Artillery - Calshot Castle, Calshot, Hampshire, UK - Static Artillery Displays on Waymarking.com

There is a plaque which describes a particular gun which reads:

'12 Pounder Quick-Firing Gun

This gun, on naval mounting, is similar
to a gun mounted here in 1907. Below it
are ammunition lockers; extra ammun-
ition was stored in the basement and
raised to the roof by a central lift now
gone.'

During World War II Calshot Castle was used as a training and repair base for the Coastal Command flying boats. There were 52 officers, 173 NCOs, 573 airmen and 110 other ranks at the base in 1940 with the 8th Hampshire (MD) Regiment guarding the castle.

There were two heavy bombs dropped in the water just 400 yards from the castle during the war in April 1941; whilst nearby Southampton and Portsmouth saw heavy raids and fires.

During the beginning of the war two 3-inch anti-aircraft guns and one bofors gun provided defence and were mounted on a barge. Then in 1940 two 12-pounder Quick Firing guns were mounted on the roof. The Bungalow Battery was built across Southampton Water as part of Calshot Fire Command with two 12-pounder guns and six searchlights designed to look like a typical house. Further along the coast Stone Point Battery had three 6-inch guns with naval mountings and was also part of the same Command.

It was in 1953 that the station became the 238 Maintenance Unit under Maintenance Command and when seaplanes were no longer used by the RAF it closed. The hangars we see today are all that remain of the base.

Today Calshot Castle is maintained by English Heritage and is open to visitors.

What type of artillery is this?: 12 Pounder Quick-Firing Gun and Cannons Where is this artillery located?: Other What military of the world used this device?: RAF Calshot Date artillery was in use: 01/01/1907 Cost?: 3.00 (listed in local currency) Artillery is no longer operational: no Still may work: no Date artillery was placed on display: Not listed Parking location to view this Waymark: Not Listed Are there any geocaches at this location?: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Two pictures are required for this Waymark. Please take a close up picture of the artillery. Take a second with the artillery in the distance and capture as much of the surroundings as possible. Name the Waymark with first the name of the area and second what the artillery is. An example would be if it were a cannon in front of the Montgomery Armory you would name the Waymark: Montgomery Armory Cannon.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   08/10/2013 twillin visited it