Current condition
Unknown
I'd seen this on an earlier hike, but went back on Sunday for another look. It was disappointing in that there was nothing much in the way of a tunnel. Still, it's an unusual layout, in that there is a deep (1.5-2m) square hole, with a short 2m tunnel leading into the hill beside it.
One possibility is that work on the tunnel had only just started, explaining the short tunnel. I think a more likely explanation is that it was some type of lookout post, given it's good view out to the eastern entrance to the harbour. Then the short tunnel would just have been for shelter.
Any other ideas?
Photos that show this Place
2010
2010
2010
Comments
Lookout Tunnel
Do you think it could have contained smaller 75mm artillery to attack possible invading forces/shipping as was described as a speculation for the Repulse/Deep water bay tunnels on the ridge?
http://gwulo.com/node/16902
Or were these tunnels too small for this you think?
Just guessing, but I think
Just guessing, but I think not. If it was artillery I think they built tunnels and platforms, where the gun would be facing out, not deep holes where you'd have to face up.
One other thought I had was that these could house mortars, as then you could stay out of sight but still fire. I don't have any proof though.
Regards, David
Very true. It seems difficult
Very true. It seems difficult to gather info on most Japanese defensive structures, seems as though they were not documented properly.
Perhaps I will spend a day crashing all the sites on here around Cape Collision and Pottinger peak. Maybe see if I can find some primary evidence (artifacts) that would directly give us info to the use of many of these areas.
(Not that I am hedging my bets on finding anything!)
Regards
Japanese foxhole
On Page 12 of the online article " Japanese Defences And Fortifications in Tarawa, Iwo Jima and Okinawa" by J. David Rogers, there is a diagram of a Japanese foxhole that looks very similar to this tunnel. The hole was for Japanese soldiers to fire out of, whilst the tunnel acted as a shelter against artillery fire.