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Willis' Magazine
Willis' Magazine is an 18th-century large magazine in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The magazine sits on a plateau with several artillery batteries. Description This magazine is said to be the "largest of its type" remaining anywhere in the world. It has been in a derelict state for decades although work has taken place to clear debris. The general layout consisting of four large magazine chambers surrounded by a two level lighting corridor. This would have provided light through windows along the walls whilst preventing any naked flame from oil lamps from getting near to the magazine's gunpowder. The magazine sits on Willis's Plateau which is a historic place for the placement of Gibraltar's northern defences. The batteries include Princess Anne's Battery, Princess Amelia's Battery and Princess Royal's Battery and behinds these are the start of the World War II Tunnels of Gibraltar. The magazine is named for Captain Willis who made such a contribution in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fortifications Of Gibraltar
The Gibraltar peninsula, located at the far southern end of Iberia, has great strategic importance as a result of its position by the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. It has repeatedly been contested between European and North African powers and has endured fourteen sieges since it was first settled in the 11th century. The peninsula's occupants – Moors, Spanish, and British – have built successive layers of fortifications and defences including walls, bastions, casemates, gun batteries, magazines, tunnels and galleries. At their peak in 1865, the fortifications housed around 681 guns mounted in 110 batteries and positions, guarding all land and sea approaches to Gibraltar. Hughes & Migos, p. 91 The fortifications continued to be in military use until as late as the 1970s and by the time tunnelling ceased in the late 1960s, over of galleries had been dug in an area of only . Gibraltar's fortifications are clustered in three main a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Overseas Territories
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remnants of the former British Empire and do not form part of the United Kingdom itself. The permanently inhabited territories are internally Self-governance, self-governing, with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for Defence (military), defence and foreign relations. Three of the territories are inhabited only by a transitory population of military or scientific personnel. All but one of the rest are listed by the Special Committee on Decolonization, UN Special Committee on Decolonization as United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, non-self-governing territories. All fourteen have the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarch as head of state. three territories (the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and the Akrotiri an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Willis' Battery
Willis' Battery is a former artillery battery (now known as Princess Royal's Battery) on the north side of the British Overseas Territory The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remna ... of Gibraltar. It overlooks the isthmus between Spain and Gibraltar. The battery was originally built during the period of Spanish Gibraltar, Spanish rule over Gibraltar and was known as ''Batería de San Joaquín''. It was renamed, as was the adjoining plateau, after a British artillery officer called Willis who distinguished himself during the 1704 Capture of Gibraltar. The battery was the first British battery on Willis' Plateau, mounting two guns, and saw active service during the Thirteenth Siege of Gibraltar in 1727. Although it was above sea level, it proved vulnerable to Spanish bombardm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tunnels Of Gibraltar
The tunnels of Gibraltar were constructed over the course of nearly 200 years, principally by the British Army. Within a land area of only , Gibraltar has around of tunnels, nearly twice the length of its entire road network. The first tunnels, excavated in the late 18th century, served as communication passages between artillery positions and housed guns within embrasures cut into the North Face of the Rock. More tunnels were constructed in the 19th century to allow easier access to remote areas of Gibraltar and accommodate stores and reservoirs to deliver the water supply of Gibraltar. The 20th century saw by far the greatest extent of tunnelling when the Rock was turned into a huge underground fortress capable of accommodating 16,000 men along with all the supplies, ammunition and equipment needed to withstand a prolonged siege. The tunnelling finally ceased in 1968 when the British Army's last specialist tunnelling unit was disbanded. Since then, the tunnels have progressive ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. World War II was a total war that directly involved more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries. The major participants in the war threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Aircraft played a major role in the conflict, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and deploying the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was by far the deadliest conflict in human history; it resulted in 70 to 85 million fatalities, mostly among civilians. Tens of millions died due to genocides (including the Holocaust), starvation, ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides have deep hills or escarpments. Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, and erosion by water and glaciers. Plateaus are classified according to their surrounding environment as intermontane, piedmont, or continental. A few plateaus may have a small flat top while others have wide ones. Formation Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, Plate tectonics movements and erosion by water and glaciers. Volcanic Volcanic plateaus are produced by volcanic activity. The Columbia Plateau in the north-western United States is an example. They may be formed by upwelling of volcanic magma or extrusion of lava. The un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Willis Magazine Diag
Willis may refer to: Places United States * Willis, Florida, an unincorporated community * Willis, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Willis, Kansas, a city * Willis, Michigan, an unincorporated community * Willis, Nebraska, an unincorporated community * Willis, Oklahoma, an unincorporated community * Willis, Texas, a city * Willis, Floyd County, Virginia, an unincorporated community * Willis, Russell County, Virginia, an unincorporated community * Willis River, a tributary of the James River in Virginia Elsewhere * Willis, Grenada, a town * Willis Island, Coral Sea Islands Territory, Australia * Willis Islands, South Georgia Islands Arts and entertainment Works * ''Giselle'' or ''The Willis'', a ballet (in the ballet, the Willis are a group of supernatural women) * '' Le Villi'' (''The Willis'' or ''The Fairies''), an opera-ballet composed by Giacomo Puccini * ''Willis'' (album), by The Pietasters Fictional characters * Willis Jackson (character), in the 1970s-198 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess Amelia's Battery
Princess Amelia's Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located on Willis's Plateau at the northern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, adjacent to Gun No. 4 of Princess Anne's Battery. It was named after Princess Amelia of Great Britain, the second daughter of George II. It was formerly referred to as the 2nd Willis's Battery. The plateau and its batteries had previously been named after an artillery officer by the name of Willis who was outstanding during the capture of Gibraltar in 1704. Princess Amelia's Battery saw action during the Great Siege of Gibraltar, during which it sustained substantial damage. Little remains of the original site, aside from two derelict buildings. The battery is listed with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust. Early history Princess Amelia's Battery is in Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. The artillery battery is located on Willis's Plateau at the northe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess Anne's Battery
Princess Anne's Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located on Willis's Plateau at the northern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, above Princess Caroline's Battery. It was named after Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, the eldest daughter of George II. However, its name is often confused with those of other batteries in the area. In 1732, guns were first mounted on the battery, which also saw action during the Great Siege of Gibraltar. Princess Anne's Battery was updated in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with the latter modernisation entailing the installation of four QF 5.25 inch guns with both anti-aircraft and coastal defence capabilities. The battery was manned into the early 1980s, after which it was decommissioned. The guns were refurbished in the early twenty-first century, and represent the world's only intact battery of 5.25 inch anti-aircraft guns. Princess Anne's Battery is listed with the Gib ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
