950 care and maintenance, guns scrapped 1960, emplacements remain, open to guided tours
Auckland
Fort Stony Batter, Waiheke
1951 2 x 9.2-inch Mk Xv on IX mounting
1955 long term storage, guns scrapped 1961, emplacements remain, open to guided tours
Whangaparaoa
1945 2 x 9.2-inch Mk Xv on IX mounting
1957 Coast artillery disbanded, guns scrapped by 1961
St Lucia
Toc bay, Castries
1904 1 x Mk X on Mk V
1905 Removed from approved armaments
1908 Dismounted, sent to Jamaica
Vigie, Castries
1904 1 x Mk X on Mk V
1905 Removed from approved armaments
1908 Dismounted, sent to Jamaica
South Africa
Simonstown
Noah's ark Battery
c1889 1 x Mk VI on Barbette I
1905 1 x Mk X on V
1906 2 x Mk X on V
1940 1 x Mk X on V, 1 gun removed to Scala
1941 Gun removed to da Gama
Upper North Battery
x1895 1 x Mk VI on barbette I
1906 Removed from Approved Armaments
1910 1 x Mk X on V, mounted in reserve 1910-1914
1940 consolidated with Scala Battery
Scala Battery
1910 1 x Mk X on V, mounted in reserve 1910-1914
1940 2 x Mk X on Mk VII
c1945 3 x Mk X on Mk VII
1958 Care and maintenance, guns and mountings still in place
Table bay
Fort Wynyard
1889 2 x Mk IV on HP I
1913 Removed from Approved armaments
1914 Guns dismounted, 1 mounting preserved with replica gun barrel
Craig's Battery
1889 2 x Mk IV on HP I
1909 Removed from Approved armaments
Sea Point Battery
1891 1 x Mk IV on HP I
1909 Mounted in reserve
1913 Removed from Approved armaments
1921 Site sold
Lion Battery
1913 2 x Mk X on V
1942 Guns removed, 1 to Apostle Battery, 1 to Robben Island?
Apostle Battery (Duiker point Battery)
1942 1 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1944 2 x Mk X on Mk IX mounting
1946 3 x Mk X on Mk IX mounting
1958 Care and maintenance, guns and mountings still in place
Robben Island Battery /de Waal Battery
1941 2 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1946 2 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1 x Mk X on Mk IX mounting
1958 Care and maintenance, guns and mountings preserved and restored
Durban
Da Gama Battery
1941 1 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
1943 2 x Mk X on Mk IX mounting
1944 3 x Mk X on Mk IX mounting
1958 Care and maintenance, guns and mountings still in place
Singapore
Fort Siloso
c1891 1x Mk IV on barbette I
1909 Removed from Approved Armaments
Pasir Panjang
c1891 2 x Mk IV on barbette I
1913 Removed from Approved Armaments
Fort Connaught (Connaught Battery, formerly Blakang Mati East)
c1891/2 2 x Mk IV on barbette I
1911 1 x Mk X on V
2 x Mk IV on barbette I
1913 1 x Mk X on V
c1936 3 x Mk X on VII
1942 destroyed, guns spiked
Mount Imbiah
1912 1 x Mk X on V
1930s Removed from service
Serapong Battery
1912 2 x Mk X on V
1930s Removed from service
Spur Battery
1912 1 x Mk X on V
1930s Removed from service
Tekong Besar
c1934/5 3x Mk X on VII
1942 Destroyed, guns spiked
Sierra Leone
Freetown
Tower Hill
c1891 1 x Mk IV on Mk I barbette
1909 mounted in reserve
c1929 removed
Signal Hill
c1904 1 x Mk X on Mk V mounting
c1929 removed
Cockrill Hill
1941 2 x Mk X on Mk VII mounting
1944 care and maintenance
Foreign
Brazil
2 x 9.2-in BL guns barbette mounts Forte Ponta do Leme, Rio de Janeiro.
These appear to be re-bored and modified 9-in BLs.
One suggestioin is that they came from 1880s Brazilian coastal battleships built in the UK and armed with Armstrong 9.2-inch guns.
Another that they are (Mk IV-VI) 9.2-in, on a Mk II style barbette.
