In 1927, the British Government commissioned a review of the coastal defences for Singapore. The review was to focus on the protection of the seaward approaches to the new naval base to be built in the north of Singapore on the Strait of Johore which separated Singapore and Malaya. As a result, several improvements were to be made to existing fort facilities and, as the centrepiece of the review, included the construction of two new gun batteries that would house land-based 15” naval guns.

Within hours of the Japanese Navy’s attack on Pearl Harbour, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Malaya (now Malaysia) both through Thailand and by landing on its north-east coast at Kota Bahru. Just over two months later, the British-led allied forces in Singapore would surrender.