1. The History
The battery’s construction started in 1901 and it was finished in 1905, consisting of two 6” guns for the defence of the harbour. It is located on a hill at 307m making it the highest of all Hong Kong’s coastal batteries. The guns were considered surplus and removed in 1913. In the early 1930’s the battery was converted to anti-aircraft defence and two 3” Mark I anti-aircraft guns were installed as emplacements to guard the western approach to the harbour.
This picture is of the one of the guns in the 1930's:
img1483 by HughieDW, on Flickr
During World War II and the Battle of Hong Kong, the Battery came under repeated air raids. On 15th December 1941, the Japanese 23rd Army Air Group carried out extensive attacks on Hong Kong Island. Pinewood Battery was manned by the 17th AA Battery 5th Anti-Air Regiment Royal Artillery and was severely damaged with one death and one injury being sustained as one of the anti-aircraft guns was totally destroyed. The defending commander decided to abandon the battery, and all men were ordered to retreat on that day.
Today all the old battery buildings are now in a pretty ruinous condition and two of the old magazines were demolished in fairly recent times. However, the battery received Grade II conservation status in 2009 and is now in a state of “managed abandonment”.
2. The Explore
Continuing the military theme, report 2 from my HK trip was a bit of a bonus explore on the path down from the Peak after my failed revisit to the Dragon Lodge. Not a lot else to say to be honest. A pleasant and relaxed wander around this piece of WW2 history.
3. The Pictures
The gun emplacements:
img1477 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1481 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1490 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2248 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Surrounding buildings:
img1491 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2250 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2244 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2245 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The extensive magazines:
Pinewood 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pinewood 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pinewood 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2242bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pinewood 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2252 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pinewood 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1497 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pinewood 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And one of the two magazines that got demo’ed:
Pinewood 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The battery’s construction started in 1901 and it was finished in 1905, consisting of two 6” guns for the defence of the harbour. It is located on a hill at 307m making it the highest of all Hong Kong’s coastal batteries. The guns were considered surplus and removed in 1913. In the early 1930’s the battery was converted to anti-aircraft defence and two 3” Mark I anti-aircraft guns were installed as emplacements to guard the western approach to the harbour.
This picture is of the one of the guns in the 1930's:
During World War II and the Battle of Hong Kong, the Battery came under repeated air raids. On 15th December 1941, the Japanese 23rd Army Air Group carried out extensive attacks on Hong Kong Island. Pinewood Battery was manned by the 17th AA Battery 5th Anti-Air Regiment Royal Artillery and was severely damaged with one death and one injury being sustained as one of the anti-aircraft guns was totally destroyed. The defending commander decided to abandon the battery, and all men were ordered to retreat on that day.
Today all the old battery buildings are now in a pretty ruinous condition and two of the old magazines were demolished in fairly recent times. However, the battery received Grade II conservation status in 2009 and is now in a state of “managed abandonment”.
2. The Explore
Continuing the military theme, report 2 from my HK trip was a bit of a bonus explore on the path down from the Peak after my failed revisit to the Dragon Lodge. Not a lot else to say to be honest. A pleasant and relaxed wander around this piece of WW2 history.
3. The Pictures
The gun emplacements:
Surrounding buildings:
The extensive magazines:
And one of the two magazines that got demo’ed:
