Split from "Japanese SMG" Welll, they certainly used British artillery captured at Singapore to fortify Tarawa and other islands in their defense system, and they used plenty of cappured Dutch Madsen light machine guns...the same applies to a number of former British, Chinese gunboats, Dutch , US minesweepers, and minor auxiliaries scuttle of sunk during the battles for the Phillipines , SIngapore and tehEast Indies-and went to a lot of trouble rehabilitating them...
actually sacramouche the guns of singapore were recently proven to have not been deployed to Tarawa. The rifled guns at Tarawa were purchased from the British in 1934 i believe. Two of them were deployed to Tarawa.
DesertWolf can you expand on that? and quote a source?-l'll check on available sources ayt one of the university libraries after the holiday (either Princeton or Rutgers) Thanks!
It will be a pleasure. I will have the books by Monday and I will give you the book title, the author, the page number, and maybe quote the lines.
Ive had the misfortune of being told the books werent available anymore, but I searched and I found an excellent and detailed site about Tarawa where they have info on the so called Singapore-guns. http://www.nps.gov/wapa/indepth/extCont ... 0/sec4.htm Please tell me what you think when uve had the chance to review the information.
Many thanks DesertWolf! It saves me a lot of wear and tear..as one of my sources, was indeed on the Tarawa guns was indeed the highly respected (and often quoted ) Samuel Eliot Morison.. As far as the 8-inch guns are concerned: Were these naval guns converted to coastal use? Aside from the 18 inch-guns at Singapore, l remember an "March of Time" newsreel (pre-WW2) which showed 9,2-inch guns.. Best regards!
No problem there sacramoche. Ill try to add some info here, mainly bout 15inch batteries. The other calibre guns i will discuss later as im short in time: There were two batteries of 15 inch guns at singapore, the Buona Vista battery consisting of 2 guns and the Jahore battery of three guns. These guns could in fact with considerable difficulty be turned around 380 degrees to fire into Malaya. They could acheive 180 degrees turn with only some effort. This fact was hushed up and the lthe popular idea that these guns could never turn was never corrected by the british government. For obvious reasons. due to bungling, Buona Vista battery never turned, however the Jahore battery did. The proof of this is that it fired 194 AP rounds during the battle for Singapore. (Note that the Jahore guns were in Mk2 barbettes.) Other guns were present of the 9.2inch caliber, the 6 inch caliber, the 18 inch caliber, and 3inch caliber. I dont have detailed info on these right now, but im looking forward to sharing some more info with you on these guns. (Apparently the 6 inch guns could turn as well). The 8inch guns present at Tarawa were rifled guns made by Vickers. 4 of these guns were sold to the japanese before the war and two were used at Tarawa. Acoording to my info they were designed for coastal use. (The guns were at first going to serve in the homeislands). Ill catch up on you later, mean while keep me posted!
Desertwolf, your information is interesting: l'll keep ypu posted on what l turn up hereand the 9.2 inch guns l saw in the film mentioned earlier were barbette-mounted. Costal guns and costal fortifications are a weakness of mine--By the way, did you ever read a book called 'Corregidor" Saga of a Fortress"?.... Best regards
I made a mistake in my original post. I meant to write that the mistake was never correct by the british government and I edited the post to this effect. No, I have never seen the film or read the book. But I will certainly keep on the lookout as the book does sound interesting
The film was part of a weekly series that was very popular here in the US, and for a while back in the 1980s-1990s, es available in VHS called,(after the Pre WW2 and WW2 Newsreels) "The March of Time" what l have is a copy of various newsreels of the period 1939-40) which depict Singapore, the Netherlands East Indies, the Phillipines, France,Argentina, Portugal , Sweden and Spain...
What 18" guns are you referring at? Those british 18"/40 mk1's intended for HMS Furious? According to www.navweaps.com , its a myth. http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_18-40_mk1.htm
One of the thing I've heard in relation to the Singapore guns is that they weren't supplied with a HE round is this true?
According to my info Ebar, that is quite correct. Aside from the fact that the british expected an attack on singapore to be an assault landing from the sea, (therefore highlighting the need for AP rounds). There is also the fact that Jahore battery fired purely AP rounds at the Japanese.
Given how the British government pinched pennies in between the World Wars, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that cost was one reason the Singapore guns were never given HE rounds. High level dunderheadedness was likely another.
