Ca015 Ault H.K.B. Radar

 

R636a (fire control post). Set in front of the light house and is a very good condition but has unfriendly neighbours who don't like bunker hunters!

R636a (fire control post). Looking up at the viewing slit, this model had an open range-finder room on the top and a Tobruk for local defence.

R636a (fire control post). The view from the air.

R636a (fire control post). The view from the top of the lighthouse..

This Tobruk I have just been informed is being built over by housing. Vf58c (Tobruk).

Bombing by 88 and 342Sqns, 137 Wing RAF, 27 May 1944, both flew Boston IIIA and they were stationed at RAF Hartford Bridge (Hampshire).

Bombing by 88 and 342Sqns, 137 Wing RAF.

Bombing by 88 and 342Sqns, 137 Wing RAF 27 May 1944.

Batterie 1/H.K.A.R.1252. (Heers Küsten Artillery Regiment). I believe this is where the battery was situated, when this photo was taken the area had been started to be cleared up. There are many bomb craters in the area. The track curving around to the right is the railway line. The yellow square is Ringstand for a 7.62F.K.39 (r), .red square where the radar sat and above the fire control post.

A plan sent to me by Mustec Micort of the batterie position today. Thank you Mustec.

Battery position today, some of the remains that are left.

Mustec has just sent me two photos of concrete remains left on the batterie site..

This is a buried command cable set into the concrete.

Battery site at StP152 Batterie Gatteville 7/HKAR1261. This is to show how it may have looked around June 1944 but it only had three Geschützstellung and three 17cm K18 guns.

A batterie site in Norway. One 17cm K18 gun in its Geschützstellung in Norway showing the way the gun was mounted and would have been used here.

A 17cm K18 gun fired in a field position with its crew resting around the gun. At least nine crew with ready ammunition laid out ready to use. Shells on the right, case on the left and powder charges in the boxes.

Another K18 being readied to fire. This is a propaganda photo whilst being filmed with a cine camera as the men load the gun with a shell. One man is holding a powder bag (Cordite bags).

V229 (Würzburg radar socket). Before D-Day small ships were sent out at night to creep up to the French coast, then the order to 'Make Sparks' (these were steam gun boats and by raking the fire sparks would shower out of the funnel). The sparks would be seen by lookouts on the coast and the radars would switch on to locate the targets. Whilst all this was going on a Wellington bomber packed with electronic radar detecting systems was also on the spot to see the radars switch on and locate them. As all the information was brought together, Allied intelligence knew where all the radars were and their wavelength, so as and when needed Typhoon fighter bombers could be sent out to locate and destroy these radars. You will see today the marks on the concrete of many radar stations where these attacks took place. By D-day all the radars the Allies wanted shut down, were and some they wanted to work continued. Counter measures were put in place on the morning of D-Day designed to show a large force of ships and aircraft crossing to the French coast. These deceptions were designed to show an attack in the Pas-de-Calais area where the Germans thought an attack would come. The some radars around the Pas-de-Calais were left in good working order so they would pick up the deceptions and be expecting the attack. In the D-Day areas the radars had been mostly put out of action so they would not pick up the actual attack. Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

Würzburg See Riese Fu.MO 214.

V229 (Würzburg radar socket). The two of the five studs that hold on the radar head.

Trenches still showing up in the bank leading away from the radar socket.

This could be the site of the 7.62F.K.39(r).

This could be the site of the 7.62F.K.39(r) situated near the radar and well forward of the batterie. It could possibly be used to fire star shells ordered by the Fire Control Post, in the air to indicate targets for the batterie to fire at from the rear.

The centre of the Ringstand and some bolts still sticking up.

Trenches, radar socket, cable trench, Ringstand and Tobruk.