This cache is located at one of three remaining HAA Batteries in Wellington. The other two surviving batteries are at Somes Island and Mt Crawford and all three have been stripped of fittings and the HAA ordinance. The Somes Island battery is on DOC land, Mt Crawford is on surplus Ministry of Defence land and Brooklyn Battery is on reserve land within the Panorama Heights subdivision. The batteries at Mt Victoria, Johnsonville and Tinakori Hill were demolished prior to the early 1970’s.
The six batteries were similar, based upon plans received in March 1942, and constructed from mid 1942 to early 1943. They were manned from January 1943 to September 1944 but did not have to go into action. There were another fifteen HAA batteries built at other locations around New Zealand at the same time and now only six of those remain.
The HAA role was to combat highflying enemy aircraft. They were equipped with 10 ton, 3.7” calibre guns, firing 10-12 rounds per minute, mounted with bolts to a concrete base (holdfast) within an octagonal shaped structure. The perimeters of each structure contained magazine racks, a toilet and a crew room. The hinges of the magazine doors and the mountings for the ammunition racks can still be seen, as can the holdfast for the HAA.
Each battery consisted of four octagonal HAA emplacements and a rectangular command post. This contained a telephone room, an exterior commander’s position and an ‘Accumulation’ recess containing the spotter’s telescope, height and range finder and a predictor. The predictor combined information on the distance, course and speed of the target aircraft to determine the fuse-settings of the shells and where to train the guns. The information was sent via buried cables to each gun emplacement so that all four guns were trained on the same target area. A desk, the remains of the cable (or phone?) connections, and the roofing remain at the Brooklyn Battery command post.
Each HAA had a crew of 10-12 men and a similar number were required in the gun post. There was accommodation at Brooklyn Battery for 109 personnel.
TECHNICAL DETAILS:
- Calibre: 3.7 inch (94 mm)
- Gun Weight: 10 tons (11.5 tonnes)
- Muzzle velocity: 2,600 feet/second (810 metres/second)
- Effective ceiling: 32,000 feet (9,750 metres)
- Weight of round: 63 pounds (28.6 kilograms)
- Weight of explosive: 21 pounds 12 ounces (9.8 kilograms)
- Lethal area: 60 feet (18 metres)
- Rate of fire: 10-12 rounds per minute
This is a great spot to visit with the family on a fine day. Have a look at all four HAA emplacements and the command post. A torch could be utilised to see the interior of the larger rooms. Locals have been observed enjoying a coffee and a snack with their view on the structures.
The original cache placed was a black 200ml systema container. It contained a log sheet and pen, a Taieri Gorge Railway lanyard and a key-chain torch with spare batteries. This cache was replaced on 25 August 2006 with a camouflaged 2 litre systema container.
It contained:
Standard Cache Log, Pen, Pencil & Sharpener (non swappable). Bungy keyring, whistle / compass combo, happy sak, smelly (nice!) candle, 24 colour pencils / sharpener tin, Mini-keychain Light, Robo-Eraser, Ms Perfect Partner (squeeze her...), Picture Frame & two small goodies transferred from the original container.
TB - Nana Jen's Tuatara
The cache is in the outer wall of one of the HAA emplacements.
Placed by a member of the Kiwicaching Association of New Zealand
29 June 2012. Cache maintained by kjwx, Thank You. Send Message