Momi Battery

Fiji’s First Line of Defence during WWII

It was WWII, Japan declared war on the Allies and began expanding across the Pacific. The threat of Fiji being invaded became a real possibility. In preparation for its defense, and to protect the Royal New Zealand Airforce Base, the capital city of Suva built 3 gun batteries, protecting its harbour.

In the west, Momi was selected as a battery site because it overlooked the Navula Passage. The passage offered one of the few breaks in the surrounding reef where enemy ships could enter to attack Nadi town, the important airfield in Nadi, and port entry at Lautoka. Being next to the only deep water passage through the reef on the western side of Viti Levu, Momi Bay was also seen as a likely landing point for an amphibious landing. – it was just south of the strategically important airstrips at Nadi and the port of Lautoka. In addition, reinforcements from Suva coming along the coast road could be attacked by warships from offshore, effectively isolating the western side of the island.

Construction began on the 6-inch gun battery at Momi in the late 1940 by soldiers of the Fiji Defense Force and the Fiji Public Works Department, assisted by locals from the Momi area. New Zealand soldiers soon arrived and assisted with the construction and training of the Fijian gunners. They were followed by soldiers from the United States Army who joined the troops. There are two gun emplacements at Momi. Each gun is 7 meters long, weighs 7.5 tonnes and was capable of firing a 45 kilogram shell more than 14 kilometers.

With the Momi Gun Battery in place to fire against invaders, and a battalion of troops to repel any forces that tried to land, Fiji’s first line of defense was ready and waiting.