Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
One of the Wn's to the west of Maisy covering the Vire estuary. The estuary leads down to the small port of Isigny-sur-Mer, which after D-day and with the channel swept of mines. The Americans used it to unload small cargo ships. A very useful port except for the tides. Ships had to be able to dry out and then move on on the next tide.
Post D-Day.
Our visit one day to at Oysters on he bridge. Memories.
US troops entering Isigny.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
Wn82 Maisy le Casino,StP Grandcamp
2 x Tobruks.
1 x SK/Doppelshartenstand 5cm KwK.
1 x Vf69 mortar Tobruk.
1
x Ringstand Ft.
1 x 5cm KwK Pak.
3 x FA Kantne/barracks.
GSGS 4490 No.77 of Defence map of Grandcamp-Les-Bains dated May 1944, showing Wn82. This is a Bigot map, a secret map for allied forces.
5cm KwK Pak.
Field kitchen.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
How Wn82 fitted into the local area.
Several Wn's (Wiederandnest section/platoon sized defence) were grouped together in StP's (Stützgpunkt company sized defence). Then this StP (StP Grandcamp) came under StP Gruppe Vire. This StP Gruppe took in four StP's, Carentan town and the Varreville batterie.
StP Gruppe Vire plan.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
The view from Wn81 all the way to Wn82 in the far distance, this shows the distances between Wn's. I have not visited this Wn. The only one along this coast.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
The zoomed in view showing four of the items that were there. The SK/Doppelshartenstand casemate with a 5cm KwK.
SK - Sonderkonstruktionen, special design not from a standard plan.
SK/Doppelshartenstand 5cm KwK.
Vf69 with possibly a 8.14cm Gr.W278(f) mortar.
5cm KwK..
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
1 x SK/Doppelshartenstand 5cm KwK.
Zoomed again and the first Tobruk on the left showing. Also the Tobruk that defended the entrance to the Doppelshartenstand and this was to hold a machine gun for defence and also the gunner could observe for the gun crew.
Tobruk plan.
The Tobruk looks like it may have held a 5cm mortar.
5cm Granatwerfer 36(f) mortar.
Observation.
Defence..
Tobruk.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino,StP Grandcamp
(Wn81's Doppelshartenstand) .
1 x SK/Doppelshartenstand 5cm KwK.
This is a US Signals Corps air photo from an American L4 artillery spotter plane of Wn81 which would have looked very much like Wn82's Doppelshartenstand.
The gun could travel about 300° and could shoot to the left and to the right up and down the beach, but not out to sea.
My picture of haw they may have looked inside. There would have been a gun commander, a gun aimer, a loader and an ammunition supply man. Also one man in the Tobruk for observation and defence.
L4 Grasshopper.
Plan.
Another Doppelshartenstand.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
There are still three FA Kantine/barracks. Strengthened barrack style buildings, with doors and windows facing away from the enemy, with strengthened roofs and walls, but not of bunker strength.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
To the far side is a Ringstand Pz.T (f). An ex French tank turret exactly like the one here, I think it only had an Mle Smg331(f) machine gun though.
Plan.
Pz Ft17 turret.
Mitrailleuse Mle Smg331(f)
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
This picture was taken around Maisy just after its capture, the photographers and newspaper men got in, just after its capture and talked to a lot of the villagers and took loads of pictures.
It tells two stories here: -
Passage Interdit Aux Civils - All civilians had to keep out,
Minen - lots of mines.
Mine box.
Nasty mine.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
The first picture is another from the L4 spotter plane of probably Wn81 and the second is a daring US photographer, getting as close to danger as he can.
These are anti landing Teller mines on stakes.
Mines.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
The men of Maisy after liberation wanting to get back fishing.
Wn82 Maisy le Casino, StP Grandcamp
© 2013 Richard Drew