Devil's Gap Battery
| Devil's Gap Battery | |
|---|---|
Punta del Diablo | |
| Part ofFortifications of Gibraltar | |
| Upper Rock Nature Reserve,Gibraltar | |
 View of the BL 6 inch Mk VII naval gun at Devil's Gap Battery. | |
 Devil's Gap Battery (North gun) | |
  Devil's Gap Battery | |
| Coordinates | 36°08′13″N5°21′02″W/ 36.136878°N 5.350445°W |
| Type | Artillery battery |
| Height | 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Government of Gibraltar |
| Controlled by | Gibraltar Heritage Trust |
| Open to the public | Partially |
| Condition | Mostly derelict |
Devil's Gap Batteryis acoastal batteryin theBritish Overseas TerritoryofGibraltar,overlooking theBay of Gibraltarnear the westernmost limits of theUpper Rock Nature Reserve.
History
[edit]Called by the Spanish,Punta del DiabloEnglish:Devil's Point,Devils Gap Battery stands on theescarpmentabove the city looking out across the bay at a height of 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level. During the 1779-1783Great Siege of Gibraltarit mounted at least one mortar, possibly more. In 1878 twoRML 9 inch 12 ton gunswere proposed and installed at the battery in June 1881, but later dismounted in 1900. In July 1896 work started on a new platform to the north of the battery for twoQF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval Mark I gunswhich were ready on 31 August 1896.[1]
In June 1900, it was proposed to mount twoBL 6 inch Mk VII naval gunson central pivot Mark II mountings with a range of 5,500 metres (6,000 yd) capable of bearing on land batteries and on the bay. These were installed in 1902, withmagazinesand shelters added in October 1903.[1]
In August 1917 one of the guns fired upon and sunk aGermansubmarinetravelling on the surface close toAlgeciras,which was the only action seen by Gibraltar's coastal defences duringWorld War I.[1][2]
The guns were manned in 1936 during theSpanish Civil WarwhileCampamentoandLa Línea de la Concepciónwere being bombarded bySpanishnaval units.[1]
During World War IIthe guns were the first to fire abring to shot.[1]
In 1954 the battery ceased its role of close defence examination but the 6-inch guns were retained and are still in position.[1]
Underground Facilities
[edit]
A small underground complex beneath the guns consisting of stores, magazines andshellhoists.
The first area inside the entrance contains two shell hoists which serves the south gun. Both are in fair condition relative to their age although all moving parts are now seized with rust. The hatch for transferring ammunition from the magazine can be seen in the lower right photograph. A corridor runs through the entire length of the complex. Further in, there are two more shell hoists serving the north gun, again these are in various states of decomposition. The main corridor extends through a door and proceeds slightly downhill to further rooms which are below a much older battery.[1]
Maintenance
[edit]The battery is maintained by a group of volunteers on behalf of theGibraltar Heritage Trust.[3]The battery is a Class A listed building as designated by theGovernment of Gibraltar's Gibraltar Heritage Trust Act of 1989.[4]
Gallery
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Photo animation
References
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- ^abcdefg"Devil's Gap Battery".DiscoverGibraltar. Archived fromthe originalon 5 September 2013.Retrieved26 September2012.
- ^Hughes, Quentin; Migos, Athanassios (1995).Strong as the Rock of Gibraltar.Gibraltar: Exchange Publications. p. 141.OCLC48491998.
- ^"Hansard, 10th July 2012, Line 721"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 October 2019.Retrieved27 September2012.
- ^"Gibraltar Heritage Trust Act 1989"(PDF).Government of Gibraltar.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 27 August 2012.Retrieved30 March2013.