StP08 Riva-Bella
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StP08 Riva-Bella
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Batterie 1./H.K.A.A 1260.
2., Grenadier-Regiment 736.
HQ 1., Grenadier-Regiment 736.
Allied code name 'Bass'.
1 x Hochleitstand (FCP).
1 x R644 6 embrasure turret bunker.
2 x R612
casemate for an assault gun.
1 x R666 infantry observation post with small turret.
1 x R626 casemate for a 7.5cm Pak with roof canopy.
6 x R622
twin group shelters.
3 x R134 ammunition bunker i.
6 x Geschützstellung (Ringstands for 15.5cm guns).
4 x SK/Schartenstand & 2 x under-construction. Casemates for poss. 15.5cm guns.
2 x Ringstands for 5cm KwK.
1 x SK/Doppelschartenstand for a 5cm KwK.
1 x R624 machine-gun casemate with temp. front & roof plating.
1 x Vf/MG
machine-gun bunker.
1 x Flakstellung (Flak tower for 2cm Flak).
6 x 15.5cm K.418(f) guns.
1 x 7.5cm F.K38 assault gun.
3 x 5cm KwK L/60 Pak guns.
2 x 2cm Flak (at least).
15.5cm K.418(f) gun.
R622 twin group shelter..
R626 casemate for a 7.5cm F.K. with roof canopy.
5cm KwK L/60 Pak.
7.5cm F.K38.
R134 ammunition bunker.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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StP08 Riva-Bella
08 November 1942 RAF reconnaissance photo
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StP08 Riva-Bella
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The RAF reconnaissance visited every part of occupied Europe as it could and has a massive archive of photos. This one showing taken in November 1942 three years into the war and very few defences have been build. So everything you see from here on was probably built after this date.
StP08 Riva-Bella
08 November 1942 RAF reconnaissance photo
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This is the area of StP08 Riva-Bella. Most of the defences were smaller Wn's, but here they were all grouped together into one large defence. About 31 plus bunkers/casemates/emplacements.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Plan of the StP (Stützgpunkt). The six open emplacements (6 x Geschützstellung (Ringstands for 15.5cm guns) with 3 x R134 ammunition bunker i.
An anti-tank ditch covers the rear of the StP and a ring of Tobruks and tank turreted Tobruks. The Casino was a large interesting building but dismantled to just the ground floor and very well defended. A Flak tower for a 2cm Flak behind and a fire control post (Hochleitstand). 6 x R622
twin group shelters used here as artillery guns crews quarters. Plus many other types.
Geschützstellung 15.5cmk 418 (f) emplacement.
R134 ammunition bunker i.
R622 twin group bunker.
StP08 Riva-Bella
Bigot map
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A Bigot map, issued to Bigoted officers in the allied armies due to attack the French coast. To be a Bigot is to mean you were a trusted man to keep a secret. A very accurate map of the German defences and shows what Allied intelligence knew about the StP.
Major Sam Wheeler a D-Day planner.
Planners.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Plan of the ranges of artillery in this part of Normandy. The red area was Batterie H.K.B. 1./1260 six x 15.5cm K.418(f) guns.
5.5cm K.418(f).
Geschützstellung (Ringstands for 15.5cm guns).
Gunners
StP08 Riva-Bella
21 March 2015
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The Beach, a vast area of sand when the tide is out and ideal as a landing beach and Rommel knew it. He increased the defences here and had many more minefields laid out.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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This is an air-photo of where the first remains can be found. The red circle I am not sure what this was but the red square is I believe an R134 ammunition bunker and a Tobruk defence.
M134 ammunition bunker.
Plan of how the R134 was connected to the gun pits.
Entrance into an R134 at Gatteville Batterie.
StP08 Riva-Bella
21 March 2015
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The piece of concrete in the middle of a raceway.
The area as it looked in 1944 allied air photo.
StP08 Riva-Bella
21 March 2015
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StP08 Riva-Bella It may be the centre of a Geschützstellung (Ringstands for 15.5cm guns).
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The piece of concrete in the middle of a raceway.
The turntable for the gun.
Plan of a turntable.
How it would look.
StP08 Riva-Bella
21 March 2015
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The piece of concrete in the middle of a raceway.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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15.5cm K.418(f) guns. This is what a 15.5cm gun in its Geschützstellung.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Six open emplacements numbered.
Four casemates being built lettered.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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I can see at least four 15.5cm guns in place. Even the crews can be seen around the guns.
Crew.
StP08 Riva-Bella
01 November 2010
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R134 ammunition bunker.
R134 ammunition bunker i.
The passage way running right through.
The layout of an R134 ammunition bunker serving two guns in the batterie..
StP08 Riva-Bella
01 November 2010
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R134 ammunition bunker.
Door from the passage into its ammunition room. The door fittings are of a 434PO1.
434PO1 door.
StP08 Riva-Bella
01 November 2010
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R134 ammunition bunker hooks sticking out of the concrete to attach a camouflage net..
Bunker camouflage nets being strung out.
StP08 Riva-Bella
01 November 2010
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R134 ammunition bunker The entrance into the ammunition bunker..
R134
Plan.
StP08 Riva-Bella
01 November 2010
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On the top of the R134 is this camouflaged stone wall with a defensive Tobruk.
StP08 Riva-Bella
DEFE 2/433
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One of the large 15.5cm guns Ringstands.
StP08 Riva-Bella
01 November 2010
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The entrance into the Tobruk.
StP08 Riva-Bella
01 November 2010
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The sealed up Tobruk ring in the top.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Geschützstellung (Ringstands for 15.5cm guns) with the Hochleitstand (FCP) in the background.
Geschützstellung.
StP08 Riva-Bella
Bundesarchiv
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Rommel being shown a Fire Power demonstration early in 1944. This is what the artillery could do to to an invasion fleet if they dared to come this close.
StP08 Riva-Bella
Bundesarchiv
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Behind Ouistreham there were several batteries like the Merville Batterie at Wn01.
7.62cm F.K.39 R.
10.5cm F.H.18.
10.5cm Leichte Feldhaubitze 16.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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StP08 Riva-Bella H.K.B 1./1260.
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Two casemates under construction, two R622 twin group bunkers and the entrance to an R134. The R622´s were there to protect the guns crews from heavy bombing and as barracks.
R622 plan.
R622 inside.
R622 gas lock.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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StP08 Riva-Bella H.K.B 1./1260. 6 x 15.5cm K.418(f) guns.
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SK/Schartenstand under construction and An R622 twin group bunker.
R622 plan..
R622 rear elevation.
R670 casemate very like the ones here.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Once the Allies saw that six open emplacements were being built here they started to bomb the batterie. Casemates were then constructed to protect these guns.
15.5cm K.418 (f) guns.
RAF Halifax bomber.
USAAF B17's bombing.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Batterie damage report.
Allied bomb damage report of the Batterie..
StP08 Riva-Bella
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SK/Doppelschartenstand for a 5cm KwK
.Interesting casemate. A 5cm KwK Pak gun could fire down either flank. This casemate was removed and now the Brittany Ferries port is now sitting on top of it.
SK/Doppelschartenstand for a 5cm KwK plan.
5cm KwK L/60 Pak gun.
The new ferry port is situated right on the top of this bunker.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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SK/Doppelschartenstand for a 5cm KwK.
The gun had two embrasures, one each side and could fire through either whichever was the greater threat.
Vf Double-stand
5cm KwK L/60 Pak gun.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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SK/Doppelschartenstand for a 5cm KwK.
Plan
StP08 Riva-Bella
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SK/Doppelschartenstand for a 5cm KwK.
One of the many Tobruk defences. The ships behind were block-ships to protect the beach area from heavy seas after D-Day.
Tobruk.
Tobruk.
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An R35 tank turret it a ´U´ Tobruk with the Fire Control Tower in the background.
Plan.
R35 tank turret.
A ´U´ Tobruk. with its two man crew.
StP08 Riva-Bella
00 00 00
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An R35 tank turret it a ´U´ Tobruk.
Clearing up the beach and removing the ´U´ tank turret Tobruk that was in the picture above. The road is also being built and several bunkers destroyed.
