Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Stab M.A.A.244, it sat for four years overlooking its enemy and when the enemy came, it came from the air and from Canada and also from the rear. Originally designed to help calculate the fall of shot from the very heavy artillery batteries in the area. As it was possibly the closest point to Dover. It would have seen the bombardments over the years of Dover and Folkstone areas and watched as bomber after bomber flew over, day & night to flatten the home land and could do very little about it.
Batterie Todt.
Batterie Lindemann
M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Red - Visited
Yellow - not Visited
Stab M.A.A.244
A mixed HQ of Heers (Army), Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
2 x R621 group shelters.
3 x R612 casemates
1 x SK/Markostand.
1 x L430A
3 x Wellblech
1 x Vf/MG Stand
1 x MG Stand (coupole)
3 x 7.5cm F.K.231(f).
R621 group shelters.
7.5cm F.K.231(f).
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
This is what we visited
Stab M.A.A.244
A mixed HQ of Heers (Army), Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
R621 grou shelter.
7.5cm F.K.231(f).
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Map of the area from the operational map for 'Undergo', the 3rd Canadian Inf. Div. attack on Festung Calais 25 September 1944.
"The command post of the Marineartillerieabteilung 244 was located here in Autumn 1943. The command bunker is a major construction 23 x 17meters with at least 15 rooms. An observation post looking out to see, from here the MKB's Waldam, Oldenburg, Bastion II, Fort Lapin, Sangatte and Lindemann were directed and in addition it was a measuring post for MKB Todt and Grosser Kurfürst". (from De Atlantik Wall Frank Puillippart.)
SK/Markostand.
De Atlantik Wall Frank Phillippart.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The green line is the line of the sand dunes. Yellow Wn79 Otter, HQ Marineartilerieabteilung 244. At the start of the war when ports needed to be defended, the Kriegsmarine artillery units took over the defence of ports. As the war went on the army units filled in the gaps between the ports. Often the naval guns covered the sea and the army the beach and land. This became watered down by the end of 1944 and army and naval units worked together. The Luftwaffe were brought in and ran the anti-aircraft defence. That is why we have all three units mixed up here.
Heers (army).
Kriegsmarine (navy)
Luftwaffe (airforce).
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The war had ended and the beach has been cleaned up of mines, Rommel's Asparagus and barbed wire. The beach huts have arrived and some are being built on the top of bunkers.
Wood & steel posts.
Nut cracker mines.
Hedgehog defences.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
25 September 1944 "Operation Undergo" 872 aircraft, 430 Lancaster´s, 397 Halifax, 45 Mosquitoes were again sent to bomb German defence positions but encountered low cloud. Only 287 aircraft were able to bomb, through breaks in the cloud. No aircraft were lost. The picture above shows part of that bombing raid. You can see a large explosion on the sand in front of Wn93 Maus. The pilot was Laing.
Halifax.
Lancaster.
Mosquito.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The sand dune of Wn Otter. This defence would be full of officers from the three services.
The Army.
Luftwaffe observer.
The Navy.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Defence
As you walk up the sand the first thing found is a brick wall, possibly bricks removed from local houses that were bombed and re used here in the defence.
Hoyerbalk concrete beam.
Hoyerbalk concrete beam details.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Trench
The low walls are the walls of covered trenches, sand would have been piled over the top and not seen by any attacker.
Trenches.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation
Observation/machine gun position.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Trench entrance
Trenches.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Trench
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation
Trenches.
Observation.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation
Observation and machine gun.
Trenches.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Trenches
Twin entrance to this side of the trench system.
Trenches.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Searchlight
Searchlight mounting.
Searchlight.
60cm (MKB Bunkertour)
60 cm searchlight.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Searchlight
The light would be used more to see out to sea at night, but could also be used with AA Flak.
Searchlight..
On the site we did not visit has an L430A Searchlight bunker.
Garage, crew room & engine room.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Looking east at the searchlight bunker with the command bunker behind.
HQ Stand.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Trenches
More trenches around the front.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Trenches
More trenches around the front. These were open fighting trenches and no need to be covered over.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation
HQ observation post.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
HQ observation post.
Plan.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation
HQ observation post.
Plan.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation
HQ observation post. Not as big as I would have imagined.
Plan.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation rear
HQ observation post. The rear of the observation.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Way in
Another way into the trench system.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
HQ bunker
The upper part of the HQ bunker with an escape, the low grass covered wall.
Plan.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Trenches
Another tunnel entrance.
Trenches.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Barrack
Barrack block.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Barrack
Barrack block, probably a canteen or also called a Casino for the officers to eat, relax and be entertained.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Barrack
Barrack block.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Machine gun post
An interesting machine gun position.
The roof is made of Hoyerbalk pre stressed concrete lintels. Stretched steel cables are covered in concrete.
Hoyerbalk concrete beam.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Machine gun post
An interesting machine gun position. A very home made defence.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Machine gun post
An interesting machine gun position and tunnel.
details
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Machine gun post
An interesting machine gun position. Covering the whole of the rear of the bunker. The Canadian Army advanced after a heavy bombardment by aircraft and artillery, with the use of flame throwing Crocodile tanks and Sherman flails to help through mine fields, the Canadians attacked Fort Lapin to the left and took it, so I am presuming that Otter fell just after Lapin. The Canadians continued a short way and then were stopped almost dead and not until 20,000 civilians were evacuated and another very heavy barrage did the German General Schroeder surrender.
Churchill Crocodile.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemates
2 x R612 casemate for a 7.5cm F.K.231(f).
7.5cm F.K.231(f).
Plan.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
R612 casemate for a 7.5cm F.K.231(f).
7.5cm F.K.231(f).
Plan.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
I have never seen shutters on the front of any bunker, mostly they used an old barn door cut down, or made their own. These two armoured doors hinged from the bottom and probably had either counter weights or pulleys to lower and higher the shutters.
The allies never did attack over the sand from Dover, the way the German Generals and Hitler had thought they might, they came in from behind and along the sand dunes.
Shutters hinged from the bottom.
7.5cm F.K.231(f).
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
Looking into the rear of the western bunker. You may think an old 1890's field gun useless in a modern war of 1940's. Well actually they were still a useful weapon. On Omaha beach there were several field Kannon of this type and all did good work, knocking out landing craft and tanks. The same on the British beaches. Behind the concrete they were very effective.
Plan.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
The view from the sea.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
details
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
The western gun emplacement.
Wooden doors on a casemate.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
The view the gunners would have had looking west.
Calais the yellow line.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate
Plan
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais