Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.,
K.V.U Gruppe Bessin,
K.V.Gr. Bayeux.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

An almost complete batterie of four 15cm guns in casemates, only just commissioned before D-Day. But the Fire Control Post was completed but not fitted out. Fired on the Allied fleet but bombed heavily before D-Day and then shelled on the early morning of June 6th.

 

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

This photo unbeknown to me when I took it, was the start of this website that would be produced on the Atlantikwall and airfield in Great Britain, plus other sites of interest.
I used to look then at the burgeoning Internet and there was very little information on the Atlantikwall. Also few good books had been printed on the subject and those that had were rare to find. I would get angry at not finding the information I wanted, so my son, then taking Art at Bournemouth. Said he would write me a website, so I could add all my photos and information. His first web design is still up and running and I am updating the pages when I can. He also has re vamped and updated to the this layout. So as you see Longues-sur-Mer has a history with me. In-fact it goes back further, I took my eldest son with me on a visit and I carried him on my shoulders as his legs ached (probably bored) when he was no older than three. Gosh he is now over 40.

www.atlantikwall.co.uk

Batterie Neville.

Bunker art.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

Four casemates, four 15cm Tbts.K.C/36 guns taken from Kriegsmarine warships (Destroyer or Cruiser secondary armament) that were not needed anymore. A central fire control post, plus a flak detachment, defence troop with trenches connecting ten Tobruk's and two mortar position (one covering the sea side and the other the landward side). 13 Vf bunkers for crew/ammunition. Large mine fields sown with British mines captured in northern France in 1940, and a full barbed wire defence. These guns were capable of firing 20km in an ark of around 120°.

20km range.

15cm Tbts.K.C/36.

M272 casemates.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Plan: -
Fl-flak.
M-mortar.
T-Tobruk.
FK Field Kannon.

Details

Marine-Küsten-Batterie M.A.A.266
Oberleutnant Kurt Weil and around 180 sailors.
4 x M272 casemates.
1 x M262 FCP.
13 x Vf bunkers..
5 x Vf58c Tobruk's.
3 x Flak Ringstands.
2 x Mortar Tobruk's.
3 x Flak 28.
4 x 15cm Tbts.K.C/36.
2 x 7.62cm F.K.295/2(r)
1 x 12.2cm K390(r).
2 x 8.14cm Gr W 278(f) mortar.

M272 plan.

M262 plan.

Verstärkt feldmäßig crew/ammunition shelters.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

7.62cm F.K.295/2(r) horse drawn artillery. There were two of these used for local defence.

The horse was still being used in the German army in 1944.

Horse artillery.

7.62cm F.K.295/2(r).

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

7.62cm F.K.295/2(r) horse drawn artillery. Breach has been disabled. A lot of these guns were captured from the Russians in the vast advances made in the east. So many guns and ammunition were removed from the Russian front and then re units on the Atlantikwall.

This Russian canon was used by the German Army to defend the Atlantic wall.
On June 7th 1944, the canon, then situated on the site of
the Longues-sur-Mer Battery, near the edge of the cliff,
was neutralized by the British.
It is thought to have been used: empty cases were found nearby.

 

Firing.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Under construction

Details

Site under construction with trenches and telephone cable trenches starting to be laid out. Zigzag trenches, the square holes are for crew/ammunition shelters

Crew/ammunition shelter.

Casemate No.1.

Foundation of Casemate No.2.

FCP foundations.

Defence Tobruk.

Trenches..

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

Casemate construction by the Org Todt. The water tower was needed as quite a lot is used in making concrete.

Todt workers.

OT Flag.

Works for OT.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

The four casemates. From left to right Turm 1 to Turm 4.

Plan.

T1.

T2.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 1

Details

The piece of concrete set into the grass is the first Vf crew bunker a two roomed shelter with a small sort if cupboard with a passage entrance. The entrance can be accessed via a trench, so there is no need to come above ground level at any time.

Plan.

Plan.

Trenches.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 1

Details

The casemate is an M272 with a 120° arc of fire and walls and roof of three meters thick. The earlier casemates in the Atlantikwall were built in poured concrete, shuttering on both sides and a steel reinforced rods placed between and the concrete poured. Here they had started to use Formstien, a shaped concrete block walls and between the steel was placed and then the cement pored. It was a quicker method and saved the use of carpenters.

