Coastal Artillery
In 1920, the British began deploying coastal artillery on the Ostenburg ridge to protect the entrance to the Trincomalee harbor which had become a major Royal Navy base in the far east. Mounted on the ridge was a battery of three BL 6 inch Mk VII naval guns within casemates and with individual underground ammunition stores. Fire control tower was constructed which commands a 360 degree view of the area and was used for directing artillery along with concrete quarters that were built for the gun crews. It was manned by the personal of Coastal Regiments of the Royal Artillery.
With the departure of the Royal Navy from Trincomalee in 1956, the operation of the guns were taken over by the 2nd Volunteer Coastal Artillery / Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Ceylon Artillery. The coastal artillery batteries were decommissioned in 1962.
Read more about this topic: Hoods Tower Museum
Famous quotes containing the word artillery:
“Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentiment in mankind; so that the power of a wafer or a drop of wax or gluten to guard a letter, as it flies over sea over land and comes to its address as if a battalion of artillery brought it, I look upon as a fine meter of civilization.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)