Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
This Wn just happened to be in the way of the 1st Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment on D-Day.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
3./Ost Bt. (ukr) (Static Infantry Division).
1 - Ringstand for a 5cm KwK.
2 x Vf/MG.
1 x 5cm KwK 39 L/42 Pak gun.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
A very small Wn with just two machine guns and a 5cm anti-tank gun.
5cm KwK 39 L/42 Pak gun.
Machine gunners.
Machine gunners.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
One A/T gun and two machine guns.
Wn 36 covers a gap where a landing could be made to the right of Wn38 and marsh land that would make landings very difficult. A mine field covered the gap between Wn's 36 & 37 and another behind Wn36 MF75.
Laying mines on the beach.
Mines horrible things.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Twin machine gun emplacement and the ringstand. A small munitions bunker and two Abri Feldmässing (small concrete crew bunkers).
The ringstand after D-Day.
Ringstand and gun.
Machine gun emplacement.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Today.
The ringstand is still in place, a very damaged munitions bunker and Feldmässing behind but the machine gun emplacement has been removed.
5cm KwK L42 and crew.
5cm KwK L42 and crew.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
After D-Day.
A plan of the Nr.1694 ringstand used here.
Machine gun bunker.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Ringstand
The 5cm KwK 39 L/42.
USAAF bombers started to bomb the beaches but actually missed and most bombs landed inland.
147th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, RHA with Sextant 25 Pounder self propelled guns started firing on the run in on their LCT's. Wn36 was smothered but Wn37 was left completely alone.
Battleships bombarding the area.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Ringstand today
A crew of around three or four men with ready ammunition set around the inside wall and a small Vf crew/ammunition bunker behind it.
5cm Nr.1694 Ringstand.
5cm ringstand at Maisy.
5cm Kannon.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Ringstand November 2016 with the tide coming in. A crew of around three or four men with ready ammunition set around the inside wall and a small Vf crew/ammunition bunker behind it.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Machine gun pillbox
Possibly for the two machine guns.
Plan of how it may have been.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Machine gun pillbox
This may be the M.G. pill box??.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Before D-Day.
This is the Bigot map for this section of Gold Beach. This plan shows where nearly all the defences were. Bigot was the code word for anybody let into the secret of D-Day, starting with the planners, senior officers and then spreading out to a lot of officers of units about to land on D-Day.
Maj. Wheeler a D-Day planner and a Bigot.
US senior officers.
Bigot document folder.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
The plan of where the 50th Div. would land.
Although it was the British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division it also included Battalions from the Devonshire, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, and East Yorkshire Regiments. This area was assigned to the 231st Brigade the Hants & Dorsets. H-Hour was 07.25 hrs and by 10.00 hrs La Riviere was captured and moving inland. Le Hamel was in British hands by mid-afternoon.
50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division badge. Tyne Tees.
Hampshire Regiment.
Dorset Regiment.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
The 1st Hampshires landing around the twin machine gun post at Wn36.
H-Hour was set for 07.25 hours, 50 minutes later than in the American sector to allow for the difference in the tide, this meant that high water was later in the British sector. The 1st Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment lost its Commanding Officer and Second-in-Command within minutes of landing. Following up behind the 1st Hampshires were the Commandos of the 4th Special Service Brigade. They too suffered badly during the run in and only one of their allotted landing craft actually reached the shore. The decision to land the tanks directly on to the beach however proved to be the saving grace as there was no German armour in the area. Once ashore the tanks provided close support to the infantry and most of the initial German resistance was quickly overcome.
Soldiers disembarking from an LCI.
Beach defences being assembled.
Eastern troops of the 352nd Division.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
1 Dorsets landing.
A painting by Juliet Kathleen Pannett
Another painting of the 1 Dorsets running in to the beach.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Between Wn36 and Wn35.
Landing Craft Rocket (LCR).
Infantry Landing Craft.
Fairmile LSI.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
Detritus on the beach, Sherman Flail Tank.
Sherman Flail Tank possibly one that was hit by the 8.8cm anti tank gun at Wn37 which was inside the R677 casemate.
R669 casemate at Wn37.
More infantry arriving possibly Royal Marines in Fairmile LSI's.
Sherman tank.
Wn36 Asnelles - Roseau Plage
© 2013 Richard Drew