Coastal fortifications of New Zealand facts for kids

The New Zealand coastline is 15,134 km long

Coastal fortifications were constructed in New Zealand in two main waves: around 1885 as a response to fears of an attack by Russia, and in World War II due to fears of invasion by the Japanese.

The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions. They typically included gun emplacements, pill boxes, fire control or observation posts, camouflage strategies, underground bunkers, sometimes with interconnected tunnels, containing magazines, supply and plotting rooms and protected engine rooms supplying power to the gun turrets and searchlights. There were also kitchens, barracks, and officer and NCO quarters.

The "Russian-scare" forts of 1885

In the 1870s New Zealand was a young self-governing colony of Britain. It had developed no coastal defences of any consequence and was becoming increasingly sensitive to how vulnerable its harbours were to attack by a hostile power or opportunistic raider. In the aftermath of the Crimean war, Tsarist Russia seemed particularly suspicious.

(In 1873 an Auckland editor perpetrated) ...what has been hailed the greatest spoof in the country's history. The Monday, 18 February 1873 edition of the Southern Cross reported the sudden declaration of war between England and Russia. As a result, the Russian warship Kaskowiski – whose very name should have made sober readers suspicious – had allegedly entered Auckland Harbour on the previous Saturday night and proceeded to capture a British ship, along with the city's arms and ammunition supply, and hold a number of leading citizens for ransom. The 954-man Russian vessel obviously meant business, with a dozen 30-ton guns as well as a remarkably new advance in warfare, a paralysing and deadly "water-gas" that could be injected into enemy ships from a great distance.

The Southern Cross article created panic and the Government commissioned its first reports on the colony's defences. It was now clearly understood that Britain would protect its territories and vital shipping routes, but the defence of individual ports was the responsibility of each self-governing colony. Then Russia declared war on Turkey in 1877 producing another "scare". The decision was taken to construct fortifications and purchase naval boats which would protect the harbours at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. These coastal artillery fortifications or land batteries were to be based on British designs. Heavy artillery pieces and ammunition was ordered from Britain. By 1885 work started in earnest on the construction of what eventually became seventeen forts, further encouraged by yet another Russian scare.

Artillery

BL 8-inch Armstrong disappearing gun at North Head.

In 1885 the New Zealand Government bought ten Armstrong BL 8-inch and thirteen Armstrong BL 6-inch guns on disappearing carriages. The disappearing gun was the very latest in military technology in the 1880s. It was "disappearing" because as it fired, the recoil pushed the gun back underground where it could be reloaded under cover. The total costs of this artillery plus the costs of installation including land, emplacements, magazines and barracks was about £160,000.

Following the "second Russian scare" a number of additional RML 7-inch and 64-pr guns were also installed

The forts

The period up to World War II

World War II coastal fortifications

Tunnel layout for a three gun emplacement system.

The second main wave of building coastal fortifications occurred during World War II. This was mainly a response to a perceived threat of invasion by the Japanese after the attack on Pearl Harbor. From 1942 until 1944, when the threat receded, 42 coastal artillery fortifications or land batteries were either developed using historical fortifications or were built from scratch. The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions. Radar was installed which allowed long range shooting at night and replaced the traditional fortress system of range finding.

Ordnance

9.2 inch gun emplacement at Stony Batter.

The fortifications were equipped with both old and new ordnance, mostly British. Some World War I ordnance was requisitioned from museums and recommissioned.

The fortifications

The fortifications were administered by the Royal New Zealand Artillery, which grouped them into four areas. Each area was under the command of a heavy artillery regiment. Within each regiment the fortifications were grouped into batteries.

Upper North Island

Under the command of the 9th Heavy (Coast) Regiment.

