Barrett Point is located at the foot of
Mount Hayes
Mount Hayes is the highest mountain in the eastern Alaska Range, in the U.S. state of Alaska. Despite not being a fourteener, it is one of the largest peaks in the United States in terms of rise above local terrain. For example, the Northeast Fa ...
at the entrance to
Prince Rupert Harbour at . It was a coastal fortification during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
History
The city of
Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 ( O.S.) 7 December 1619 (N.S.)– 29 November 1682 (O.S.) December 1682 (N.S) was an English-German army officer, admiral, scientist, and colonial governor. He first rose to ...
was the nearest railhead to the
Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
and was strategically important to the defence of Alaska and West Coast of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. Barrett point battery was the key component of the defences of Prince Rupert in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In 1938 Major Treatt of the Canada War Department, inspected the West Coast of Canada and determined suitable locations for Coastal defences. Barrett Point became the focal point of the defences that included gun batteries at
Fredrick Point,
Casey Point,
Fairview Point and
Dundas Point.
The fort had 3 gun positions which were first equipped with Mk 12 6" anti-aircraft guns on Mk 7 mounts, later replaced by 3x 6" Mk 24 guns two on Mk5 mounts and one on a Mk5 mount. In addition a
6 pounder Hotchkiss quick firing gun was mounted, as well as 2x
40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns. The guns of this fort and the others were controlled by a director station behind and above the centre gun position.
Ammunition
Ammunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the component parts of oth ...
was stored in an underground
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
accessed by an electrical
hoist for each gun. Behind the main battery protected by the hill was hardened generator room and other support buildings. Two
searchlight
A searchlight (or spotlight) is an apparatus that combines an extremely luminosity, bright source (traditionally a carbon arc lamp) with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a part ...
towers front the fort along the shoreline. Bearings from these lights would be fed to the director for fire control. An observation post was established above the fort on top of Mt Hayes.
The guns were manned by the Northern British Columbia heavy battery,
Royal Canadian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery () is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Army.
History
Many of the units and batteries of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery are older than the Dominion of Canada itself. The first arti ...
, later designated the 102nd Coast Battery of the 17th North British Columbia Coast Regiment. It's unclear as to when the battery ceased operations, as war progressed and the threat of attacked diminished, the soldiers manning the defences were drawn down to serve elsewhere. It would appear the guns were removed some time between Sept 1945 and the end of 1946. The last coastal defences along the West Coast of Canada at Fort Rodd Hill
were disbanded in 1958.
Today
Much of the Battery
fortifications
A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...
are overgrown but can be seen on foot. Caution is advised as there are unmarked openings and entering the bunker should only be done with the proper equipment.
See also
*
References
{{reflist
''In times of War, Prince Rupert 1939-1945'', Sue Harper Rose
North Coast of British Columbia
Headlands of British Columbia
World War II sites in Canada