The Great Guns

During the early part of the 20^th century a system of coastal defences was constructed to protect the vital harbour of Cartagena. This included forts, guns, fire control systems, searchlights and many other elements.

The system included four of the largest artillery pieces ever made – huge 38.1 Vickers guns with a range of some 20 miles. These guns remain in place, two at the Castillitos battery, at Cabo Tiñoso, near Puerto de Mazarron, two at the Cenizas battery, near La Manga Club.

The popular legend has grown up that “the Guns of Navarone film was made here.” There is no truth in this.

Although guns and forts are popular subjects, what is so fascinating about the military remains around the Cartagena coastline is that they are part of a completely co-ordinated system of defence. Every element was placed as a part of a carefully planned scheme of fields of fire, overlapping target areas, different roles for different batteries, illumination, management and control. This was no haphazard jumble of defences constructed piecemeal over time. There were dozens of elements.

In fact, the last time the big 38.1 centimetre guns fired is said to be as late as 1973 and you can see the target that was blasted from Castilitos in the Cartagena Military Museum. This also displays engines from beneath the guns and other equipment, including one of the huge breech closure mechanisms. For closer in use, Vickers 15.24 centimetre guns were used at many batteries and one of these, completely restored, can also be seen at the museum.

Up at Cabo Tiñoso, the two giant 38.1 centimetre guns attract a small, but enthusiastic, stream of visitors anxious to see such an impressive part of Cartagena’s military history. Most visitors are perplexed at the way in which the battery, and others nearby, seems to have just been abandoned without any attempt to protect such unique relics. The authorities talk of schemes to restore batteries and promote the coast defence heritage while the vandals get on happily with their work of destroying unique machinery, toppling buildings and spray painting.

What makes the Tiñoso battery so interesting is not just the huge guns, but the way in which the underground machinery rooms have survived. The pieces that are too big to be stolen have largely been left in place, although anything that can be unscrewed and taken away has been removed. Particularly sad is the way in which the silhouettes of battleships, used for identification purposes, in the observation posts have been vandalised. These unique illustrations will probably be completely destroyed soon.

Up in the open air, the mean and menacing guns point seaward and they would have been virtually impossible to spot from any distance, with their low profile and camouflage. At the back of the battery, out of sight of observers on warships, however, imagination has been allowed to run riot in a mass of turrets, castle walls and decorative stonework. The effect is pretty comical when one considers the deadly power of the guns to the front. Look up and below the big guns and you will see other batteries.

On 26 April, 1937, the two guns, which were in the hands of the Republicans, fired on a group of Nationalist cruisers.

Here are some technical details on the guns, which were Vickers 38.1 centimetre 1926 models.

Calibre 38.1 centimetres (about 15 inches)

Made at Barrow in Furness, by Vickers.

Total length 17.671 metres (about 56 feet)

Rifling 76

Rifling inclination one turn in 30 calibres

Weight without

closing mechanism 86, 332 kilogrammes

Weight of closing

mechanism 1,663 kilogrammes

The road up to the guns is narrow and twisting and great caution should be exercised. The road runs up into the hills behind Campilo de Adentro, which is to the right on the E16 road leading from Puerto de Mazarron and La Azohia to Cartagena. This area is part of an important regional park and many rare birds and plants are found there.

A much more accessible coast defence battery can be found near the lighthouse on the left hand side of the bay at Portman, past the La Manga Club. This is the La Chapa battery, which featured four Vickers 15.24 centimetre guns which defended the areas that could not be covered by the big guns up at the Cenizas battery above. On March 7, 1939, the battery, manned by Republican forces, fired 26 rounds at Nationalist troops landing in the bay. There is an anti-submarine battery below La Chapa which was armed with two Nordenfelt 57mm guns.

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Gary Smith Fishing