Battery	Name	Way- point	World War II Ordnance	Range (miles)	Dates	Notes
60	Motutapu Island	36°45′03″S 174°55′09″E / 36.75083°S 174.91917°E / -36.75083; 174.91917 (Motutapu Island)	3 x 6in Mk 21 guns 2 x CASLs	13	1936 -1945	Consisted of a battery, camp, gun emplacement, pill boxes and US naval magazines. Its remains are administered by DOC.
61 RHQ	North Head [Russian scare]	36°49′39″S 174°48′44″E / 36.82750°S 174.81222°E / -36.82750; 174.81222 (North Head)	2 x 4in Mk 7 guns 2 x 12pdr guns 4 x 6pdr H&N 6 x CASLs	9	1870 -1957	Part of Auckland's coastal defence system from the Russian scare in 1885 to World War I. By World War II, with ships' guns able to fire long distances, the old fort was too close to the city it was meant to defend. New batteries were built at Motutapu, Castor Bay, Whangaparaoa and Waiheke Island and North Head became the centre of administration. A complex of tunnels, guns, searchlights and other fortifications remain and it is now a historic reserve managed by the Department of Conservation.
61	Bastion Point [Russian scare]	36°50′43″S 174°49′29″E / 36.84528°S 174.82472°E / -36.84528; 174.82472 (Bastion Point)	2 x 12pdr gun Twin 6pdr guns 3xCASLs	8	1885–	Located in Mission Bay. The fortifications were buried in the 1940s when the Michael Joseph Savage memorial was built, and effectively forgotten. The underlying tunnels were later rediscovered.
61	Great Barrier Island		6in Mk 7 gun 4in Mk 7 gun 4 x 40mm Bofors	12
61	Manukau		1x4.7in gun	6	1942	Built by American Forces [unknown unit] at the end of Harvey Road, Manukau Heads, approximately 100 m north of lighthouse site, this open fronted fortification had one gun, and an observation post inland. Accommodation was at the end of Harvey Road, with only concrete pads remaining for some buildings. Due to the erosive nature of these compacted sandhills the gun emplacement was undermined and slipped down the cliffs in the early 1980s. According to local residents, the gun was only fired 6 times, cracking the concrete abutments.
61	Motuihe Island	36°48′40″S 174°49′29″E / 36.81111°S 174.82472°E / -36.81111; 174.82472 (Motuihe Island)	2 x 4in Mk 7 guns	9	1872–	During World War II (1941) the Motuihe buildings became HMNZS Tamaki naval base, a training establishment. Now in the care of the Department of Conservation.
62	Fort Takapuna [Russian scare]	36°48′55″S 174°48′24″E / 36.81528°S 174.80667°E / -36.81528; 174.80667 (Fort Takapuna)	2 x 4in Mk 7 guns 2 x CASLs	9	1886–	Also known as HMNZS Tamaki, and Narrow Neck. In 1963 the RNZN moved its New Entry Training School HMNZS Tamaki from Motuihe Island to the fort. The navy built a new Gunnery School and set up an Officer Training School. Previously officers had been sent overseas for training. Only the Officer and Trade Training schools remain. Has been under the care of the Department of Conservation since 2000.
63	Castor Bay	36°45′22″S 174°46′0″E / 36.75611°S 174.76667°E / -36.75611; 174.76667 (Castor Bay)	2 x 6in Mk 7 guns 2 x CASLs	12	1942 -1944	Bunker at Castor Bay Notable for its camouflage strategies during World War II.
64	Whanga- paraoa	36°36′09″S 174°50′16″E / 36.60250°S 174.83778°E / -36.60250; 174.83778 (Whangaparaoa)	2 x 6in Mk 7 guns 2 x CASLs	12		SE tip of peninsula
163	Whanga- paraoa	36°36′09″S 174°50′17″E / 36.60250°S 174.83806°E / -36.60250; 174.83806 (Whangaparaoa)	2 x 9.2in guns	18		SE tip of peninsula
164	Stony Batter	36°45′45″S 175°10′27″E / 36.76250°S 175.17417°E / -36.76250; 175.17417 (Stoney Batter)	2 x 9.2in guns	18	1942–	Waiheke Island. Now in the care of the Department of Conservation.
68	Moturoa Island	35°13′07″S 174°11′21″E / 35.21861°S 174.18917°E / -35.21861; 174.18917 (Moturoa Island)	4 x 6in Mk 7 guns 8 x 40mm Bofors	12		Bay of Islands
68	Whangaroa	35°00′40″S 173°45′21″E / 35.01111°S 173.75583°E / -35.01111; 173.75583 (Whangaroa)	6in Mk 7 gun	12		South Head of harbour.
139	Bream Head	35°51′01″S 174°31′35″E / 35.85028°S 174.52639°E / -35.85028; 174.52639 (Bream Head)	5in Mk 7 gun (USA)	10	1942 -1944	Entrance to Whangarei harbour. Remaining structures are the (Colchester) gun shelter, engine room, and observation post. The most significant feature is the spotting mural with compass bearings painted above the slit window in the observation post.

Lower North Island

Under the command of the 10th Heavy (Coast) Regiment.

Upper South Island

Under the command of the 11th Heavy (Coast) Regiment.

Lower South Island

Under the command of the 13th Heavy (Coast) Regiment.

Battery	Name	Way- point	World War II Ordnance	Range (miles)	Dates	Notes
RHQ	Dunedin
82	Fort Taiaroa [Russian scare]	45°47′12″S 170°43′39″E / 45.78667°S 170.72750°E / -45.78667; 170.72750 (Taiaroa Heads)	6in EOC gun 5xCASLs	6		Armstrong disappearing gun at Taiaroa Head Close to Taiaroa Head at the northeastern tip of Otago Peninsula. Restored, and open to the public. Includes what is believed to be the only 1889 Armstrong Disappearing gun remaining in working condition in its original gun pit.
82	Rerewahine	45°47′13″S 170°44′45″E / 45.78694°S 170.74583°E / -45.78694; 170.74583 (Rerewahine)	2x6in Mk 7 guns	12		Otago Peninsula.
82	Tomahawk	45°54′19″S 170°33′11″E / 45.90528°S 170.55306°E / -45.90528; 170.55306 (Tomahawk)	2x6in Mk 7 guns	12		Dunedin
82	Harington Point	45°47′00″S 170°43′28″E / 45.7834°S 170.7245°E / -45.7834; 170.7245 (Harrington Point)	2xTwin 6pdr guns 2x6pdr H&N			Dunedin
141	Cape Wanbrow	45°07′13″S 170°58′50″E / 45.12028°S 170.98056°E / -45.12028; 170.98056 (Cape Wanbrow)	5in Mk 7 gun (USA)	10	1942–	Under the care of the Oamaru Coastal Defence Restoration Group
142	Bluff		6in Mk 7 gun	12

Post war

The advent of air warfare and missiles made these forts redundant and most were decommissioned by the 1950s. Godley Head continued because of compulsory military training and last fired a gun in 1959. The Department of Conservation has the remains of around 30 installations on land it manages.

Postscript

None of the forts fired a gun in anger, though in October 1939 a Battery Point gun at Lyttleton accidentally sank the fishing boat "Dolphin" and killed its skipper.

In 1972 the United States declassified a contingency plan for invading New Zealand. This plan consisted of a 120-page intelligence document called Naval War Plan for the Attack of Auckland, New Zealand. The intelligence for the report was gathered during the visit of the Great White Fleet to Auckland over six days in 1908. The plan advocated Manukau Harbour as the best invasion point and landing heavy guns on Rangitoto Island to shell the forts on the North Shore. The plan was not very realistic and may have been an exercise to keep young officers busy.