British Batteries in Gibraltar

British Batteries in Gibraltar

Home MEDITERRANEAN GIBRALTAR British Batteries in Gibraltar

Name	Origin	Built	1859	1886	B.L. Guns	Notes
Green’s Lodge Battery Upper Rock	Maj-Gen Green, Chief Engineer during Great Siege 1779-1783	1776	Two 32-pdr SB	Nil	5 guns reduced to 2 guns.	Superior Battery until 1779.
Royal Battery Upper Rock		1903	Two 32-pdr SB	Two 32-pdr SB of 56-cwt	One 6-inch BL Mk 7.
Rock Battery Upper Rock	Top of North Peak of the Rock	1779	Two 32-pdr SB	2 x 32-pdr SB 56-cwt	One 6-inch BL in 1898	Originally Rock Guard or Saluting Battery
Middle Hill HAF Battery Upper Rock	Near Middle Hill peak	1900	One gun		Six 10-inch HAF RML guns
Middle Hill Battery Upper Rock	Top of Middle Hill		One 32-pdr SB	One 7ins RBL (naval slide)
Signal Hill (House) Battery Upper Rock	Old signal station	1773	Two 32-pdr SB Three 24-pdr SB Three 6-pdr SB One 12-pdr SB	Two 64/32-pdr RML (garrison standing) Three 32-pdr SB	1892 single 6-inch QF BL gun 1901Two 12-pdr 12cwt Q.F. guns	Now a tourist viewing site
Breakneck Battery Upper Rock	Name suggested by Maj-Gen Slade GOC RA 1901	1905	Nil	Nil	One 9.2-inch BL	Gun one site on Mark V mount.
Spy Glass Battery Upper Rock	Old Lookout, highest point at 1398 ft.	1899	Nil	Nil	Six 10-inch RML HAF guns	Gun pit and magazines survive
O’Hara’s Battery Upper Rock	After Gen O’Hara, Governor 1797, site of O’Hara’s Tower.	1890	Nil	Nil	One 6-inch BL gun	Gun and magazines survive. Now Upper Battery
Lord Airey’s Battery Upper Rock	After Lord Airey, Governor, 1865	1890	Nil	Nil	One 6-inch BL gun	Now Upper Battery Gun, Magazine and Engine Room survive
Spur Battery Lower Rock	Geographical location	1901	Nil	Nil	One 9.2-inch Mk 9 BL gun	Now Upper Battery Emplacement and underground works survive. Gun at Duxford, UK
Mediterranean Battery Lower Rock	Overlooks the Mediterranean Sea	1880	Nil	Two 7-ins RBL	Two 4-inch BL	Now called Martin’s Battery
Jews Cemetery Battery Lower Rock	Adjacent to Jewish Burial Ground	1891	Nil	Nil	One 9.2-inch BL gun	1928 gun removed.
Levant Battery (old) Lower Rock			Two 32-pdr SB One 13-ins Mortar	Two 32-pdr SB of 56-cwt One 13-ins LS Mortar	Nil
Levant Battery Lower Rock	Below usual Levant Cloud level.	1905	Nil	Nil	One 9.2-inch Mk V BL gun	Underground works survive
Genista Battery Windmill Hill	After Capt. Broome, Gov of Military Prison. Genista is Latin for Broom shrub growing there	1875	One 70-pdr RML	One 7-inch RBL	Two 6-ins BL Mark VII QF guns (Although plans allowed for three guns)	Now largely backfilled
Windmill Hill Batteries	Defensive wall around plateau	1850	Windmill Hill had 23 guns designated ‘A’ to ‘R’ Five 68-pdr Nine 42-pdr SB Nine 10-inches Howitzer.	See below	See below	During WW 2 a pair of 9.2-inch Howitzers were positioned one the east side. The underground works survive
Edward VII Battery Windmill Hill	After H.H. King Edward VII	1902	Part of Windmill Hill Batteries	Nil	Two 9.2-inch Mk V BL gun	Surface remains only, backfilled
West Battery Windmill Hill	Faces due West	1886	Part of Windmill Hill Batteries	One 9-inch RML	Two 9.2-inch Mk V BL gun 1902	Site largely survives
South Battery Windmill Hill	Southern part on Windmill Hill	1890	Part of Windmill Hill Batteries	One 9-inch RML	One 6-inch BL	Survives with 3.7-inch AA battery built over it
Buffadero Battery Windmill Hill	From gust of wind or Bufida snorting	1890	Part of Windmill Hill Batteries	Upper Buffadero one 9-inch RML Lower Buffadero one 80-pdr RML	One 6-inch BL gun Then one 9.2-inch Mark X gun on a Mark V mounting	Largely survives
1st Europa Advance Europa	Foremost battery covering Europa Point from East	Pre 1780	Two 32-pdr SB	Nil	Nil
2nd Europa Advance Europa			Two 32-pdr SB		Nil
3rd Europa Advance Europa			Two 32-pdr SB		Nil
4th Europa Advance Europa			Three 32-pdr SB		Nil
Halfway Battery Europa	Halfway between Europa Advance and Europa Point	Pre 1800	Two 32-pdr SB		Defence Electric Light position
1st Europa Europa			Thirteen 32-pdr SB Two 8 inches Howitzers	One 8ins SB	Nil
2^nd Europa Europa			Three 32-pdr SB Two 8 inches Howitzer	Three 32-pdr SB Two 8 inches Howitzer	Nil
3^rd Europa Europa			Four 32-pdr SB One 8-inch shell gun replaced by 10-inch gun	Four 7-inch RML	Nil
Harding’s Battery Europa	After Sir George Harding, Chief Engineer 1844	1876	Two 32-pdr SB	One 12.5-ins RML	Nil	Restored with gun
Elliot’s Battery Europa	After Gen Elliot, Governor in the Great Siege 1779-83	1845	One 68-pdr SB Sixteen 32-pdr SB	Eight 80-pdr RML	Nil	Previously called Lady Louisa Battery after George III daughter married to King of Denmark
Woodford’s Battery Europa	After Governor Sir Alexander Woodford 1835	Pre 1738	Five 32-pdr SB Two 8-inches	Two 32-pdr SB Two 64/32-pdr RML Two 8-inch RML One 32-pdr SB One 8-inch SB	Nil
Hutment Battery Europa	After huts (barracks) in the area		56-pdr gun (1855)	One 12.5-inch RML in Barbette (1878)	Nil	Part of original Europa Batteries. Shown as Prince of Wales Gun in 1855.
Prince George’s Battery Europa	After Prince George 1856	1762	One 8-inch Howitzer Three 13-inch Mortars Five 68-pdr SB	One 9-inch RML One 8-inch SB Howitzer Three 13-inch LS Mortars	Two 12-pdr Mark I QF guns 1902. Two 4-inch QF guns in 1909	Original battery destroyed by storm in 1766
Devil’s Bowling Green Europa		1781	Two 32-pdr guns SB	One 9-inch RML	Nil	Site has been lost about 1898 to development
1^st Europa Pass Battery Europa	Near Pass leading to Europa		One 8-inch Two 8-inch Howitzer	Four 64/32lbs RML	Nil
2^nd Europa Pass Battery Europa			Seven 8-inch Howitzer	Nil	Nil
Buena Vista Battery Rosia			Two 8-inches Howitzer	One 9-inch RML (1872 Jervois)	2 x 12-pdr QF (1902)	The two 12-pdr moved to Upper Union Gallery. A 4-inch Naval Gun was mounted here in WW2.
Parson’s Lodge. 9^th Rosia Battery Rosia	Dated from at least 1781	1867	Two 68-pdr SB Four 32-pdr SB Two 8-inches Howitzer		3 x 10-inch RML	WW2 Light AA and Searchlight position
1^st Rosia Rosia			One 68-pdr SB Four 10-inch Howitzer	Nil	Nil
2^nd Rosia Rosia			One 8-inch One 8-inch Howitzer	Nil	Nil
3^rd Rosia Rosia			One 8-inch Two 8-inch Howitzer	Nil	Nil
4^th Rosia Rosia			One 8-inch	Two 8-inch SB	Nil
5^th Rosia Rosia			Three 32-pdr Three 8-inch	Two 64/32-pdr RML Three 32-pdr SB	Nil
6^th Rosia Rosia			One 68-pdr SB		Nil
7^th Rosia Rosia			Four 8-inch	Four 8-inch SB Howitzers	Nil
8^th Rosia Rosia			Nil	Nil	Nil
