Battery Randol: Difference between revisions

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{{FtWordenBatteryRandolEndicott}}
{{FtWordenBatteryRandolEndicott}}
[[Image:Fort Worden Battery Randol Plan.jpg|thumb|left|795px|Battery Randol Plan]]
[[Image:Fort Worden Battery Randol Plan.jpg|thumb|left|795px|Battery Randol Plan]]
On 31 Mar 1915 a B.C. Station was added to the building behind Battery Randol that contained the plotting room, latrine and two storage rooms.
On 25 May 1918 the A.G.O. directed the removal of Battery Randol's guns for shipment overseas. On 13 Jun 1918 the guns were reported shipped to [[Watervliet]] for modification. [[World War I]] ended before the guns made it overseas and they ended up being shipped from [[Watervliet]] to [[Watertown]] to [[Aberdeen]] before being salvaged 29 Jul 1931. Carriage #8 was retained at Fort Worden for spare parts and carriage #7 was shipped to [[Aberdeen]] 15 Aug 1919.
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Revision as of 13:31, 28 June 2009

Battery Randol (1902-1918) - Battery Randol was a reinforced concrete Endicott Period 10 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Worden, Washington. The battery was named for Bvt. Brig. Gen. Alanson Merwin Randol, 1st U.S. Artillery. Battery construction started 1898, was completed in 1900 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 16 Jun 1902. Deactivated in 1918.

Battery Randol Gun Emplacement #1 180 Degree Panorama
Battery Randol Gun Emplacement #2 180 Degree Panorama


Battery Randol History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound.

As originally built, Battery Quarles, Battery Randol and Battery Ash were a part of a larger seven gun unnamed battery that contained five 10" and two 12" guns, all in Barbette carriages. This was the original "main gun line" located on the top of Artillery Hill. These batteries were all accepted for service on 16 Jun 1902 shortly after the Fort was first garrisoned. The total cost for the three batteries came to $ 232,554.97 (not including guns and carriages).

The batteries were all named in 1904. In 1909 a significant structural upgrade was undertaken on the main gun line. The original 4-2-1 configuration of four 10" guns, two 12" guns and one 10" gun had been changed by swapping the last 10" gun with the first 12" gun to produce a 5-2 configuration. The final configuration had the emplacements as Battery Randol with two 10" guns, Battery Quarles next with three 10" guns and Battery Ash last with two 12" guns. The cost of modifications to the three batteries had reached $50,215.00 by the end of 1909.

Battery Benson was added to the "main gun line" located on the top of Artillery Hill in 1908 with two more 10" guns. These guns were more modern and had disappearing carriages not the Barbette mounts of the initial emplacements. The addition of Battery Benson (and several other batteries) improved coverage of the Straight of Juan de Fuca to the North and West.

Original Main Gun Line Emplacements a/o 10 Oct 1903
Emp1 Emp2 Emp3 Emp4 Emp5 Emp6 Emp7
10" M1888MII #39 10" M1888MII #6 10" M1888MII #36 10" M1888MII #37 12" M1888MII #10 12" M1888MII #9 10" M1888 #11
Source: Puget Sound RCB dtd 10 Oct 1903, CDSG Digital Library


Modified Main Gun Line Emplacements a/o 31 Dec 1909
Battery Randol Battery Quarles Battery Ash
Emp1 Emp2 Emp1 Emp2 Emp3 Emp1 Emp2
10" M1888MII #39 10" M1888MII #6 10" M1888MII #36 10" M1888MII #37 10" M1888 #11 12" M1888MII #10 12" M1888MII #9
Source: Puget Sound RCB dtd 31 Dec 1909, CDSG Digital Library


Battery Randol Armament (edit list)
Empl
No
Caliber
Type
Barrel
Length
Model Serial
No
Manufacturer Carriage Service
Dates
Notes
1 10" Rifle 367.25" M1888MII 39 Bethlehem Barbette, M1893, #7, Morgan 1902-1918 Rounds fired: 68
See Note 1
2 10" Rifle 367.25" M1888MII 6 Bethlehem Barbette, M1893, #8, Morgan 1902-1918 Rounds fired: 75
See Note 1
Source: RCW Form 1, Apr 1932, RCB 31 Dec 1909, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 120-121, 217
Note 1: Guns sent from Fort Worden to Watervliet 13 Jun 1918, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA
Carriage #7 sent to Aberdeen 15 Aug 1919, #8 held for spare parts, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA
Battery Randol Plan

On 31 Mar 1915 a B.C. Station was added to the building behind Battery Randol that contained the plotting room, latrine and two storage rooms.

On 25 May 1918 the A.G.O. directed the removal of Battery Randol's guns for shipment overseas. On 13 Jun 1918 the guns were reported shipped to Watervliet for modification. World War I ended before the guns made it overseas and they ended up being shipped from Watervliet to Watertown to Aberdeen before being salvaged 29 Jul 1931. Carriage #8 was retained at Fort Worden for spare parts and carriage #7 was shipped to Aberdeen 15 Aug 1919.

Current Status

No gun or mounts in place.


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Location: Fort Worden, Washington

Maps & Images

Lat: 48.1397236 Long: -122.765168

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  • Elevation: 247.4'

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Visited: 17 Jun 2009, 19 Jul 2008

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