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Fort Swanbourne (Melon Hill)
In 1935, defence planners began reconsidering Fremantle’s coastal defence layout and started looking for a new coastal battery site further south that could eventually replace Fort Forrest at North Fremantle. At the time, Fremantle’s harbour defence system relied on several batteries working together. One of these was the Examination Battery, which operated in conjunction with the Examination Anchorage, an offshore position where ships approaching the port could be halted and identified before being allowed to enter. Maintaining this system was considered essential.
The Examination Service
Before entering a harbour, ships approaching a defended port had to first pass through a system known as the Examination Service, which acted as a controlled checkpoint at sea. Its purpose was to ensure that every vessel approaching the port had been properly identified before being allowed to enter. This was especially important during wartime, when enemy raiders, disguised ships or minelayers (a ship or vessel designed to deploy naval mines in the water) could potentially attempt to approach the harbour.
The Examination Service was run by naval personnel and involved examination officers, signalmen and patrol vessels, all working together with nearby coastal signal stations. When a ship approached the port, it would be directed to stop offshore and identify itself using recognised signals. These could include signal flags, flashing light signals or radio communication. Only after its identity had been confirmed would the ship be cleared to continue into harbour.
The Examination Anchorage
Ships being checked by the Examination Service were required to stop at a designated offshore area known as the Examination Anchorage. This was a specific anchorage point where vessels approaching the port would wait while their identity was confirmed. From there they could be observed by examination officers and coastal defences. Instructions could then be passed to them before they were allowed to proceed.
The Examination Battery
Supporting the Examination Service was the Examination Battery, a coastal artillery position responsible for enforcing the system. The battery overlooked the examination anchorage and provided the armed authority behind the process. If a vessel failed to respond to signals or attempted to proceed without permission, the battery could fire a warning shot to force it to stop. In more serious situations, the guns could be used to engage a hostile vessel.
The Examination Battery ensured that the instructions given by the Examination Service could not be ignored. Without the presence of the guns, ships approaching the harbour would have little reason to comply with orders to stop and identify themselves.
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Considering other locations
On 5 August 1935, discussions between military planners and the District Naval Officer confirmed that Arthur Head Battery should continue serving as the Examination Battery in conjunction with the existing Examination Anchorage.
Bickley Point Battery was deemed unsuitable. Rough seas at certain times of the year, communication difficulties and the absence of a suitable nearby anchorage all weighed against the proposal.
The Buckland Hill area, which would later become Leighton Battery, was also looked at again as a possible site. However, the presence of the railway line, main roads and a nearby cable station made the location too risky. Small experiments carried out indicated that the concussion from heavy guns could seriously interfere with cable communications and damage sensitive equipment.
The Swanbourne area, south of Cottesloe, seemed to be the best alternative.
Choosing the Swanbourne site
The Swanbourne site was ultimately recommended as a Close Defence Battery. From a defensive standpoint, the location offered several advantages. The ground provided good observation along the coastline and there were no nearby buildings likely to obstruct clear lines of sight or interfere with firing.
The proposed installation would include:
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a two gun 6-inch breech loading battery
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an Observation Post on Ridge 140
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quarters for a District Gunner and Royal Australian Engineers mechanist
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positions for two Defence Electric Lights (searchlights) and their engine room.
The area also offered sufficient space for mobilisation during wartime and training camps during peacetime. Planners also noted that the nearby Swanbourne Rifle Range would be useful for administration and training.
The land itself, however, was not entirely straightforward to obtain. It was jointly owned by the Secondary Education Trustees, the State Government and a Roads Board Reserve. It was also classified as an A-Class Reserve, meaning it carried a higher level of legal protection than ordinary Crown land. Despite this, defence authorities believed the land could be acquired without any major difficulty.