10^th Rosia Rosia			One 8-inch Howitzer		Nil
11^th Rosia Rosia			Two 8-inch Howitzer	Three 8-inch SB Howitzers	Nil
Napier Battery Rosia	Lord Napier of Magdala, Governor 1876-82	1884	Nil	One 17.72-inch RML of 100 tons	Nil	WW2 3.7-inch AA. Gun and works survive
Engineer Battery Rosia	Built by Lt-Col, Keith R.E.	1875	Nil	One 10-inch RML 18ton gun	Two 12-pdr QF guns
Princess Alexandra Battery Harbour	24th July 1704 where RN landed	1704	Nil	One 12.5-inch RML	Nil	Site ot Tuerto Tower, Spanish 1620. Original Spanish Batteries of Alexandra and Prince William on South Mole .
Prince William’s Battery Harbour	3^rd son of George III	1769	Three 68-pdr SB	Nil	Nil
Calpe Battery Lower Rock	Named after the local area	1870’s		Three 9-inch RML guns	Three 10-inch RML 1892	A battery built into the Rock Face. In World War 2 expanded and used as a hospital.
Willis’s Battery Lower Rock	1704 gunner Willis	1704	Two guns 1704, One 32-pdr 1779	Nil	Nil	1727 changed to Queen Anne’s Battery. The part of Princess Royal Battery
Princess Royal Battery Lower Rock			Nine 24-pdr SB	Five 64/32-pdr RML Two 7-inch RBL	Nil	Amalgamation of Queen Anne’s Battery & Willis’s Battery
Princess Caroline Battery Lower Rock	After wife of George II	1727	Three 24-pdr SB	Two 80-pdr RML	Nil	One of the earliest batteries, 1727 Siege
Princess Amelia Battery Lower Rock	After daughter of George II	1732	Seven 24-pdr SB	Four 7inch RBLof 82-cwt	5.25-inch dual purpose guns.
Princess Anne Battery Lower Rock	After daughter of George II	1732	Four 24-pdr SB Three 13-inch Mortar	Two 13-inch LS Mortars Two 80-pdr RML	Nil
Princess Charlotte Battery Lower Rock	After wife of Fredrick I or Prussia, brother of George I	1726	Four 24-pdr	Two 64/32-pdr RML		Just east of Princess Royal Battery, now lost
Farringdon Battery Lower Rock	After Maj-General Sir A.F. Farringdon GOC RA 1790	1879	7 guns	Two 9-inch RML guns of 18 tons	Nil	Used for a searchlight in WW2
Catalan Battery Lower Rock	After Catalonian Militia camped in the area.	1781	Earlier 18-inch Mortar	Nil	Nil	Site of Spanish Salto del Lobo
Governor’s Lookout Battery Lower Rock	Possibly Governor Elliot in Great Siege 1779-1783	1886	Nil	One 9-inch RML	One 9.2-inch gun	Governor Elliot used Poca Roca as his residence. Site survives with no gun
Tovey Battery Lower Rock	After Lt Col Abraham Tovey RA Commander in Great Siege, died 1780		Nil	Nil	Two 6-inch Mk VII guns	Site survives with no armament
Lewis Battery Lower Rock	After Maj George Lewis who succeeded Tovey and RA Commander, Wounded.		Nil	Nil	Two 6-inch Mk VII guns	Lewis oversaw the hot shot in Great Siege, wounded just before assault on 13^th September 1782
Devil’s Gap Battery Lower Rock		1779	Nil	One Mortar Two 9-inch RML 1878	Two 6-inch Mk VII guns	Well preserved
Devil’s Gap QF Battery Lower Rock			Nil	Nil	Three 12-pdr QF guns	Later used as saluting battery. Underground works survive.
Genoese Battery Lower Rock	Early Battery		Nil	7-inch RBL	Position Finding & Fire Control	Small Bastion at lower end of the Moorish Wall built about 1600
Haynes Cave Battery Lower Rock	After Garrison QM 1787 Capt. Haynes	1904	Nil	Nil	Two 12-pdr QF 1904, then Two 4-inch Q.F 1916	Emplacements survive with shelters to rear