Plan.

 

Shuttering and steel reinforced rods.

Formstien block and steel rods inserted.

OT workers.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 1

Details

The story goes that a shell splinter damaged the barrel, when the gun was fired it blew the barrel right off.. Then after capture, a British anti-aircraft gun was placed on the roof. There was an accident and the casemate and what was left of the gun, was blown up.

Before it blew completely up, just after capture.

Barrel 1944.

Barrel today (Pete).

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 1

Details

In the German journals there is an entry that this gun had the day before D-day a minor hit in front of the gun during an air attack. Due to the small undiscovered damage, on D-day while fighting HMS Ajax and other ships, a shell exploded in the chamber of the gun. The blast blew the barrel right off. (In German this is called: Ein Rohrkrepierer, a barrelkiller) With thanks to LvW.

How it looked at capture.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 1

Details

Commanded by Oberleutnant Kurt Weil the battery had a complement of 184 men. (An Infantry Battalion was also garrisoned close-by in case of an attack on the battery from the rear, however it was transferred before it could be used). Because there was no other naval-coastal-artillery batteries nearby, MKB Longues was attached to one of the army’s Heeres-Küsten-Artillerie-Abteilung (HKAA) and becomes the 4/1260 HKAA.

Ellwood von Eibold.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 1

Details

31/01/44 - The OT is given its orders and work begins on the No1 gun casemate.

After capture American Officers looking over the casemate. Note the used cases thrown out of the casemate. Most casemates like this have a used shell case store under the gun room, accessed by a man hole cover. Two tubes either side would be used to pass the cases down. But looking at all my photos I cannot see a man hole cover or the tubes. So in the absence of a store, they would have to throw them out of the casemate.

The tube to pass shell cases down at Wn229 Castel Vendon MkB Landemer.

A man hole cover at StP 234 Batterie Hamburg.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Bigot Map

Details

Bigot Map Copy No.195, 20 May 1944. Showing the Allies thought that the guns were 155mm. Which is interesting. That means they would have thought that the guns had a longer range. These maps were updated daily and issued to the planners and then to the Soldiers, sailors and airmen taking part.

 

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 2 - Turm 3 - Turm 4

Details

19/11/43 - After the decision had been made that a new battery was required for Port-en-Bessin, initial surveys as to its location are undertaken.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

14/12/43 - The decision is taken to site this new battery near the village of Longues-sur-Mer. This decision would become a significant problem to the Allies and their plans for D-day as the location would enable it to fire over the future approaches to Gold, Juno and Omaha beaches.

Plan.

Bunker construction.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 2

Details

15/12/43 - The site is surveyed and a Company of Festung Pioneer (Fortress Engineers) are made available.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 2 15cm Tbts.K.C/36.

Details

First the foundations were laid out and the guns hold fast ring set into the concrete. Then the gun would be mounted, bolted down and the rest of the casemate was then built over the top of the gun.

Kriegsmarine Destroyer gun turret.

Breach assembly.

15cm Tbts.K.C/36.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 2 15cm Tbts.K.C/36.

Details

There was not a lot of space behind the gun. The noise and heat from firing the gun would be very high. A lot of battle damage on the shields.

Loading the gun.

A busy space.

15cm shells.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 2

Details

27/05/44 - 1205 hours. 48 Marauders drop 150 x 125kg bombs. No2 casemate is hit leaving one side of it (containing the ammunition) destroyed. The gun, however, is undamaged.

48 Marauders drop 150 x 125kg bombs.

Bombing up.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

Bombs walking across the batterie.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3

Details

Looking towards the rear entrance, there was a covered walk way going left & right. No doors, it look as though they had not been fitted. The niches either side I presume were for cabinets for technical equipment and tools.

Plan.

Gun cleaning tools.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3

Details

31/12/43 - Work begins on the construction of the new battery but is slow due to a lack of tools and materiel.

