Vancouver Island

Last Update: 26/JULY/2008

Compiled by Pete Payette - й2008 American Forts Network

NOTE: Vancouver Island was a separate British colony from 1851 until 1866 when it merged with British Columbia.

д COAST ARTILLERY DEFENCES, VICTORIA - ESQUIMALT HARBOURS
View Victoria - Esquimalt map
Fifth Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery Museum

д Christopher Point Battery
(1941 - 1944), Christopher Point, south of William Head
Two US 8-inch M1888 railway guns dismounted on M1918 barbette carriages were located here, as well as an AA battery. American crews provided technical support only. Battery site still exists, but no public access. Located at the Rocky Point Naval Establishment. To the west at Church Hill was the Naval signal station. Two independent fire-control towers for this battery were once located at Church Hill and at Beechy Head.

д Mary Hill Battery
(1939 - 1956), Mary Hill, near William Head
Three 6-inch MK24 guns on MK5 mounts, an observation post, and a searchlight were located here, as well as an AA battery. Two additional searchlights were located on William Head itself. In 1942 new mounts were installed which allowed for greater firing range. Site still exists, but no public access.

д Albert Head Battery
(1939 - 1956), Albert Head, near Metchosin
Three 9.2-inch MK10 guns on MK6A mounts, and two searchlights, were located here. Two of the guns were transferred from Signal Hill Battery, and the third gun was added in 1944. An AA battery was also here. This site was also used as a lookout post since 1878 for Macaulay Point and other batteries. Site still exists, no public access.
In 1942 the Fortress Command Post was moved from Mary Hill to Triangle Mountain, north of Albert Head, and was also used as a battery observation post for Albert Head Battery. Still exists on private property.

д Fort Rodd Hill (National Historic Site)
(1893 - 1956), Fisgard Point, near Esquimalt
This fortress features underground magazines, a command post, barracks, artillery stores, and three gun batteries: Upper Battery, Lower Battery, and Belmont Battery. The Lower Battery (1895 - 1942) had two 6-inch MK6 guns on MK4 disappearing carriages. Also here is a 6-inch quick-firing naval gun (1923 - 1940). A 40mm AA gun was on the #1 gun position in WWII. The Upper Battery (1895 - 1941) had one 6-inch MK6 gun (it is still here) on a MK4 disappearing carriage (this no longer exists). Belmont Battery (1900 - 1956) is an Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat battery that had two 12-pounder MK1 quick-firing guns. In 1944 both guns were replaced with one twin-barrelled 6-pounder MK1 gun that had a higher rate of fire. It was removed after the war. The 12-pounder gun now on site came from the Royal Canadian School of Artillery in Shilo, Manitoba, on loan to Parks Canada. The twin 6-pounder now on site came later from Norway. A rangefinder tower is also located at Belmont Battery. Another 40mm AA gun was also located in the fort in WWII. The WWII Fortress plotting room and two searchlight positions are here. The observation posts associated with the plotting room were located at Church Hill (Smythe Head), Mary Hill (William Head), Albert Head, Triangle Mountain, Signal Hill, Gonzales Hill (Walbran Park in Oak Bay), and at Mount Tolmie. Only the last two stations still exist. A unique feature of Fort Rodd Hill is evident with the rear-facing concrete walls with rifle-slits at both the Upper and Lower Batteries. A harbour boom defence and an anti-submarine net were located here between Fisgard Point and Duntze Head in WWII. Admission fee. The Fisgard Lighthouse has been here since 1859, making it the first permanent lighthouse on the Canadian Pacific coast.

д Duntze Head Battery
(1893 - 1945), Duntze Head, Esquimalt
Two 12-pounder quick-firing guns and two searchlights were located here from 1893 - 1938. In 1939 they were replaced with one 6-pounder twin quick-firing gun and one searchlight. A 75mm gun was temporarily here before the 6-pounder was emplaced. The harbor mine command was here 1900 - 1905. No public access.

д Black Rock Battery
(1893 - 1956), Esquimalt
Two 12-pounder quick-firing MK1 AMTB guns were located here. One searchlight was located here in WWII. The guns were transferred to Golf Hill Battery in 1940 but were later replaced. In 1956 the battery became a Naval training battery with two 3-inch gun turrets. Site still exists, but no public access.

д Brother's Island Battery
(1878 - 1893), Esquimalt
Located here were three rifled muzzle-loading guns, providing part of the first defence for Esquimalt Harbour. No public access.

д Signal Hill Battery
(1899 - 1938), Esquimalt
Two 9.2-inch MK10 guns on MK5 mounts and a fire-command post were located here. The guns were transferred to Albert Head Battery. In 1939 - 1945 this was the headquarters of the 5th B.C. Coast Brigade. The battery still exists, but no public access.

