The British established a presence in Aden in about 1800, primarily for the purposes of trade. From about 1839 Aden was administered by the British East India Company (BEIC), who stationed troops on the peninsular in an attempt to reduce pirate attacks on shipping moving to and from India. The initial British fortifications built were funded by the BEIC, but in 1858 the British Crown took over control of India. Aden, like Burma, was under the Crown but on a daily basis administered through Delhi. By the second half of the 19th Century; Aden was designated at a Class I Coaling Station and landing place for the undersea cables. The British Imperial Authorities therefore became directly involved in defence matters with new forts and coastal defence batteries built.
ADEN
Steamer Point, Aden
The initial fortifications built in Aden were concentrated on the East side of the Aden Peninsular around Crater, and a solid line of defence was built across the Isthmus to cut Aden off from the mainland. As the British presence in Aden solidified, Steam Point with its’ adjacent deep water anchorage became the principal point of defence with two large forts. The primary defence built by 1900 are listed below but the Isthmus Defences had lost much of their importance.
ISTHMUS DEFENCE
NAME OF WORKS
HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL
ARMAMENT
Tower Gate Pier Battery
Tower Gate Magazine
Gateway Redan with Magazine
Jibbul Huddee Battery
Victoria Bastion with Magazine
32 Feet
32 Feet
28 Feet
230 Feet
28 Feet
One 24-pdr 50-cwt SB in barbette position
Four 24-pdr SB 50-cwt in barbette positions
No guns
No guns
(i) Four 8-inch SB in flank casemates
(ii) Five 24-pdr SB in barbette positions
(iii) One 8-inch 22-cwt SB howitzer in a barbette position
Left Salient Angle
Left Demi-Bastion with Magazine
25 Feet
28 Feet
Two 12-pdr SB 34-cwt in embrasures
(i) Two 8-inch SB in flank casemates
(ii) Four 24-pdr SB in barbette positions
Right demi-bastion with Magazine
28 Feet
(i) Two 8-inch SB in flank casemates
(ii) Four 24-pdr SB in barbette positions
Right salient angle
Right Redan
25 Feet
28 Feet
One 12-pdr SB in barbette position
(i) Two 8-inch SB in flank casemates
(ii) Four 24-pdr SB in barbette positions
(iii) One 8-inch SB howitzer in barbette position
Ras El Erig Battery
Tunnel Battery
160 Feet
95 Feet
Three 24-pdr SB in barbette positions
No guns
CRATER POSITONS
NAME OF WORKS
HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL
ARMAMENT
Main Pass Battery
213 Feet
Two 24-pdr SB in barbette
Two 12-pdr SB on terreplein
Bells Battery
Durab El Hosh Battery
Ral El Burg Battery
High Mansoorie Battery
Seera Mole Battery
Seera Hill Battery
350 Feet
325 Feet
550 Feet
596 Feet
Sea Level
200 Feet
Three 24-pdr SB in barbette position
No guns
One 24-pdr in a barbette position
Three 32-pdr in barbette positions
No guns in single barbette positions
Two 9-inch 12-ton RMLs
Two 32-pdr ML in barbette positions
Seera Tower
373 Feet
Two 32-pdr 65-cwt barbette on roof
Three 36-pdr 97-cwt barbette on roof.
Napier Battery
Manfield Battery
Repository at Front Bay
100 Feet
50 Feet
No guns, three barbette positions
No guns, two embrasures
One 32-pdr 56-cwt
Five 12-pdr 34-cwt
Two 8-inch 9- cwt Mortars
STEAMER POINT POSITONS
NAME OF WORKS
HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL
ARMAMENT
Fort Tarshyne (Redoubt)
121 Feet
Two 12-inch 12-ton RML guns on A pivots
Four 7-inch, 82- cwt BLR guns
Fort Morbat (Ras Morbat), Outworks
133 Feet
Two 9-inch RML guns in embrasures
Four 7-inch 82-cwt RBL in barbette positions
Fort Morbat Keep (Ras Morbat)
West Cliff Battery
Morbat Mole, later Saluting Battery
Flagstaff Hill
Flint Island
Telegraph Bay Battery
116 Feet
96 Feet
13 Feet
191 Feet
23 Feet, formerly 47 Feet
96 Feet
Four 8-inch SB on roof of keep
Four 9-inch RML guns in barbette emplacements
Six 32-pdr 58-cwt SB on terreplein
No guns
No guns
Two 9-inch RML in embrasure positions
OTHER POSITONS
Amun Kul Redoubt
Infantry Defence Line Amun Kul to El Aineh
Upper El Aineh Battery
Lower Spur El Aineh Battery
El Hedjaf Battery
Square (East Twin) Island Battery
PERIM ISLAND had only infantry defence lines.
Considerable work was carried in Aden around the end of the 19thCentruy to improve the general infrastructure and military position. Some of the work carried out by the Royal Engineers during this time are outlined below.
1892-1893
The road between Crater and Steamer Point was remodelled and the gradient reduced. The main gateway and some of the defensive positions at the Main Pass gateway were removed.
1893-1894
Roadway built to Gold Mohur Vallery.
Third barrack block for Royal Garrison Artillery built at Chapel Hill
New Barracks built for the Indian Infantry Battalion at Crater
1896-1898
Barracks at Steamer Point for the Indian Sappers & Miners expanded.
1898-1899
New hospital built at Chapel Hill, Steamer Point
Telephone line laid connecting Crater, Steam Point and the Isthmus completed.
1899-1900
Worked commenced on installing Defence Electric Lights at Fort Tarshayne and Fort Morbut. This work was completed in 1901.
1900-1901
Fourth Barrack block for the Royal Garrison Artillery was completed at Chapel Hill