China
Wei Hai Wei
1895 2 x 9.2 BL Armstrong, on disappearing mountings, from Kiangnan Arsenal or UK (possibly 4 x)
1895 captured by Japanese
1898 on hand-over to Britain, possibly destroyed by Japanese
Buyu Battery, Humen
1890? 1 x 9.2 BL Armstrong, from from Kiangnan Arsenal or UK
Different Marks of 9.2inch B.L.
MkI
17 built 11 for RN (4 later to Army) 6 for Army (plus 4 from RN)
Emplaced in Thames, Inchkeith, Lough Swilly, Jamaica
MkII
2 built all RN
MkIII
4 built all RN
MK IV
28 built - 9 RN
19 Army at:
Lough Swilly: 3 at Lennan Head (one then moved elsewhere - Siloso?)
Malta: 1 at Delimara and 2 at Spinola
Singapore: 2 each at Pasir Panjang and Connaught Batteries, 1 at Siloso.
Hong Kong: 1 at Victoria
Capetown: 2 at Craig’s Battery
Columbo: 1 each at Battenburg and Mutwell Batteries.
Galle:1 at Galle Face
Sierre Leone: 2
Note: 1 unaccounted out of the total of 19 Mk IV for Army. 1 at Shoeburyness in 1890 may have been re-allocated.
Pattern B, C, and G, - 10 built all equivalent to Mk IV to Australian colonies.
Mk V
18 built all RN but eight transferred to Army and never mounted
Mk VI
61 built 47 for RN (Later 19 transferred to Army) 14 for Army (plus 19) Mounted at Sheerness, Malta, Gibraltar, colombo, Mauritius, Simonstown (plus one unconfirmed to Hon Kong)
Of the 19 ex RN guns four were emplaced on special 45degree mountings first at Gibraltar then transferred to Plymouth in 1906.
Mk VII
1 built for the artillery school at Shoeburyness.
Mk VIII
6 built all RN then 3 handed over to Army and mounted during WWI in an emergency Battery at Cromarty.
Mk IX
14 built -1 for RN on gunnery tender HMS Drudge (Portsmouth)-13 for Army mounted at Isle of Wight and Gibraltar
Mk X
282+ built 112 for RN (aprox 12 handed over to Army) 170 for Army (plus aprox. 12 ex RN) served all over.
Mk XI
45 built all RN (12 offered to Army but refused)
Mk XII
6 built all RN (4 offered for Land Service but not accepted)
Mk XIII
23 L/35 railway guns
Mk XIV
4 built by Vickers in anticipation of a sale to Turkey. Used as ralway guns and experimental work
Mk XV
38 ordered all Army with at least 18 (+6?) built for Auckland, Wellington, Freemantle, Port Kembla, Sydney (Nova Scotia), Galle, Aden, Alexandria (?)
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9.2inch B.L. gun on Drudge at Portsmouth |
H.M.S. Drudge at Portsmouth |
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9.2inch B.L. Coast Defence gun |
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9.2inch B.L. Emplacement |
9.2inch B.L. Emplacement Plan |
9.2inch B.L. Emplacement |
9.2inch B.L. Emplacement Puckpool Battery IOW |
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9.2inch B.L. Emplacement |
9.2inch B.L. Emplacement Plan |
9.2inch B.L. East Blockhouse Battery Milford Haven |
9.2inch B.L. West Blockhouse Battery Milford Haven |
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9.2inch B.L. Emplacement |
9.2inch B.L. Emplacement Plan |
9.2inch B.L. Emplacement |
Ammunition lift for 9.2inch B.L. Fort Gilkicker |
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9.2inch B.L. emplacement Fort Pembroke Malta |
9.2inch B.L. emplacement Fort Madlienna Malta |
9.2inch ammunition lift Fort Carlisle © Dag Schmidtke |
9.2inch ammunition lift Rerrin Battery © Dag Schmidtke |
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9.2inch ammunition lift Rerrin Battery © Dag Schmidtke |
9.2inch B.L. Emplacement |
9.2inch B.L. Cartridge |
9.2inch B.L. Shell |
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St David's Battery Bermuda. 9.2inch B.L. before restoration (Photo Andrew Pettit) |
St David's Battery Bermuda. 9.2inch B.L. after restoration (Photo Andrew Pettit) |
St David's Battery Bermuda. 9.2inch B.L. after restoration (Photo Andrew Pettit) |
Thanks also to Nelson and Kit for information concerning the disposition of these guns.