Battery 201 - Protecting Casco Bay

Battery 201 - Protecting Casco Bay. . At the outbreak of World War II in Europe, the US Army authorized four new gum batteries for Portland Harbor. Two were located on Peaks Island and one each on Jewell Island and here at Two Lights., This battery was designated as Battery 201 (the first battery of the 200 series) but never given a name. Between the two guns of the battery was a concrete "casemate" or bunker that contained a planning room, ammunition storage, temporary quarters, and three diesel-powered electrical generators. The plotting room of the bunker could be completely sealed off in the event of a poison gas attack The exterior of the casemate was reinforced with a concrete apron, covered with earth and carefully camouflaged. , Target coordinates for the guns were telephoned to the plotting room from two nearby Fire Control Towers, a seacoast radar installation, and a Navy Magnetic Loop Station for detecting ships entering Portland Harbor. The radar station was located on the four concrete bases still visible near the fog station. The Two Lights location also included three searchlights and two anti-aircraft guns. , Built in 1943, Battery 201 was never fully equipped with guns before it became evident that the Allies would achieve success in World War II. In 1961, the State of Maine purchased this scenic area from the Federal government for $67,000. , This six-inch gun on a shielded barbetts carriage is of the type commonly used in the 200-series batteries. Their gun tubes were modifications of earlier M1003 and M1905 weapons. Each battery had two guns, each mounted inside a protective shield. , The shield that surrounds the gun, except for the open area at the rear are made of cast steel, and range from 4-6 Inches thick. This is considered to be enough to protect against light weapons fire, and he misses from heavier shells. The weight of the gun carriage and the shield is 142,000 lbs The ammunition "truck" is shown at rear. , The gun tube itself was approximately 25 feet long and could fire a projectile up to about 27,000 yards (15 miles). With this range, Battery 201 could reach an area stretching roughly from Yarmouth to Cape Porpoise. Other guns within the harbor defenses of Portland could reach up to 25 miles. , Directing Fire The observation tower behind the battery along with one of the lighthouses nearby acted as "fire control towers" for the guns here. Men in these towers took readings that determined the range and coordinates of enemy ships and radioed them to the plotting room in the casemate. Here, the firing coordinates for the guns were determined.