Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

Western Australia, Rottnest Island. Bickley Battery, F2 Gun, circa 1960

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Subcollections

Fortress Fremantle and the Defence of Western Australia

Overview

Photograph of F2 gun position in long term maintenance. Barrel has been withdrawn from cradle. Also show is the overhead cover installed in 1941 to follow the gun as it traversed. The Bickley Observation Post is visible in the background.

Historical information

The coast artillery assets of Fortress Fremantle were placed on high alert when war was declared in September 1939. With the entry of Japan into the war, Fortress Fremantle became an heavily defended location due to its status as a convoy port and submarine base. There was also a perceived threat of invasion are attack from the sea. As the theatre of operations moved to New Guinea and the South West Pacific, readiness was decreased and manning priorities changed. By the end of the war, Bickley Battery was in combat storage with only a small maintenance garrison. Technology and changing defence posture saw the Coast Artillery removed from the Order of battle in 1963. Coast artillery guns and associated structures were sold for scrap. The cost of moving salvage from Rottnest Island led to the retention of the Oliver Hill Battery guns. The Bickley battery 6 inch guns were cut up and buried in situ. Components have since been recovered for display.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-MIL 2002.190

Themes

Defence > Army
War and Conflict

Contextual Information

When the guns were scrapped, the valuable non-ferrous fittings were removed but the steel components buried on the Island. After recovery, one of the Rottnest barrels was placed on display at Kingstown Barracks and the second eventually was emplaced at the Leighton Battery Heritage site. Other 6 inch MK XI barrels may be found in Australia at: Port Wakefield proof range north of Adelaide; Lower George’s Heights, Sydney Harbour; East Point Military Museum, Darwin; and the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra.

Keywords

DEFENCE

Army

6 Inch Guns

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Organisation Details
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