B Pier Head Battery was on the northern end of the eastern detached breakwater. A Pier Head Battery was on the southern or opposite end of this breakwater. B Pier Head Battery was 200 metres from C Pier Head Battery, and helped protect the navigable channel that ran between these two positions. In 1901 armed with two 12-pdr QF guns and one Maxim Machine Gun. A 6-inch BL gun was mounted over one of the 12-pdr emplacements in 1910. This emplacement has survived but has a more recent brick building covering it. A new 12-pdr battery, adjacent to the Pier Head was built at the same time ad the 6-inch BL gun was mounted.
Listing Type : Coastal Battery
Location : England
BACKGROUND NOTES ON THE BREAKWATERS
The first breakwater to protect the Portland anchorage was built 1849 to 1872. The two breakwaters on the east side were completed in 1905. In 1904 plans had already been drawn up for Quick Fire Batteries to cover the navigable channels into the anchorage through the breakwaters. These three new batteries would replace the temporary platforms used during the earlier construction phase. The three Pier Head Batteries were completed by 1905, all armed with two 12-pdr QF guns and a Maxim Machine Gun. These were designate A, B and C Pier Head Batteries.
Before these plans had been fully implemented, it was proposed two mount four 6-inch Mark VII BL guns at Breakwater Fort, two on the roof and two in the original casemates. The two on the roof were mounted in 1909. It was decided to mount the two guns, proposed for the old casemates, to be mount on the Breakwaters. A single 6-inch BL gun was therefore mounted at B and C Pier Heads in one of the 12-pdr emplacements. To compensate for the loss of the 12-pdr gun, two additional 12-pdr QF positions were built adjacent to B and C Pier Heads. This work was all completed by 1910.
Searchlights were also installed by 1905. These were located at:
Two fixed Defence Electric Lights in the centre of the North Breakwater
Three fixed Defence Electric Lights at Breakwater Fort
Two fixed Defence Electric Lights on the Outer (southern) Breakwater