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Pre 1914 - Original Plan for Two 6 inch Guns at Arthur's Head, Fremantle Port, 1903 (1 of 2)

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Subcollections

Fortress Fremantle and the Defence of Western Australia

Overview

Conserved and framed original Plan No 1 for the two 6 inch Mk VII coast defence guns to be installed at Arthur's Head, Fremantle Port. This was the first Commonwealth defence project in Western Australia after federation.

Historical information

In 1903 negotiations commenced between the Commonwealth and State Governments for the establishment of a defence reserve on the headland west of the Round House. The two principal individuals involved were John Forrest, Minister for Home Affairs in the newly formed Commonwealth Government, and Walter James, Premier of Western Australia.

After submitting a proposal to the ‘Colonial Defence Committee’ in London, it was agreed that the Commonwealth Government would install two 6 inch (15.24cms) B.L. (breech loading) Mark VII guns at Arthur’s Head and two 7.5 inch (19.05cms) guns at North Fremantle. The decision was announced in a statement by the Secretary of the Department of Defence on 11 October 1904 and read as follows: “The object of providing fixed defences for Fremantle is to deter hostile cruisers from lying outside the breakwater and destroying the walls, etc., and the ships lying alongside by gunfire”.

Plans for the battery and associated buildings were prepared in Melbourne. A draftsman, A.E. Francis, was sent to Perth in early 1904 to complete drawings and specifications underthe supervision of Major J.T. Hobbs, Staff Officer Engineering Services for the Australian Army in Western Australia.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-54-425

Inscriptions and markings

Approval signature of Hutton as General Officer Commanding. The guns were relocated to the Leighton Battery at Buckland Hill in 1942. Most of the cliff face was later excavated for Port Authority buildings. The two concrete pedestals for the original guns lie in the water at the Long Jetty side of the South Mole.

Contextual Information

This plan is one of two in the Pre 1914 Gallery at the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia.

Geotag

-32.055905839472, 115.7407192978

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Links to additional resources

Fort Arthur Head

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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