This is typical of the time, a shortage of materials and labour. Huge amounts of materials were needed. Lots had to come directly from Germany. For some reason possibly the Fortress Engineers, did not trust locally purchased items like cement. When France could produced imminence amounts of steel & cement. Everything had to come by rail from Germany and the RAF/USAAF did their up most to destroy railway junctions and infrastructure. Fighters were allowed to fly low and attack any ground target, and trains became great fun, as when hit, great plumes of steam and smoke erupted from their bursting engines.

Plan.

 

 

Exploding train.

Road transport.

A train about to blow.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3

Details

Aerial bomb damage.

Bomb damage.

Target area.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

A lot of damage done by some very close bombing, the guns crews must have been traumatised to have lived through this sort of bombing & shelling.

RAF Boston's.

Halifax.

HMS Ajax bombarding.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

Longues            Light Coastal battery     Inter service Target No: 10/J/125

Ref Map: GSGS 4250/7E5/797871
Geographical Coordinates: 49° 20' 39" N. 00° 41' 42" W.
Height above sea level: 60 meters

Probable 4-gun light coastal battery under construction in March 1944. Work has begun
on three casemates 52 feet x 65 feet. No guns have been seen.
Accommodation: Shelters under construction to rear of position.
Observation: OP under construction on cliff edge.
A minefield is being laid flanking East side of the site, outside perimeter wire.

Laying mines.

Barbed wire.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3 - Turm 4

Details

15/01/44 - Work starts on the installation of the pedestal for the No2 gun and then its 150mm Tbts K.C/36 gun itself. Because of the size of the guns the walls and roofs of their M272 casemates cannot be poured until the installation of the gun is complete. The site will also be equipped with a Russian 122mm K390 gun but it would not be casemated. Work also commences on the excavation of the sites network of covered trenches and the installation of its barbed wire defences. Although new tools and materiel are delivered the Organisation Todt is still suffering from a shortage of manpower so work is further delayed..

The one Russian 12.2cm K390(r) gun was to be used to fire off star shells above the targets to light them up for the main armament to attack.

"Pedestal for the No2 gun".

12.2cm K390(r).

Star shell.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3

Details

29/02/44 - Work continues on the No2 gun and its casemate. Excavations commence for the M262 Leitstand.

Plan.

Organisation Todt.

M262 Leitstand.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3

Details

One of the reasons these guns could be used without their fire control bunker, they had there own optics. A set of binocular type sights.

The guns used a binocular sight a bit like this one and had two sets for each gunner who sat one left & one right of the gun inside the shield.

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3 corridor

Details

The central corridor with ready ammunition rooms either side and the way out at the back.

M272 plan.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3 ammunition room

Details

Ammunition room, enough to store ammunition for about a days shoot.

 

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3 gun

Details

15/03/44 - Work begins on the No3 casemate and although the No4 gun is installed, further delays are caused not only by a lack of labour but also by the breakdown of an excavator.

 

Excavator.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3

Details

15/02/44 - Work continues on casemate No2. Three flak emplacements and all the Tobruk's are built. Some 300m of trenches are excavated.

Trenches.

2cm Flak.

Tobruk.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 3

Details

31/03/44 - All four guns have now been installed and No1 is operational. One casemate is poured. Excavations for the M262 Fire Control Post are now 50% complete. The battery’s ammunition bunkers, its Tobruk's and its searchlight position are complete

Another case thrown out of the casemate. I am unsure where the searchlight was placed.

15cm shell.

Case.

Construction.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 4

Details

15/04/44 - Three of the casemates have now been finished. Originally, it had been planned to place two of the guns in emplacements but it would have taken too long to complete (the Germans knew the allied invasion would have to occur soon due to the tides required for such an undertaking) so that part of the battery’s development is abandoned. The foundations of the M262 are finished and work commences on its form work. Thus far, more than fifteen bunkers have been completed including Tobruk's, ammunition bunkers, personnel bunkers and the searchlight emplacement.

Searchlight, I have not found a searchlight position.

Vf bunker plan. Some were crew bunkers and some may have been ammunition.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 4

Details

30/04/44 - No1, No3 and No4 guns are now operational; with work continuing as planned on No2. Once again there is a lack of gravel. Work continues on the form work and steelwork for the Leitstand.

Steel work & shuttering.

Leitstand/FCP roof.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 4

Details

Looking through where the gun site would have been.