д Macaulay Point Battery
(Macaulay Point Park)
(1878 - 1956), Esquimalt
Three rifled muzzle-loading guns were located here in 1878 - 1893. They were replaced with three 6-inch MK6 guns on MK4 disappearing carriages, two of which were removed in 1924 and replaced with two 6-inch quick-firing MK2 naval barbette guns. In 1938 the third DC gun and the two naval guns were replaced with two 6-inch MK7 guns on MK2 mounts until 1948. Two AA guns were here in 1942. Two WWII searchlight positions were nearby at Saxe Point and Harrison Point. The battery is still extant, and is now a city park.

д Golf Hill Battery
(1940 - 1944), Esquimalt
Two 12-pounder quick-firing AMTB guns were located here, transferred from Black Rock Battery. A searchlight position was nearby at McLaughlin Point. The battery still exists, but no public access.

д Work Point Barracks
(1878 - 1956), Esquimalt
The Garrison and Fortress Command Headquarters for the entire harbour defence was located here at Work Point.

д Ogden Point Battery
(1939 - 1943), Victoria
Also known as Ogden Pier Battery. One 6-pounder twin quick-firing AMTB gun was located here, which had replaced an earlier 12-pounder AMTB gun in 1944. This battery was previously emplaced as the Breakwater Battery in 1939.

д Victoria Point Battery
(1878 - 1893), Beacon Hill Park, Victoria
Two naval rifled muzzle-loading guns were located here, providing part of the first defence of Victoria Harbour. Two searchlights were located nearby at Holland Point during WWII.

д Finlayson Point Battery
(1878 - 1893), Beacon Hill Park, Victoria
Two naval rifled muzzle-loading guns were located here. During WWII two searchlight positions were located at nearby Clover Point.

д NOTES: The Esquimalt Naval Base and its defences were under British control from 1848 - 1905. A submarine mine field was planted in Esquimalt Harbour from 1900 - 1905. Additional WWII gun positions were located at Jordan River (two 25-pounders) and at Otter Point (two 25-pounders), both west of Sooke. Trial Island was to have a three-gun 7.5-inch battery in WWII, but it was never built. Several batteries of the C.A. Defences of Victoria - Esquimalt were considered part of the joint US - Canadian Harbor Defenses of Juan de Fuca Strait. They were as follows: Christopher Point Battery, Mary Hill Battery, Albert Head Battery, and Macaulay Point Battery.

Songhees Indian Fort
(unknown dates), Victoria
A palisaded Indian village was once located here. No remains.
(info courtesy of Mike Clevan)

Fort Victoria
(1843 - unknown), Victoria
A Hudson's Bay Co. post, the site of which is at Bastion Square. PHOTO LINK

Patricia Bay Defences
(1942 - 1945), North Saanich
Anti-aircraft batteries were located here to protect the military and civilian airfield.

Sooke
(1790 - 1793), Sooke
A Spanish settlement that was traded to the British by treaty. It may have been fortified.

Ucluelet Defences
(1940's), Ucluelet
A two-gun 75mm AMTB battery and an AA battery were located here to protect the military seaplane base.

Fort Defiance
(1791 - 1792), Tofino
An American fur trade post. Some ruins possibly remain.

Tofino Defences
(1942 - 1945), Tofino
Anti-aircraft batteries were located here to protect the military air base.

Nootka Fort
(1790 - 1795), Friendly Cove
A Spanish fort located in Nootka Sound built (April 1790) to defend their claim on the Northwest Coast against the Russians and British. British trader John Meares earlier had established a trading post here in 1788. The Spanish arrived in May 1789 and evicted Meares, then captured two British merchant ships in July 1789 (the "Nootka Incident").

The Bastion
(1853 - unknown), Nanaimo
A Hudson's Bay Co. post for English and Scottish coal miners. This small fort has original muskets and cannons. The town was originally called Colvilletown.

Yorke Island Battery
(1914, 1938 - 1945), Yorke Island
Two 4-inch naval guns were temporarily emplaced at Seymour Narrows in 1914. In WWII this was the examination battery for Johnstone Strait, armed with two 6-inch MK7 guns on MK2 mounts (originally from Stanley Park Battery, Vancouver), which had replaced two 4.7-inch quick-firing guns in 1942. The examination gun was a 6-pounder Hotchkiss gun. Two 40mm Bofors AA guns were here 1942 - 1945. Three searchlights were emplaced here. The gun emplacements and searchlight positions still remain. This battery protected the "backdoor" northern approach to Vancouver and Victoria. Located off of the northern shore of Hardwicke Island.

дд COAST ARTILLERY DEFENCES, PORT HARDY

дд Port Hardy Battery
(1940's), Port Hardy
An anti-aircraft battery was located here to protect the military air base.

дд Coal Harbour Battery
(1940's), Coal Harbour
A one-gun 75mm AMTB battery and an AA battery were located here to protect the military seaplane base and the "backdoor" to Port Hardy.

Special thanks to David Morgan and Robert Zink of the Coast Defense Study Group for providing info on the Coast Artillery Defences of British Columbia.
Also thanks to John Eckersley (CDSG) and Vic Stevenson for corrections.

Mainland British Columbia - page 1