Machine Gun Post, East Tytam Bay [1935- ]

The twin machine gun (mg) positions on Ngan Hang Village Beach are still there.

Ngan Hang Village Machine Gun Positions, north (centre of pic), south (right) , by gw

From south mg position looking north (chairman of village welcoming committee circling) , by gw

From north mg position looking south, by gw

Both are of the usual simple design consisting of a concrete platform set in an exposed position bearing;

- a low, curved concrete wall across the central part of the front of the platform.

- a circular indent with 6 bolt holes.

- a rectangular hole which penetrates the platform at an angle.

South mg position, by gw

North mg position, by gw

  I guess the indent with the bolt holes was for securing a fixed mounting for the machine gun. The north position has a similar grouping of rusting bolts embedded in concrete just off the front, right corner of the platform.

Rusting bolts at the corner of the north position, by gw

I wonder if this is evidence of an earlier version of the mg position, before the platform was built?

I'm also interested to know the function of the rectangular, angled holes. Here they are in close-up.

Hole in south position, by gw

Hole in north platform, by gw

 I should have cleared the debris to find how deep the holes are, but didn't. I initially thought the holes could have been for ammunition storage, but that doesn't seem logical as most photos of Vickers MGs show the ammunition belt was fed in from the other side of the gun, i.e. opposite to the holes. Can anyone elighten me please?