Devils Point Battery
Devils Point Battery (1940-195?) - A World War II Canadian coastal gun battery established in 1940 during World War II on Devil's Point (now Hartlen Point) in present day Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Named for the location. Battery construction started in 1940 and was completed in 1941. Abandoned in the 1950s. Also known as Devils Battery.
Part of the Harbor Defense of Halifax.
Two new outer defense gun batteries were built during World War II to counter the threat to Halifax Harbor of offshore bombardment by German Battleships. Devils Point Battery and Chebucto Head Battery were placed at the furthest east and west sides of the harbor entrance. Existing batteries at the time would have allowed the German Battleships to stand offshore and bombard Halifax out of range of those batteries. The 6" Mk 24 guns at Chebucto Head had a max range of 24,497 yards (13.92 miles) while the 9.2" Mk X guns at Devils Point had a range of 36,702 yards (20.9 miles) and these new batteries could engage any enemy ship or submarine before they came into range of Halifax. The 11" German battleship guns had a range of 38,276 yards (21.7 miles). Both of the new batteries were outgunned and outranged by any of the German battleships and being fixed targets would have not lasted very long without support from allied naval and air forces.
The Devils Point Battery was originally built as a World War II concrete coastal gun battery with three 9.2" Mark X guns. The three gun emplacements were separated and level with the surrounding terrain and not visible from the sea, they were also camouflaged to look like farm buildings. The gun emplacements were not casemated and had no protection from plunging fire although they did have some gun crew protection features. This was a multi-story battery below ground with the guns located on the upper level with the magazines, plotting room and environmental equipment below. Shells were moved from the magazine level to the gun loading platform by shell hoists. Electrical power was furnished by an underground power plant.
Access to the complex was through a lower level main entrance that led to a series of tunnels connecting the three gun emplacements and underground utility rooms. The plotting room was a separate complex of four rooms isolated from most of the rest of the battery to limit concussive effects but still underground. In 1944 a Radar building was added to the complex.
The battery remained active after the end of World War II until the 1950s when it was deactivated. The 9.2" guns were removed and shipped Turkey in 1954.
Private property Hartlen Point Forces Golf Club, Hartlen Point, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada. All three gun emplacements are exposed and surrounded by the golf course. Access points to the interior tunnels are sealed or locked. Upper-level buildings are also sealed except for the buildings at the side of emplacement #3. No interpretive or information signs in place. No period guns or mounts.
Visited: 27 Jun 2013