Anti-submarine boom (Lake Macquarie WWII)
Encyclopedia
The Lake Macquarie anti-submarine boom was a submarine and small boat defence boom
located at the entrance to Lake Macquarie
, New South Wales
, Australia
during World War II
.
It spanned the entire width of the lake channel between Grannies Pool, Blacksmiths
and Lucy’s Wall, Swansea Heads. It was built to protect the large flying boat base, RAAF Rathmines
at Rathmines
and as part of southern perimeter defence of Fortress Newcastle.
The boom was constructed with a series of poles embedded within lake channel supported by a net of steel cables. A gap in the middle of the boom could be raised with the aid of winches. A pill box and machine gun emplacement were constructed at the Blacksmiths (northern) end of the boom. Trenches zigzagged between Swansea Heads and Caves Beach on the southern side.
Anti-submarine net
An anti-submarine net is a device placed across the mouth of a harbour or a strait for protection against submarines.-Examples of anti-submarine nets:*Lake Macquarie anti-submarine boom*Indicator net*Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign...
located at the entrance to Lake Macquarie
Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)
Lake Macquarie is Australia's largest coastal salt water lake, covering an area of in the Hunter Region of New South Wales with most of the City of Lake Macquarie's residents living near its shores. It is connected to the Tasman Sea by a short channel. Lake Macquarie is twice as large as Sydney...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
It spanned the entire width of the lake channel between Grannies Pool, Blacksmiths
Blacksmiths, New South Wales
Blacksmiths is a coastal suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Pacific Ocean south of Newcastle's central business district, between the suburbs of Belmont and Swansea-Facilities:...
and Lucy’s Wall, Swansea Heads. It was built to protect the large flying boat base, RAAF Rathmines
RAAF Base Rathmines
RAAF Base Rathmines was a Royal Australian Air Force base located on Lake Macquarie in New South Wales.RAAF Base Rathmines was established in 1939 and was the RAAF's main flying boat base during World War II and the early 1950s...
at Rathmines
Rathmines, New South Wales
Rathmines is a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and is located on the western shore of Lake Macquarie between the towns of Toronto and Morisset....
and as part of southern perimeter defence of Fortress Newcastle.
The boom was constructed with a series of poles embedded within lake channel supported by a net of steel cables. A gap in the middle of the boom could be raised with the aid of winches. A pill box and machine gun emplacement were constructed at the Blacksmiths (northern) end of the boom. Trenches zigzagged between Swansea Heads and Caves Beach on the southern side.