Prince Ferdinand’s Battery Lower Rock	After Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick of Minden		Four 32-pdr SB	Nil	One 12-pdr Q.F.
Rooke Battery Lower Rock	After Admiral Sir George Rooke, 1704 captured Gibraltar	1907	Nil	Nil	One 9.2-inch BL Mk V	Position survives, underground works sealed. Used for observation in WW2
Healey’s Mortar Lower Rock	After Healy	1771	Nil	Nil	Cut into rock
North Bastion Town	Northern most bastion of old City walls	1735	Five 32-pdr SB Six 24-pdr Carronade Two 10-inch Mortar	Three 32-pdr SB 42-cwt (Garrison Standing) Two 64/32-pdr RML (Garrison Standing)	Nil	Site of Giralda’s Tower 1309. Spanish bastion from 1552 Maxims added about 1900
Montague Bastion Town	After Duke of Montague.	1735	One 64-pdr SB Thirteen 32-pdr SB Six 32-pdr Carronade	Three 10ins RML of 18 tons behind iron shields Two 32-pdr SB BL	Nil	AA position in WW 2
Montague Cavalier Town			Nine 32-pdrs SB	Nil	Nil
Montague Counterguard Town			Six 32-pdr SB	Nil	Nil
Orange Bastion Town	After William of Orange	1735	Eight 32-pdr SB Three 32-pdr Carronade	Two 10-inch 18-ton RML with iron shields Seven 32-pdr SB Four 32-pdr (Carronade) SB	Nil	Casemated positions survive with 10-inch guns
King’s Bastion Town	Designed by Governor Gen. Sir Robert Boyd Lt.-Governor 1779-1783	1735	Seventeen 32-pdr SB Eight 6-inch SB Two 10-inch How	Two 10-inch RML of 18 ton with iron shields (1878) One 12.5-inch RML	Nil	The 12.5-inch gun was located behind a steel demi-turret with two loopholes for the gun to fire through. 1896 converted to a power station and now a leisure centre.
Zoca Flank Battery Town	A transliteration of the Arab word SOUK for market. Related to a nearby market.	1779		One 12.5-inch RML gun behind a curved iron shield.	Nil	Gun still on site. Now a community centre.
Wellington Front Town	After the Duke of Wellington	1842	Nil	1876 One 12.5-inch RML gun	Nil	The gun emplacement survives inside a Mosque for ladies.
South Bastion Town	South Boundary of old City Walls	1727	Nil	Nil	Nil
Flat Bastion Town	South Boundary of old City Walls	1727	Nil	Nil	Nil
Victoria Battery Sanpits	After Queen Victoria	1879	Seven 68-pdr Eight 32-pdr SB	One 12.7-inch RML One 80-pdr RML Two 9-inch RML	One 17.72-inch RML gun of 100 tons	Now the Fire Station Gun damaged and believed to be buried near Rosia
Prince of Wales Battery Sandpits	After Albert Edward Prince of Wales.		Nil	Two 10-inch RML Two 8-inch RML
Lady Augusta Battery	After daughter of Fredrick Prince of Wales	1764	3 guns	Nil	Nil	Buried under No.5 Court, Sand Pits Law Tennis Club
Jones Battery Retired Battery	Retired Battery	1841	Ten 68-pdr SB Then 1863 Four 68-pdr SB & Four 7-inch RBL	Four 64-pdr RMLs on dwarf traversing carriages	Nil	Designed for 32-pdr SB guns.
Civil Hospital Battery Retired Battery	Retired Battery	1841	Four 7-inch RBL	Howitzers	Nil	Initially 32-pdr guns plans to arm with 64-pdrs in 1883.
Raglan Battery Retired Battery	Retired Battery	1841	Fourt guns (?)	?	Nil	Most of the battery survives in private land
Gardiner’s Battery Retired Battery		1841	Eight guns	Five 7-inch RBL Three 64-pdr (?)	Nil	Near Rock Hotel, built over and lost