Replacing Fort Forrest
On 21 August 1935, the 5th District Base formally recommended the new Swanbourne site for the installation of the 6-inch armament. Army Headquarters approved the recommendation and steps began to acquire the land. The new area at Fort Swanbourne (later more commonly known as Swanbourne Battery), identified as Lot 162, would also be proclaimed under the Control of Defence Areas Regulations, placing it under Commonwealth defence control.
At the same time, the land occupied by Fort Forrest was prepared for eventual sale. However, the existing guns at Fort Forrest would not be dismantled immediately. Defence planners were determined to maintain the harbour’s defensive capability during the transition.
Two 6-inch Mark XI guns, being stored at Fremantle Wharf, were to be installed on steel platforms at Swanbourne to provide an interim defence while permanent emplacements were constructed. The temporary platforms were positioned so they would not interfere with the later construction of the permanent battery. Once the new battery was ready, the guns from Fort Forrest could be transferred there.
When no longer required at Swanbourne, the Mark XI guns would be returned to Fremantle Wharf before being transferred to the newly constructed Bickley Battery on Rottnest Island.
Moving the guns
Moving the guns from Fremantle to Swanbourne was a complicated logistical exercise.
The 6-inch Mark XI equipment would first be lifted onto railway wagons at Fremantle Wharf using the Fremantle Harbour Trust’s 20-ton crane (installed in January 1929). From there it would be transported by rail to Cottesloe Railway Station.
The wagons selected for the job were WAGR “Q” type trucks, capable of carrying loads of up to seventeen tons. Once at Cottesloe, the guns would be unloaded and moved to the Swanbourne site using a jinker, a heavy transport trailer.
Only one suitable jinker could be found in the state. It belonged to the Municipal Electricity Department and could be hired for 15 shillings per day (approximately $70). It was chosen because of its wide tyres and effective braking system.
From the station yard, the route to the battery site ran along Claremont Crescent, then Servetus Street, before turning onto a Defence Department access road leading to the gun positions.
Even preparing the railway yard required work. The approach from Claremont Crescent needed to be levelled for about ten yards before unloading could begin.
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Building a road through sand
One of the major obstacles facing the project was the nature of the ground. The Swanbourne site largely consisted of deep coastal sand, which made transporting heavy equipment extremely difficult.
Engineers estimated that around 660 yards (about 600 metres) of roadway would need to be constructed from Servetus Street to the battery site. The road would be a 12-foot macadamised roadway and was estimated to cost £1,200 (roughly $180,000–$200,000 today).
The expense was largely due to the ground conditions. Because the soil was pure sand, all suitable road building materials had to be brought in from elsewhere. Without the road, transporting the guns and equipment to the site would have been slow and inefficient.
To help move the heavy loads across the sand, the Army borrowed hundreds of 2nd grade railway sleepers from the Western Australian Government Railways. These were laid down to create a temporary track, often referred to as a ribbon sleeper roadway, allowing vehicles and trailers to move the equipment without sinking into the sand.
Early construction work
Work at Swanbourne began in early 1936. Construction of the road and installation of the guns was carried out by personnel from the 6th Heavy Battery (p.24) of the Royal Australian Artillery. The workforce included:
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2 officers
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1 warrant officer
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3 sergeants
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2 bombardiers
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6 lance bombardiers
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23 gunners
Working hours were long, generally from 7:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday, with Saturday work continuing until camp duties were completed.
Additional equipment was brought in to assist with construction. Two horses from the Remount Depot were used to operate a small excavation scoop, while a Lanz diesel tractor had to be hired from H. C. Ittershagen when the available military vehicles proved unable to tow the heavy gun loads.
Mounting the guns
In January 1936, a contract was awarded to K. R. Bernard-Smith of Alexandria, New South Wales to manufacture two semi-portable steel gun platforms. These platforms were intended to allow the guns to be installed quickly while permanent emplacements were still being planned. However, delays began almost immediately.
Certain materials were difficult to obtain and when the platforms finally arrived in April, they were missing several essential bolts that could not be sourced locally. As a result, the mounting of the guns was delayed until replacement parts could be obtained. Even once the guns were installed, the temporary platforms were far from ideal.
