Coastal fortifications of New Zealand Coastal fortifications were constructed in New Zealand in two main waves : around 1885 as a response to fears of an attack by Russia , and in World War II due to fears of invasion by the Japan ese . The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions . They typically included gun emplacements , pill boxes , fire control or observation post s , camouflage strategies , underground bunker s , sometimes with interconnected tunnels , containing magazines , supply and plotting rooms and protected engine rooms supplying power to the gun turret s and searchlights . There were also kitchens , barracks , and officer and NCO quarters . The " Russian - scare " forts of 1885 . In the 1870s New Zealand was a young self - governing colony of Britain . It had developed no coastal defences of any consequence and was becoming increasingly sensitive to how vulnerable its harbours were to attack by a hostile power or opportunistic raider . In the aftermath of the Crimean war , Tsarist Russia seemed particularly suspicious . ( In 1873 an Auckland editor perpetrated ) . . . what has been hailed the greatest spoof in the country ' s history . The Monday , 18 February 1873 edition of the " Southern Cross " reported the sudden declaration of war between England and Russia . As a result , the Russian warship " Kaskowiski " – whose very name should have made sober readers suspicious – had allegedly entered Auckland Harbour on the previous Saturday night and proceeded to capture a British ship , along with the city ' s arms and ammunition supply , and hold a number of leading citizens for ransom . The 954 - man Russian vessel obviously meant business , with a dozen 30 - ton guns as well as a remarkably new advance in warfare , a paralysing and deadly " water - gas " that could be injected into enemy ships from a great distance . The " Southern Cross " article created panic and the Government commissioned its first reports on the colony ' s defences . It was now clearly understood that Britain would protect its territories and vital shipping routes , but the defence of individual ports was the responsibility of each self - governing colony . Then Russia declared war on Turkey in 1877 producing another " scare " . The decision was taken to construct fortifications and purchase naval boats which would protect the harbours at Auckland , Wellington , Lyttelton and Port Chalmers . These coastal artillery fortifications or land batteries were to be based on British designs . Heavy artillery pieces and ammunition was ordered from Britain . By 1885 work started in earnest on the construction of what eventually became seventeen forts , further encouraged by yet another Russian scare . Artillery . In 1885 the New Zealand Government bought ten Armstrong BL 8 - inch and thirteen Armstrong BL 6 - inch guns on disappearing carriages . The disappearing gun was the very latest in military technology in the 1880s . It was " disappearing " because as it fired the recoil pushed the gun back underground where it could be reloaded under cover . The total costs of this artillery plus the costs of installation including land , emplacements , magazines and barracks was about £160 , 000 . Following the " second Russian scare " a number of additional RML 7 - inch and 64 - pr guns were also installed World War II coastal fortifications . The second main wave of building coastal fortifications occurred during World War II . This was mainly a response to a perceived threat of invasion by the Japan ese after the attack on Pearl Harbor . From 1942 until 1944 , when the threat receded , 42 coastal artillery fortifications or land batteries were either developed using historical fortifications or were built from scratch . The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions . Radar was installed which allowed long range shooting at night and replaced the traditional fortress system of range finding . Ordnance . The fortifications were equipped with both old and new ordnance , mostly British . Some World War I ordnance was requisitioned from museums and recommissioned . The fortifications . The fortifications were administered by the Royal New Zealand Artillery , which grouped them into four areas . Each area was under the command of a heavy artillery regiment . Within each regiment the fortifications were grouped into batteries . Upper North Island . Under the command of the 9th Heavy ( Coast ) Regiment . Lower North Island . Under the command of the 10th Heavy ( Coast ) Regiment . Upper South Island . Under the command of the 11th Heavy ( Coast ) Regiment . Lower South Island . Under the command of the 13th Heavy ( Coast ) Regiment . Post war . The advent of air warfare and missiles made these forts redundant and most were decommissioned by the 1950s . Godley Head continued because of compulsory military training and last fired a gun in 1959 . The Department of Conservation has the remains of around 30 installations on land it manages . Postscript . None of the forts fired a gun in anger , though in 1939 a Battery Point gun accidentally sank the fishing boat " Dolphin " and killed its skipper . In 1972 the United States declassified a contingency plan for invading New Zealand . This plan consisted of a 120 - page intelligence document called " Naval War Plan for the Attack of Auckland , New Zealand " . The intelligence for the report was gathered during the visit of the Great White Fleet to Auckland over six days in 1908 . The plan advocated Manukau Harbour as the best invasion point and landing heavy guns on Rangitoto Island to shell the forts on the North Shore . The plan was not very realistic and may have been an exercise to keep young officers busy . External links .