Another view from the far side with the new road being laid out.
StP08 Riva-Bella
DEFE 2/433 - Commando papers 2001/1507/46
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Concrete gun post approximately 20' x 30' housing a German Pak 40 75mm. gun facing westward bearing 310 deg. with about a 60 deg. arc of fire. Roof 7' thick and walls to seaward about 6' thick. Sand bags to seaward up to the top of the roof, which was 10' above ground level. There was no damage to the gun embrasure but it was reported by a doctor who arrived at H + 2 that the crew had had been killed by a shell from a tank which exploded inside. The gun was undamaged and had fired a great deal. DEFE 2/433 [6' = 6feet].
Plan.
R612 casemate plan.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Anti-tank ditch. Zig Zagging along the rear of StP08 was an anti-tank ditch. It was concrete lined and barbed wire laid at the bottom to stop infantry from getting through, also water could lay in the bottom making it a better defence.
Plan.
Anti-tank ditch.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
This picture of the Hochleitstand is through one of the SK/Schartenstand that was under construction. They were made from a pre-formed concrete block.
The ground floor would have a close combat defence to protect the entrance.
Ground floor & entrance.
Close combat defence anti gas room and machinery room with a generator.
Close combat defence.
Anti gas room.
StP08 Riva-Bella
DEFE 2/487
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The damage to the upper part of the tower was superficial and only needed the fragments removed and it then continued being used.
StP08 Riva-Bella
06 June 2010
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The view across the town.
Details2
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The entrance to the museum.
Ground floor & entrance.
Close combat defence anti gas room and machinery room with a generator.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Close combat defence.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The British & French Commandos fought their way through Ouistreham from west to east. They passed by the Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post) and attacked it. Hand grenades showered from above down onto the troops. They decided that as there were no heavy weapons in the tower that it could be bypassed and left to follow up troops. It was not until the 9th June that Lieutenant Bob Orrell o the Royal Engineers was ordered to investigate the bunker. He and three Engineers set off explosives to blow open the door. Then the the Germans inside surrender. Two Officers and 50 men left the bunker.
A stick grenade being thrown.
Stielhandgranate 24 eight.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Lufterraum, anti gas room. By rotating the hand pump, air is sucked in from outside, air that could be heavy with gas. This passes through charcoal filters to remove any impurities. Then the clean air is circulated around the bunker via pipes laid into the concrete walls. The internal air is pressurised to above the outside air pressure and that with all doors closed (doors have rubber seals around them) stops the ingress of gas.
Lufterraum
Gas mask.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Close combat defence 483P2 type.
Close combat defence.
483P2.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
A nice wooden phone.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).Generator room, Planraum.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Main close combat room.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The stairs to the ready room, officers room and ammunition.
1std floor.
Bereitschaftsraum, Fuhrerraum & munitionsraum.
Plan.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).Working/living space.
2nd floor.
Bereitschaftsraum, working space.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Armoury.
K98 standard issue German rifle.
Schmeisser sub-machine gun.
Boxes of ammunition.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Plans, radio, information and ammunition room.
Third floor.
Funk, Nachrichenraum, Planraum and munitions.
Light switch.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).Speaking tubes. As on old ships and aircraft. Tubes running throughout the bunker from floor to floor can be used to communicate.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Funkraum - Radio room.
Telephone.
Teleprinter.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Stairs up to the top floor. On the back wall is a slot for the radio aerial fitting and on the landing a B17 propeller.
Forth floor.
Messtand and Wachoffizierraum.
Plan of an aerial.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Observation room.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
Range finder.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The view across to the port.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The steel ladder rungs up to the Flak position on the roof. Also all ammunition would have to be carried the five floors and then onto the roof by hand.
2cm magazines.
2cm magazines.
StP08 Riva-Bella
Museum
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The 2cm Flak 38 actually on the roof.
StP08 Riva-Bella
11 March 2013
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Hochleitstand (Fire Control Post).
The concrete pre cast stairs each piece numbered in Roman Numerals.
StP08 Riva-Bella
DEFE2/487 Air attacks reports by Prof. S Zukerman, Maj. Anderson & others.