The mountings allowed a maximum elevation of 11.5 degrees, well below the intended 20 degrees. This significantly reduced the guns’ effective range.
There were also concerns about the quality of the platform construction. Some components had been poorly marked and had to be assembled by trial and error. During firing, the recoil caused the breech of the gun to come dangerously close to the ground.
Despite these issues, proof firing took place on 5 May 1936, confirming that the guns could operate safely.
Living conditions at Swanbourne
Conditions at the site were basic during the early stages of construction. For several weeks, around 40 men were quartered in buildings at the Swanbourne Rifle Range. Sanitary arrangements proved inadequate and additional facilities had to be provided.
Later, some personnel were required to live in tents near the gun site itself. Two artillerymen stationed at Swanbourne in 1936 were living about a mile from the nearest facilities, cooking their own meals and exposed to the weather. Because of the isolation and difficult conditions, special allowances were requested for them.
Plans were eventually made for the construction of three married quarters at the site. Military authorities believed that married district gunners were better suited to maintaining isolated forts, particularly where continuous supervision of equipment was required.
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Searchlights and communications
The Swanbourne battery was designed to operate as part of a wider defence network. Each battery was to be supported by two 90cm Defence Electric Lights, powerful searchlights used to illuminate ships at sea during night operations. They would later be equipped with three 150cm Coast Defence Search Lights (p.8), operated by the 148th CASL (Coast Artillery Searchlight) Section.
These lights were mounted on modified Leyland lorries, each fitted with a generator and projector. Their installation was delayed by technical problems and missing components. Even once delivered, repairs and modifications were required before they could be used.
Testing finally took place in 1937 during a night exercise, with a motor pinnace (a small naval boat used for transport and patrol work) used as the target vessel, while the searchlights were operated from shore. Communication between the vessel and the battery was carried out using both wireless telegraphy and radio telephony. Despite some difficulties, including signal personnel becoming seasick, the tests proved successful in establishing reliable contact with a vessel at sea.
Planning the permanent battery
While the temporary gun platforms remained in use, work continued on plans for a permanent battery. A proposed layout prepared in November 1936 showed:
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two gun positions at the same level
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concrete paths connecting the guns to underground magazines
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two magazines capable of holding 1,000 rounds each
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a dressing station
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artillery stores
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protected access paths to the guns
The camp itself was planned as a tented camp with hutments, while most permanent buildings would be constructed from fibro cement. A brick guard room was also recommended.
An attached heliographic copy, or helio, of the layout drawing was circulated among defence planners. Helios were photographic copies of engineering drawings, produced using sunlight before modern photocopying existed.
Swanbourne during the war
In April 1940, around 70 officers and men of the Royal Australian Artillery moved from Swanbourne Camp to Fort Swanbourne to man the battery. Around the same time, the Fortress Recruit training camp was also relocated from Swanbourne Rifle Camp to the fort. The new Swanbourne military camp was officially opened later that year.
During the war the battery formed part of a coastal defence system protecting Fremantle Harbour, along with installations at Leighton, Cape Peron and Rottnest Island. Units including the 5th and 19th Australian Garrison Battalions were responsible for protecting coastal artillery and anti-aircraft equipment at these sites.
Melon Hill
The battery itself was located near the small hill known as Melon Hill on the coastline, with the Observation Post positioned at the top. Before the military arrived, Melon Hill had been a minor feature in the surrounding landscape. Its elevation and clear line of sight over the coast made it well suited for artillery positions and defence planning.
Swanbourne Battery was placed in reserve by March 1945.
References
Most of the information in this article is drawn from the following Department of Defence records:
1) Fort Forrest - Removal of Fort from North Fremantle to Swanbourne (NAA 332889)
2) Removal - Fort Forrest - Copies of Policy File (NAA 392404)
Melon Hill
October 2024
November 2024
