Australian Army
New Guinea's capital city, it was the target of Japanese ambitions during both the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the overland Kokoda Trail campaign. A total of five batteries were build during the war years.
Paga
Hill
Begun in 1939, it was the first
of the Port Moresby batteries to be completed in mid-February 1942.
It consisted of two gun mounts, bunkers, support buildings and
a service tunnel. Also, US Army manned radar set RS 412.
This battery's construction began in September 1942. The battery relocated three times, from the beach, to Stokes / maata Ridge and finally to Kuri Beach / Drysdale Ridge.
In mid-April, 1944, the Australian 8th Army Troops Company / Royal Engineers built a gun battery facing east. It accomidated two 6 pound guns, wuth a concrete ammunition storage area and bunker behind it.
On the coastal hills immediately behind Boera village. These guns were the American 155mm mobile guns and had slightly different structures built to emplace the guns.
Basilisk Battery at Idlers Bay
Largest
of the batteries. Emplacements for 3 x 6” guns
but only two were installed. An observation post is on the hill
top and the three gun positions on the coastal flank, overlooking
Fairfax Harbor and Idlers Bay.
Tuaguba Hill 3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery
Australian Heavy 3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft battery atop Tuaguba hill, installed in early 1942.
References
The 'Letter' Batteries for
dates and information related to this battery.
John Douglas' The
Coastal Gun Batteries of Port Moresby - Then & Now