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Plans of emplacements around the StP.
After the landings, Allied intelligence parties were sent to France to look at all the German defences, asses battle damage, bring back any secrets. This was a plan from one of those parties a Maj. Anderson. Prof Zukerman was Winston Churchill's science adviser.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Flak tower for a 2cm Flak 30.
The attack on the Flak Tower
The 500 strong Commando left their Forming up Point (FOP) and lead by the Free French Commando under Commander Kieffer lead the way. They were helped by a French Gendarme and by passed many defences to get to their target. The Commando dropped their rucksacks and started to cross the anti-tank ditch (the French Commando started to attack the Casino).The rest of the Commando assaulted A major defence position which was silenced by machine gun, mortar and a well aimed Piat A/T weapon. The Flak tower with a 2cm AA gun sat on its eight legs fired down on them, so the units mortars brought down on the tower, silenced it. The batterie position was then rapidly cleared of enemy and the Commandos continued on to Pegasus Bridge (Wn13 Pont sur le Canal) and across to their defence positions the ridge on the the east side of the Orne River.
Commando Papers, D-Day Museum Archive Portsmouth.
Plan.
2cm Flak 30.
A French Gendarme at Barneville (Manche).
Commandos landing.
Moving in land.
Commando attack..
StP08 Riva-Bella
09 March 2013
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Flak tower for a 2cm Flak 30.
StP08 Riva-Bella
09 March 2013
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Flak tower for a 2cm Flak 30.
Concrete stairs.
StP08 Riva-Bella
09 March 2013
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Flak tower for a 2cm Flak 30.
On the top where a 2cm Flak 30 would sit on the concrete square base.
2cm Flak 30.
StP08 Riva-Bella
09 March 2013
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Flak tower for a 2cm Flak 30.
The view out to sea. With a 360° view and with the other 2cm Flak 30 on top of the fire control post, the cross fire could be devastating to a low level fighter..
StP08 Riva-Bella
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Flak tower for a 2cm Flak 30.
StP08 Riva-Bella
09 March 2013
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Flak tower for a 2cm Flak 30.
Wellblech shelter for the guns crew.
Wellblech shelter inside.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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5cm Pak L/60.
In its Ringstand and set out somewhere on the left flank of the defence. This could be the gun that the French Commandos attacked on D-Day.
Plan.
Ringstand for a 5cm KwK gun.
5cm KwK L/60.
StP08 Riva-Bella
Delecampe
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Casino.
The original Riva-Bella Casino prior to the war.
Casino.
Plan.
StP08 Riva-Bella
Delecampe
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Casino.
This is how it looked after D-Day, the top of the casino was demolished and then fortified. At least one ´U´ R35 tank turret Tobruk and a 2cm Flak 30.
R35 tank turret.
Plan of a ´U´ Tobruk.
´U´ R35 tank turret Tobruk.
2cm Flak 30.
StP08 Riva-Bella
1er Battalion de Fusiliers Marines Commandos
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1er Battalion de Fusiliers Marines Commandos.
Formed in March 1941 and became "Commandos Français" and were tasked on D-Day to take StP08 and bunkers around the Casino.
They landed on Sword beach and moved eastwards.
The route they took to take Ouistreham.
Commandos moving south for Pegasus Bridge.
StP08 Riva-Bella
31 October 2016
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Anti-tank Dragons teeth.
Yellow lines where the Dragons teeth were laid out.
Dragons teeth.
Dragons teeth.
StP08 Riva-Bella
00 00 00
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Anti-Tank Dragons teeth.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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MG post.
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R626 casemate for a 7.5cm F.K. 231(f) without roof canopy.
The steel canopy should have been an 845P6 but was never fitted.
R626 gun room.
R626 at Wn10 showing the steel roof..
R626 casemate
Crew room, gas lock, close combat defence, gun room and under the gun room an ammunition room.
StP08 Riva-Bella
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R626 casemate for a 7.5cm F.K. 231(f) without roof canopy.
The 7.5cm F.K. 231(f) in place.
Plan.
Plan of the defensive fire power covering the beach..
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21 March 2015
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France
Great Britain
