Queen Charlotte's Battery

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Queen Charlotte's Battery
Part of Fortifications of Gibraltar
Gibraltar

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Queen Charlotte's Battery
Coordinates 36°08′39″N5°20′58″W / 36.144134°N 5.349578°W / 36.144134; -5.349578 Coordinates: 36°08′39″N5°20′58″W / 36.144134°N 5.349578°W / 36.144134; -5.349578
Type Artillery Battery
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence

Queen Charlotte's Battery is a 1727 artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. [1]

Artillery battery artillery unit equivalent to an infantry company

In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of artillery, mortars, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface to surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles etc., so grouped to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems. The term is also used in a naval context to describe groups of guns on warships.

British Overseas Territories territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom but not part of it

The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are 14 territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not been granted independence or have voted to remain British territories. These territories do not form part of the United Kingdom and, with the exception of Gibraltar, are not part of the European Union. Most of the permanently inhabited territories are internally self-governing, with the UK retaining responsibility for defence and foreign relations. Three are inhabited only by a transitory population of military or scientific personnel. They all share the British monarch as head of state.

Gibraltar British Overseas Territory

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It has an area of 6.7 km2 (2.6 sq mi) and is bordered to the north by Spain. The landscape is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar at the foot of which is a densely populated town area, home to over 30,000 people, primarily Gibraltarians.

Description

Queen Charlotte's battery is on the eastern corner of the Moorish Castle and it has been there since 1727. It was to the south of Hanover Battery that had an entrance into the long tunnels of the Northern Defences. In 1859 Queen Charlotte's battery had two guns. [2] This battery would have been called a "retired" battery as it was well away from Gibraltar Harbour. These batteries were harder for an enemy to target and their increased height on the slopes of Gibraltar gave the gunners increased visibility and range. The battery still has guns and is open to the public.

Moorish Castle medieval fortification in Gibraltar

The Moorish Castle is the name given to a medieval fortification in Gibraltar comprising various buildings, gates, and fortified walls, with the dominant features being the Tower of Homage and the Gate House. Part of the castle itself also housed the prison of Gibraltar until it was relocated in 2010. The Tower of Homage is clearly visible to all visitors to Gibraltar; not only because of its striking construction, but also because of its dominant and strategic position. Although sometimes compared to the nearby alcazars in Spain, the Moorish Castle in Gibraltar was constructed by the Marinid dynasty, making it unique in the Iberian Peninsula.

Hanover Battery

Hanover Battery was an artillery battery on the north west part of the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The battery is casemated. Beneath the battery was a tunnel known as Hanover Gallery.

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Princess Royals Battery A gun battery on the Rock of Gibraltar

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Middle Hill (Gibraltar)

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Middle Hill Battery

Middle Hill Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located on Middle Hill, at the northeastern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, just south of Green's Lodge Battery and Rock Gun Battery. The emplacement dates to 1727, when a single gun was mounted. By the turn of the twentieth century, six 10-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns were present at Middle Hill Battery. Other buildings documented at that time as part of the battery complex included the Nursery Hut and the Middle Hill Group, the latter a cluster of buildings which perched on the cliff edge. An anti-aircraft Bofors gun had been installed at the battery by the Second World War. After the war, the area transitioned to use as a Ministry of Defence aerial farm. In 2005, the battery and surrounding area were transferred to the Government of Gibraltar. The site is now managed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society.

Farringdons Battery

Farringdon's Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. Named after Sir Anthony Farrington, 1st Baronet, it is located above the north face of the Rock of Gibraltar within the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.

Europa Batteries

The Europa Batteries are a group of artillery batteries in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. Facing the North African coast, they are the most southerly batteries in Gibraltar and were built to cover ships approaching from the Mediterranean Sea. They run along the fortified clifftops of Europa Point from Camp Bay on the west side of the Rock of Gibraltar to the Europa Advance Batteries on the east side.

Forbes Batteries

Forbes' Batteries are a pair of artillery batteries in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The batteries are casemated.

Gardiners Battery

Gardiner's Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is named after the governor Sir Robert Gardiner.

Jones Battery

Jones' Battery is one of the best preserved of the "retired" artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It was named after Sir John Thomas Jones who once controlled the fortifications here.

Signal Hill Battery, Gibraltar

Signal Hill Battery or Signal Battery was an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The battery was mounted high on the rock. Little remains today as the Gibraltar Cable Car top station was built on the site of the old battery.

Europa Pass Batteries

Europa Pass Batteries are a group of artillery batteries in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. They are located north west of Europa Point in the south of Gibraltar, just off Europa Road.

Hardings Battery

Harding's Battery is a restored artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located at Europa Point and includes the Europa Sunken Magazine that is now used as a visitor centre.

Civil Hospital Battery

Civil Hospital Battery was an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar.

Devils Bowling Green Battery

Devil's Bowling Green Battery was an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. In 1859 the battery had two guns that looked over Little Bay. This battery was on the shoreline but it was overlooked by the Buena Vista Battery and the seven guns of the Europa Pass Battery

Lady Augusta's Battery was an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar.

Willis' Battery is a former artillery battery on the north side of the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It overlooks the isthmus between Spain and Gibraltar.

Woodfords Battery

Woodford's Battery was an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located at Europa Flats between the Defensible Barracks and the Officer's Barracks and Eliott's Battery.

Princess Charlotte's Battery was an artillery battery built in Gibraltar during the 18th century. It was constructed in the Willis's Plateau area on the upper northern slopes of the Rock of Gibraltar. Formerly called Catalan Battery, it was renamed after Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, the wife of King Frederick I of Prussia, who was the brother of King George I of Great Britain. The battery saw service in the Thirteenth Siege of Gibraltar in 1727 and inflicted substantial damage on the attacking Spanish forces. By 1773 it had two 12-pdr guns. Its armament was upgraded to four 24-pdrs in 1834, and from 1885–9 it mounted two 64-pdr rifled muzzle loaders.

Queens Lines

The Queen's Lines are a set of fortified lines, part of the fortifications of Gibraltar, situated on the lower slopes of the north-west face of the Rock of Gibraltar. They occupy a natural ledge which overlooks the landward entrance to Gibraltar and were an extension to the north-east of the King's Lines. They run from a natural fault called the Orillon to a cliff above the modern Laguna Estate, which stands on the site of the Inundation, an artificial lake created to obstruct landward access to Gibraltar. The Prince's Lines run immediately behind and above them on a higher ledge. All three of the Lines were constructed to enfilade attackers approaching Gibraltar's Landport Front from the landward direction.

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