Jumper’s Bastion Waterfront	After Capt. Jumper RN first ashore in 1704 attack.	1704	Nil	Nil	Nil	Formerly Santa Cruz Battery, 1575
Cumberland Flank Battery Waterfront	After 5^th son of George III	1800	Four 68-pdr SB	Three 80-pdr RMLs	Nil	Now garages but emplacements can be seen
Scud Hill Battery Scud Hill		1800	Seven 32-pdrs SB	Four 80-pdr RMLs		One emplacement survives, rest under Harrington House Flats.
Warterport Battery Waterfront	After gate of that name	Pre 1779	Eight 8-ins SB Nine 32-lbs SB One 32-pdr Carronade Six 13-inches (Mortar)	Six 13-ins LS Mortars (Presumably the same ones as in the 1859 return) Six 8-ins SB of 65-cwt on Garrison Standing Carriages Six 64/32-pdr RMLs on Garrison Standing Carriages One 8-ins Howitzer	Nil	Formerly Devil’s Tongue Battery or Old Mole Battery
North Mole Elbow Battery Harbour	A bend in North Mole	1903	Nil	Nil	Three 12-pdr Q.F. guns
Detach Mole Battery Harbour		1904	Nil	Nil	Two 12-pdr Q.F. guns	Built 1898 to 1902 WW2 one Twin 6-pdr at each end of the mole, two 3-inch 20-cwt AA Guns.
South Mole Battery Harbour		1903	Nil	Nil	One 12-pdr Q.F. guns
Lower Bombproof Batteries North Front	King’s Gallery Queen’s Gallery	1790			A single 5-inch; gun added in 1940 to cover the road.	Designed to defend against Mortars
Upper Bombproof Batteries Lower Rock	Lower Union Gallery Upper Union Gallery	1789 1788	Three 24-pdr SB Eight 24-pdr SB	One 63/32-pdr RML Seven 64/32-pdr RML guns	Nil	All four emplacements have mantle rails, so it is assumed four guns were mounted as some time Two 12-pdr guns added about 1905. From Buena Vista Battery
1^st Castle Battery Town			One 24-pdr Carronade	Nil	Nil
2^nd Castle Battery Town			Two 24-pdr SB	Nil	Nil
3^rd Castle Battery Town			Two 24-pdr SB	Nil	Nil
4^th Castle Battery Town			Three 24-pdr SB	One 64/32-pdr RML (garrison standing)	Nil
5^th Castle Battery Town			Five 24-pdr SB	Two 64/32-pdr RML	Nil
6^th Castle Upper Crutchetts Town	From Crutchetts lime kiln nearby 1780		Two 24-pdr SB	One 64/32-pdr RML	Nil
7^th Castle Lower Crutchetts Town			Three 24-pdr SB	Three 32-pdr SB of 56-cwt	Nil	WW2 used for AT gun position
Hanover Battery Town	After Elector of Hanover, father of George I		Two 24-pdr SB Two 24-pdr Carronade	Two 7-inch RBL
Cover Port Battery Town		1761	Three 24-pdr SB guns	Nil	4-inch naval 1940 then 6-pdr AT.	Demolished 1967 but footprint visible
Forbes Battery North Front	After Lt Lord Forbes RN fought in 1727 siege.	1727	Two 6-pdr iron guns	Two 6-pdr iron guns	Two 6-pdr iron guns
Hess’s Demi-Bastion North Front	After Prince George of Hesse Darmastadt		Two 18-pdrs SB Four 4-pdrs SB	Two 68-pdr Carronades Three 24-pdr guns Three 24-pdr Carronades	Six 32-pdr SB	Prince George commanded the Dutch & British Marines in capture of the Rock 1704. Former St Pedro Bastion.
Grand Battery North Front	Grand Casemates	1729	Thirty 24-pdr SB with North Bastion	Thirty 32-pdrSB with North Bastion	14 guns	On site of Spanish Villa Vieja, destroyed 1727. WW 2 pillboxes and anti tank guns built.
Queen Charlottes Battery North Front	After wife of George III	1725 then 1762 renewed	Nil	Nil	Nil

British Batteries in Gibraltar

Name

Origin

Built

1859

1886

B.L. Guns

Notes