Visit to Labrador Casement and 6 inch Gun

(Labrador Casement)

(Main Casement Entrance & Stone Carving)

(Articles on Casement)

Yesterday, 29 Dec 2007, I visited the Labrador Park with my 2 army friends, TN and ML. Our main objective is to visit the Labrador Casement/Tunnel and the 6 inch Gun located in the Labrador Park.

We took our lunch at the hawker centre opposite Harbour Front Centre and broad the bus to the Park. Actually there is a special bus service 408 which can take us to the Labrador Park directly at $1 per trip (operates on Sat, Sun and public Holiday, 30 minutes frequency from 11am to 9pm).

But we missed the bus 408, so we took bus 188 instead and alighted at the bus stop opposite PSA Building and walked to the Park via Labrador Villa. Along the walk, it started to rain slightly and the 3 of us have to share 1 small umbrella that I brought along… Luckily the rain stopped in a short while.

At the main entrance of the Labrador Casement, we paid the person in charge $8.40/pax for the ticket of the guided tour (we already knew the price from website). Why so expensive…Why why why?? I think is because they need $$ for the maintenance, air-con system, electricity supply inside etc. But then still too expensive. Maybe half price at $4/pax or even lower still okay.

(Map of Casement Now & Past)

Anyway, the Labrador Casement was constructed in 1886 generally to provide shelter for gun emplacement from enemy attack, but it was not used for that purpose, as it was used to storing ammunition for the guns inside instead. Also the initial 9.2 inch Gun mounted on top of the casement was replaced by two 6 inch Gun instead in the 1940s by the British during the Japanese occupation period.

(Oil Store)

Inside the casement, there are 4 bunkers, 3 bunkers for oil store, engine room and war accomodation respectively, while the 4th bunker is actually the entrance of the tunnel leading to the shell store and shell lift room inside. In the 2nd room, which was actually the engine room in the past, we watched a 10 minutes WW2 video and the history of the casement.

(Display in the Accomodation Room)

Along the way, the guide explained to us the history behind and also why the roof of the casement is built of arch shape. The reason was because the casement built during that period has not made use of the technology of placing reinforcement inside the concrete roof. The guide even illustrated the arch roof with a man doing pressing for stability. Haha.

(Tunnel & Common Passage in Casement)

(Ventilation Shaft)

Proceeding along the narrow long tunnel, the guide shown us around and pointed to us the ventilation shaft along the tunnel. Inside the common passage behind the tunnel leading to shell store, steel hollow section columns and beams can be seem at the sides and top to give support to the destruction chamber here since the British bombed out the shell store/ shell lift area when they surrendered to the Japanese. At the end of the casement was an artifact chamber that was initially used as shell store in the past.

(Artifact Chamber @ end of Casement)

After the visit of the casement, we proceeded further down the park to find the second tunnel and also the 6 inch Gun. But to some disappointment, the Tunnel 2 was fenced up and no entry was allowed, not sure why. Maybe not opened to public…. So we only took a photo of the Tunnel 2 from outside.

Then we proceeded on to the 6 inch Gun and its Gun emplacement further down the park to take more photos of the Gun and posing ourselves there before we left the Park via the bus 408 to Harbour Front.

(Closed Tunnel 2 & 6 inch Gun)

(Different view of 6 inch Gun)

Anyway, it was another great day of discovery for the 3 of them. Cheers. ÜWe still have a few more WW2 historical places that we have not conquered yet. haha