Les Iles Anglo-Normandes, Alderney.
M2 Wn 'Hafen'

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney a small island off the coast of the Cherbourg Peninsular one of the Channel Islands and a Crown dependency. 3miles x 1.5miles.
In June 1940 its entire population was removed and sent to either the other Channel islands or to Britain (most ended up in Glasgow). Then the German occupation forces arrived on the 2nd July. Hitler thinking that the British would attempt at recapturing, ordered it to become a Festung and later combined into the Atlantikwall.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Ausboustand-karte Alderney the German military map of the island.

Ausboustand-karte Alderney.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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1 x Jetty.
1 x Machine gun position.
4 x FT tank turret Tobruks with either a heavy machine gun or 3.7cm KwK 38 PAK.
1 x Radio/machine gun/observation bunker.
1 x Tobruk.
1 x Tunnel.
1 x R680 casemate for a 7.5cm Pak 40.
1 x Barrier.
1 x Electricity generator building.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

 

 

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Braye Harbour.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Braye looking at the very distinctive houses either side of Braye Street. To the left is a machine gun bunker (not on the plan). Hidden on the beach in front of the houses is a 4.7cm Pak K36(t) Skoda bunker and on the harbour wall a tank turret Tobruk and below the crane, an R680 casemate for a 7.5cm Pak 40.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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A machine gun position on the beach.

Plan.

Beach patrol.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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A machine gun position on the beach.

 

 

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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The back of Braye Street on the seaward side with a trench running off to the right leading down to a 4.7cm Skoda casemate.

Plan.

 

 

 

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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The trench continuing on.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Looking along the trench line at the rear entrance of the Skoda casemate.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Just to the right and behind the Skoda casemate is a machine gun bunker.

Plan of the Skoda and MG bunkers.

Plan.
Behind - Anti-tank obstacles. Front ---- Wire defence.
Above -- Skoda casemate.
Below -- MG bunker.

 

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Skoda bunker a rectangular box for a fortress gun.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Skoda bunker with the fortress mounting still in place after the scrap men had taken their fill post war metals.

How the Skoda 4.7cm gun fitted into the casemate.

Skoda 4.7cm gun.

Gunner sat next to the gun and the gun commander stood looking through his viewing slit

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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4.7cm Skoda Pak K (t)
(t) = Czechoslovakia.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Skoda bunker fortress fitting a 770P4 steel plate..

770P4 steel plate.

4.7cm ammunition.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Skoda bunker to the right and above the gun mounting is the gun commanders viewing slot.

Gun commander.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Skoda bunker the area covered by the Skoda gun and the machine gun to its right of the bay.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Skoda bunker, the viewing slit and Skoda gun fitting in the front and the commanders viewing slit to the left.

The 4.7cm Pak K (t) gun.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Skoda bunker, this is a post war photo of the Skoda casemate in an allied document. Note the camouflaged paintwork and the destruction of the houses due to neglect and the wood stolen for fire wood.

Alderney M2 Wn Hafen

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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The beach would have been mined, anti-tank obstacles and wire.

 

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tank turret Tobruk.
This short pier was used by the German navy to tie up their harbour guard boats and a tank turret Tobruk sitting half way along it.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tank turret Tobruk.
Allied photograph taken in 1945.

Not a very good quality photo I am afraid.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tank turret Tobruk.

FT17 turret with a heavy machine gun is probably the type of turret that was used here.

Another picture of how it may have looked.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tank turret Tobruk.
Allied photograph taken in 1945.

The door can just be seen.

Alderney M2 Wn Hafen

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tank turret Tobruk.
Crew compartment one end and ammunition in the other.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tank turret Tobruk.
I think a chimney pipe outlet from the bunker.

Bunker heater, coal or wood could be used.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tank turret Tobruk.
The ring where the turret fitted.

A turret ring.

Alderney M2 Wn Hafen

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Most of these houses were derelict and the wood stolen for fire wood or building materials, there is no indigenous timber on the island.

Alderney M2 Wn Hafen

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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The bottom end of Braye St.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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The front of the R680 a casemate for a 7.5cm Pak 40 gun. A flanking wall now removed to help traffic using the road to pass. Two ammunition niches each side of the rear door and a centre gun room.

Plan of where the R680 is situated.

R680 plan.

7.5cm Pak 40 gun.

7.5cm Pak 40 gun being loaded.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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A contemporary picture of how the bunker which was camouflaged as a house. It says “Possibly an 88mm” well an easy mistake as the R680 was designed for a 7.5cm Pak 40. The two guns look very alike.

8.8cm Pak 43.

7.5cm Pak 40.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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R680 interesting concrete camouflage.

A 7.5cm Pak 40 inside a casemate.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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R680 the flanking wall now removed.

Alderney M2 Wn Hafen

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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R680 more camouflage down the side.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tobruk.

Plan.

Tobruk.

It looks like a Bf58c type.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Tobruk.

Tobruk in an AA roll.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Attached to the end of the harbour was an extension built by the Germans from parts of a bridge to be used in Operation 'Seelöw' the attack on Britain in 1940.

