Wednesday 20 February 2013

Colonial Defences of Hobart, January 2013 visit

Some pics mostly of the caponiers and ditches at Kangaroo Bluff Battery from my recent trip to Hobart. We managed three (well four if you count two at Battery Point) colonial batteries in four days - how's that for a patient family! It's quite a difficult battery to photograph given it's low profile.





Mount for the Nordenfelt on the landward entrance to the battery.




Not much ventilation. You can imagine it would get very hot and smokey inside if a steady rate of fire was kept up.


This image gives an indication of how effectively the troops int he caponier can enfilade forces
making an assault on the battery wall.


Note the hatch in the low section of the roof which provides access tot he Caponier.
Another location I enjoyed was Alexandra Battery in Sandy Bay. There is a great tunnel down from the top carpark that gives way to a wonderfully preserved battery (although no ordnance left in place).


Sweeping view of the Derwent looking towards Kangaroo Bluff (on the south bank, just of left hand side of shot)
from a tower above Alexandra Battery 




Entrance to the tunnel down to the battery








Heading back up the tunnel

And finally the few remnants of the defences at Battery Point and some emplacements at Stinky Beach, Sandy Bay.
Inside the WWII gun emplacement at Long Beach, Sandy Bay



Tunnel entrance under Battery Point



Looking downhill from what I presume if the location of Prince Albert Battery in Princes Park, Battery Point. Note the scald marks in the grass suggesting something is below. The tunnel entrance is below the playground.

Battle of the Falkland Islands, 8 December 1914

Alas, life was too busy to provide a commentary. This engagement was fought using Grant Fleets rules and the King and Kaiser expansion kit. Models are 1:2400 Panzerschiffe. The German squadron copped a pounding although not without dishing out some hot stuff to Admiral Doveton Sturdee.