Christopher Point Battery

Christopher Point Battery (1941-1944) - Christopher Point Battery was a World War II Canadian reinforced concrete 8 inch coastal gun battery at Christopher Point, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Deactivated in 1944. World War II (1939-1945) Part of the Harbor Defense of Victoria and Esquimalt Harbors. Also considered part of the World War II Joint United States and Canadian Harbor Defense of Juan de Fuca Strait. The United States furnished two 8" M1888MII guns (serial #19 and #51) and two M1918 barbette carriages (42 degree) as well as some technical support for the battery in July 1941. The Canadian National Defence Headquarters then approved $11,000 to purchase seventy-four rounds of ammunition from the United States to start training. Battery Christopher Point Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes ? 8" Rifle 278.5" M1888MII A1 19 Bethlehem Barbette, M1918A1 1941-1944 See note 1 ? 8" Rifle 278.5" M1888MII A1 51 Bethlehem Barbette, M1918A1 1941-1944 See note 1 Source: Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 3rd Edition - PDF, CDSG ePress, McLean, VA, 2012, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 112-113 Note 1: Guns transferred from Aberdeen Proving Ground to Christopher Point Battery 21 Jul 1941. Transferred from Christopher Point Battery to Black Hills Ordnance Depot 19 Jan 1945 CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA These guns fired 200 pound shells with a range of 23,500 yards and they covered the southern shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to a point west of Port Angeles. These installations were supplemented, on the American side of the strait, by another battery of two 8-inch railway guns and two 155mm batteries with four guns. Another battery of two American 8-inch railway guns was erected at Fairview Point Battery to supplement the Prince Rupert defenses. The Fairview Point Battery guns were dismounted and returned to the United States at the end of 1944. The Christopher Point Battery guns were transferred back to the U.S. Black Hills Depot as of 19 Jan 1945. Current Status Battery still exists at the Rocky Point Naval establishment with no public access. No period guns or mounts in place. Location: Christopher Point, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Maps & Images Lat: 48.309488 Long: -123.5630178 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....' See Also: Fairview Point Battery Harbor Defense of Victoria Harbor Defense of Juan de Fuca Strait Sources: Nicholson, G.W.L., Fixed Coast Artillery Defences on the Pacific Coast, 8 May 1944, AHQ Report, PDF, page 6-7 Morgan, David, Forts of the Canadian West Coast - Victoria/Esquimalt Defenses, CDSG Journal, Volume 9, Issue 2, May 1995, page 16-24. Hunter, Murray T., Coast Defence in British Columbia, 1939-1941: Attitudes and Realities, page 21. Links: North American Forts - Christopher Point Battery Visited: No