'D' Section, 82nd Heavy Battery NZA
Tomahawk, 1942 - 1945

Details of Gun Mounting
Tomahawk
Details of the equipment of the above battery are as follows:

Two B.L. 6" Mk VII guns on P.III Mountings fitted with telescope sights for line and elevation.
     Reg. number of piece 1955.  (No. 1 Gun/D1)
     Reg. number of mounting 1119.
     Muzzle velocity 2500 f.s.
     Maximum. elevation 20 deg.
     Maximum depression 7 deg.
     ---------------------------
Reg. number of piece 1635 (No. 2 Gun/D2)
     Reg. number of mounting 1549
     Muzzle velocity 2500 f.s.
     Maximum. elevation 20 deg.
     Maximum depression 7 deg.

The guns had a Maximum Range of 14,000 yards (12,800 meters)

These two guns were mounted on 23 Oct. 42, but no history sheets accompanied them from England, therefore no further information is available.
Piece number 1955 was proofed on 27 July 43, (Note: Three rounds fired were the only shots fired by the Tomahawk battery over its short life) but piece number 1635 was never proofed as equipment is incomplete.

This battery is not operational and on 23 Sept. 43 was placed at care and Maintenance. In April 43 auto sights were fitted to these guns by D.S.I.R.

Extract from Fort Record Book

It would appear that one gun was replaced in 1944 with a 6" Mk VII from Bluff Battery. (See extract from fort record book below) It does not say which gun but you can only presume that it was the incomplete No 2 (D2) gun.

                                                                                                                                Archives NZ: Fort Record Book Taiaroa CAWQ/CH540/6/3.7

On the 26th July 1945 the guns were removed and railed to Burnham from Dunedin on 30 July 1945.
On 21 September 1945 the gun position and BOP were sealed by Engineers from 36 Troop RNZE against pillage and damage.
£29,955 ($60.000) were spent on this site.

 Archives NZ: Fort Record Book Taiaroa CAWQ/CH540/6/3.7

Battery Observation Post (BOP)

...

 

Archives NZ: Fort Record Book Taiaroa CAWQ/CH540/6/3.7

Explanation and notes
A 6" Mk VII gun fires separate ammunition. This means that it does not have a cartridge case but bags of propellant powder.
Relating the list above from the Fort Record Book to the Diagram below, the explanation of terms are:

Ctges (Cartridge)  B.L 6" Gun                           Bagged Cartridge (The igniter may be an integral part of the propellant
                                                                              charge bags or separate)
Cylinders Cartridge No 34 & 44                        Tube
Shell B.L. 6" Gun                       }
Shot Practice B.L. 6" Gun         }                        Projectile
Fuses not listed ???                                             Fuse
Crates Skeleton No44                                   
Shell B.L. 6" Gun   H.E Mk XII TNT Plugged     Plug
Grummets Sets, Rope circles( Like Quotes) to protect the copper driving band of the shells when they are stacked.

Cylinders Cartridge No 34 & 44 or Tube
http://nigelef.tripod.com/ammo.htm

All structures remain. The Colchester type gun shelters remain beside the road. The area is now a reserve and open to the public.
The area of land containing the Magazine, Battery Observation Post and remains of the Battery Camp are private property, Landowner permission must be obtained before gaining entry.

This battery would have to be the most accessible Coastal Defence installation in the South Island.

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Last modified: 02/10/10.