114th Light Anti Aircraft Artillery Gun Emplacement
Western Breakwater
- Type
-
Fortifications
- Region
Townsville
Western Breakwater of Townsville Port, Townsville 4810
605 Troop (6 guns) of the 165 Battery, 114th Light Anti Aircraft Artillery Regiment manned the gun emplacement at the Breakwater near Townsville Harbour in 1943.
History
Several light anti aircraft guns of the 40 mm 'Bofors' types were placed on the Townsville Port breakwater. Large timber and steel platforms that straddled the breakwater were constructed on the breakwater that is now connected to the Townsville Casino.
The guns protected the shipping and harbour from enemy air attack and it is likely that they fired on the Japanese 'Emily' aircraft that bombed Townsville in late July 1942.
The mounting blocks for these gun platforms can still be seen on the breakwater in 2011.
Source/comments
Ray Holyoak (contributing author).
The North Queensland Line: The Defence of Townsville in 1942. 1998 Thesis by Ray Holyoak held at James Cook University Library North Queensland Collection.