Fort Siloso: Coast Artillery Regiments
Coast Artillery Regiments
Defending the coastal approaches to Singapore and Penang in December 1942 were three coast artillery regiments of the Royal Artillery; 7th Coast Regiment, 9th Coast Regiment and 11th Coast Regiment. In addition there was the lesser known 16th Defence Regiment.
7th Coast Regiment:
The Regiment was formed in Singapore in December 1940 by the renaming of 7th Heavy Regiment RA. The Regiment was made up of 11 & 31 Coast Batteries Royal Artillery and 5 & 7 (Singapore) Coast Batteries HKSRA (Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery). The Regiment came under Faber Fire Command.
5 Coast Battery HKSRA
Fort Siloso. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
Fort Silingsing. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
7 Coast Battery HKSRA
Pasir Laba Battery. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
Labrador Battery. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
11 Coast Battery RA
Fort Connaught. 3 x 9·2 inch BL Guns
Serapong Battery. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
OSO A.M.T.B. Battery. 1 x 12 pounder QF gun
Berhala Reping A.M.T.B. Battery. 2 x twin 6 pounder QF guns
Pulau Hantu A.M.T.B. Battery. 1 x 18 pounder QF gun
31 Coast Battery RA
Buona Vista. 2 x 15 inch BL guns
Batu Berlayar A.M.T.B. Battery. 2 x 12 pounder QF guns
9th Coast Regiment
The Regiment was formed in Singapore in December 1940 by the renaming of 9th Heavy Regiment. The Regiment was made up of 7, 22 & 32 Coast Batteries Royal Artillery. The Regiment came under Changi Fire Command.
7 Coast Battery RA
Johore Battery. 3 x 15 inch BL Guns
Beting Kusah Battery. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
22 Coast Battery RA
Tekong Besar Battery. 3 x 9·2 inch BL Guns
Sphinx Battery. 2 6 inch BL guns
Pulau Sejahat A.M.T.B. Battery. 2 twin 6 pounder QF guns
Ladang A.M.T.B. Battery 1 x 12 pounder QF gun
Calder Harbour A.M.T.B. Battery. 2 x twin 6 pounder QF guns
32 Coast Battery RA
Changi Battery. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
Pengerang Battery. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
Changi Outer A.M.T.B Battery. 2 x twin 6 pounder guns
11 Coast Regiment RA
The Regiment was formed in Malaya, in March 1941 by the renaming of 11 Heavy Regiment. The Regiment was made up of 8 Coast Battery and and 20 Heavy AA Battery HKSRA. The Regiment was responsible for the coast defence of Penang.
8 Coast Battery
Fort Cornwallis. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
20 Coast Battery
Batu Maung Battery. 2 x 6 inch BL guns
16th Defence Regiment RA The Regiment was formed in Malaya in October 1939 as 10th Mobile Coast Defence Regiment, the word "Defence" was removed in December 1940. In February 1941 the Regiment was renamed as 16th Defence Regiment RA. The Regiment was used for beach defence.
The 10th Mobile Coast Regiment consisted of 34 Battery RA and 21 & 22 Batteries HKSRA. Armament not known.
16th Defence Regiment RA consisted of 966 Battery RA and 967 & 968 Batteries HKSRA. The Regiment also had 965 Battery HKSRA in Hong Kong.
966 Battery RA. 18 pounder QF guns (965 Battery was similarly armed)
967 Battery HQSRA. 2 pounder QF guns
968 Battery HQSRA. 18 pounder QF guns.