This area is now opposite the Police Headquarters and lies within the Dockyard. This was a defence location to protect the Landside of the New Mole. In 1739 the British built a new fort over what has been the Tuerto Tower. It was a bastioned trace with two demi-bastions to the rear. In 1762 it was armed with nine 32-pdr (two on the landward side) and one 18-pdr on the pier head.
Sir John Jones in 1841 recommended that the old fort area be used for bomb proof barracks and an assembly point for infantry.
In 1866 four casemated 9-ins RMLs behind iron shields were installed facing westwards down the New Mole, but only one of these positions survives. Princess Alexandra Battery, installed in 1888, now stands on the top of the sole surviving 9-inch gun emplacement. Photographs exist showing the front of the battery when the 100 ton guns were being landed in 1879.
The other 9-inch RML batteries in Gibraltar were at:
Buena Vista, 1 gun
Calpe Battery, 3 gun
Governor’s Lookout, 1 gun
Ince’s & Forral’s Farms, 1 gun each
New Mole Battery, 4 guns
During World War Two 40mm Bofors guns were placed on both Princess Alexandra and Prince Williams Batteries. A 6-pdr gun was mounted about halfway along the mole, and twin 6-pdr positions were built on the Mole Head or Admiralty (South) Pier and at 0115-8769.