German army bridging trailer.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Out on the harbour was an air raid shelter, two Tobruks with tank turrets, two R656 15man bunkers and a small bunker.

Plan.

Tobruk with a tank turret.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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How they may have looked, two Tobruks with a tank turret, two R656 15man bunker and a small bunker. Also see Axishistory.com

Plan.

Tobruk with a tank turret.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
I would like to thank Nigel for allowing us to visit the Wireless bunker and also later taking us to the Hospital bunker.

Plan.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
The entrance under the Harbour Masters Office.

Plan.

Marines.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Inside the passageway.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Passage.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Concrete cupola.

90P9 steel cupola.

Spotting.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
The three viewing slits.

90P9 steel cupola this concrete cupola is a copy. Presumably they did not have a steel cupola so made a concrete one.

Under the grass is the concrete cupola.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
The concrete crossing the tunnel is the new Harbour Masters Office.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Gun room for a heavy machine gun.

Gun room.

MG inside a bunker like this one.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Gun room showing the targeting details painted on the wall.

But it may have been a heavy Maxim a WW1 machine gun here.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Gun room showing the targeting details painted on the other wall.

Another machine gun in a casemate.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Another aperture in the rear wall for another machine gun and also more targeting information on the wall.

 

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
A view of the bunker but here we have a steel plate for an embrasure being used as a roof.

A metal plate being fitted into place.

Metal plates stacked up ready for shipment to the Atlantikwall.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
I believe its a 7P7 metal plate used as a roof section. I suppose by opening the right hand aperture a machine gun could be used either in an AA or ground role and observation through the large shuttered hole.

A 7P7 steel plate for a machine gun emplacement.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Within the passages there are a few odd bits and pieces and this is more of an air raid shelter.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Unter schlupf aus Schurzblechrahmen, Siegfried
für 3 Mann leigend oder 6 mann sitzen.
[Enclosure of frame, Siegfried
For 3 men or 6 man sitting].
Interesting that all the bunkers I have seen in France, this type I have never seen. Its an early design for the Siegfried line probably designed in the1930's to shelter soldiers at defences on the German border. There would have been two wooden planks down each side to sit on.

Shelter of apron frame, Siegfried
For 3 men or 6 man sitting.

Six German soldiers.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Naval wireless bunker [497].A very round bunker, another I have never ever seen.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Naval wireless bunker [497].
What do you do with a square table??
This radio room bunker.

 

 

 

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Naval wireless bunker [497].On the top of the flat roof was a 2cm Flak.

 

 

Bunker phone.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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2cm Flak 30 this is the sort of gun and mounting that may have been on top of the bunker.

Or a Flak 28/29 Oerlikon.

2cm Flak shell case.

2cm Flak magazines.

2cm Flak base mounting designs.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Harbour Masters Office. Naval wireless bunker.
Under the earth is a concrete version of a steel cupola. Presumably a steel cupola was not available and somebody crafted this one out of concrete. I have also found parts of a steel close combat defence embrasure made of wood on another bunker on the island. It may show that certain parts were not available and the builders on the island had to improvised and fabricated.

Plan.

90P9 Steel dome.

90P9 Steel dome.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Just to show the English were here first. WD = War Department. The broad arrow is the government sign or Pheon. Most government military fortifications and here on Alderney there are many. Usually stone 1 is the key stone and then they run right around the site.
WD - War Department.
RN -- Royal Navy.
AM -- Air Ministry.

Broad arrow or Pheon.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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On the end of the short quay is a tank turret Tobruk.

Plan.

German naval trawler converted to gunboat and would be heavily armed.

German naval Mine sweeper.

Alderney M2 Wn Hafen

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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The tank turret Tobruk with two doors which is very unusual. An FT French tank turret was on the top. Many French WW1 and post WW1 tank turrets were used in the Atlantikwall, a light weight small turret firing either a heavy machine gun or a 3.7cm cannon.

Heavy machine gun.

Renault FT-17 of 1917.

3.7cm FT turret.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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This model bunker the same design as the one on the other quay but this one has mountings for sliding doors of a type I have seen in bunker and in fact there is one in the medical bunker on the island.

 

Tobruk ammunition room in a bunker higher up the hill.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Vent pipe still with its grill to stop a hand grenade to be thrown in. Note the second door runner.

A heater like this one may have been fitted into the crew side of the bunker.

Heating in a bunker.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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The turret ring still in place, they were either geared so turned by rotating a handle or they had a free running turret ring whereby you would use your shoulders to move the turret around.

Turret fitting.

Turret thread and nut.

The geared ring on the mounting.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Set into the stone walls Eisenpfahel would be spaced out and barbed wire entanglement placed around them.. There were also Teller mines and heavy old French shells wired up as mines all along the quays.
Eisenpfahel is a stylised German support for a barbed wire entanglement.

Eisenpfahel.

Barbed wire.

Eisenpfahel on Alderney.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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A barrier was built somewhere across the slipway to stop easy access to the breakwater and entry onto the island.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Protected generator house.

109C heavy generator. I do not know what type was used here.

Plan.

Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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Alderney, M2 Wn 'Hafen'

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© 2013 Richard Drew