Johore Battery (Singapore)

World War II. Secret tunnels. Monster guns. This is the story of the Johore Battery.

The location of Johore Battery (Singapore) was possibly one of Singapore’s best kept World War II secrets since it was only discovered in April 1991, 50 years after the war.

Built by the British in 1939 at the beginning of World War II, Johore Battery (Singapore) was a strategic gun emplacement site with a series of underground tunnels constructed for the purpose of defending Singapore’s coast.

The tunnels were used to allow gunners to get to their posts and to house ammunition for the three 15-inch “monster guns”, so called because they were the largest guns to be installed outside of Britain during World War II.

The site was named as such due to the Sultan of Johore’s monetary contribution to the British war campaign.

The guns were later destroyed just before the British surrendered Singapore to the Japanese and the tunnels were sealed up after the war.

The tunnels were rediscovered in 1991 by the Singapore Prisons Service when the area was being cleared. Today, visitors can see a replica of the monster gun and try lifting the 800kg 15-inch ammunition shell replica at the Johore Battery. Even after more than 60 years, the monster gun (albeit a replica) still proves to be a formidable sight.

Address
Cosford Road, off Upper Changi Road North

Tel: (65) 6546 9897

Opening Hours
Daily: 9.00am - 5.00pm

Admission
Free

Getting There
By MRT & Bus: Take SBS Bus 2 from Tanah Merah (EW4) and alight at the bus stop outside Selarang Camp.

As bus services are subject to change, please refer to SBS Transit for latest information.

Related books
World War I and II

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