Shipping out at sea on D-Day.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 4

Details

09/05/44 - Feldmarschall Rommel, the General Inspector of Western Defences visits the battery on one of his inspection tours.

The rear entrance with its covered entrance.

M262 entrance.

Rommel.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 4

Details

15/05/44 - The concrete for casemate No2 is poured. form work and steelwork for the Fire Control Post is now complete but there is not enough concrete to finish it.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 4

Details

21/05/44 - The battery is attacked twice by Thunderbolt planes at 13:09 and 16:33.

Thunderbolts.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Turm 1

Details

27/05/44 - 1205 hours. 48 Marauders drop 150 x 125kg bombs. No2 casemate is hit leaving one side of it (containing the ammunition) destroyed. The gun, however, is undamaged. One ammunition bunker is also hit, a barrack building destroyed and there are two dead and five injured. An allied photo reconnaissance report (B180) states that:

The No1 casemate has a crater 7 yards in front of it but is undamaged.
The No2 casemate has had two near misses and one direct hit which has blown-off six feet of the rear left-hand corner of it.
The No3 casemate has experienced two near-misses; one to the front right-hand side of it and one to rear right-hand side although no damage has been done to the casemate itself.
The No4 casemate is intact and undamaged.
There is no damage to the Command Post.
Although the main road to the battery and the road to the Command Post are undamaged the cable trenches and some of the battery’s trench-system have been cut.

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

2 Group RAF bombing photos.

2 Group RAF H.Q. crest.

RAF Boston’s of 2 Group RAF.

Bombing.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf bunker

Details

31/05/44 - Work on the four M272 gun bunkers is now complete. Each bunker has consumed 750m³ of concrete. Work on the M262 Leitstand is also complete although it is yet to receive it’s rangefinder and the observation room below is not yet usable due to the fact that the earth in front of it is obstructing its view out to sea. It has consumed 720m³ of concrete. Work begins on the protective earthworks for each of these bunkers. However, the No2 gun bunker is so badly damaged from the bombing on the 27 May that it will have to be rebuilt so work begins on that.

Plan.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf bunker plan

Details

Verstärkt feldmäßig (reinforced field-type constructions) twin room bunker of no set laid out numbered design that I have seen before. So it maybe a design that was made by the Navy or Todt builders here only here.
There are no dedicated living bunkers and no dedicated ammunition bunkers, so I am presuming that this style of bunker could be used for either. As there were 13 of these bunkers planned and at least two still under construction by June 1944.

 

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf bunker

Details

They were placed level with the surrounding ground and may have had a grass covering as camouflage.

Plan.

A large hole dug out for one of these Vf bunkers to be built in.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf bunker plan

Details

I think the steps have been added recently as the original bunker may have been entered via the trench system.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf bunker plan

Details

02/06/44 - 2015 hours. During a twenty-two-minute, three-wave-raid by allied bombers approximately 120 bombs are dropped. There are no casualties. Allied photo reconnaissance reports thirty fresh craters (Report B220).

The internal passageway. With two rooms off top the left.

details

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf bunker plan

Details

The first main room.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf bunker plan

Details

05/06/44 - A further 604 tons of bombs are dropped in the latest allied raid.

The second room and store cupboard at the rear.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Flak 1

Details

06/06/44 - D-day dawns: HMS Ajax (8 x 6” guns), HMS Argonaut (8 x 5.25” guns), HMS Bulolo (HQ ship British XXX Corps), USS Arkansas (12 x 12” guns), the FS Georges Leygues (9 x 15.2cm guns) and the FS Montcalm (9 x 15.2cm guns) all drop anchor.
05:30 - HMS Ajax engages the battery.
05:34 - One round from Longues reported to have narrowly missed HMS Argonaut.
05:37 - Longues opens fire on the USS Emmons but then switches its fire to the USS Arkansas. Arkansas, Ajax and the George Leygues fire 130 shells between them until the battery is silenced.

Flak position 1.

Plan

USS Emmons.

HMS Bulolo.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Details

Fire plan for D-Day, showing HMS Ajax's target.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Flak 2

Details

05:57 - Longues resumes fire targeting HMS Bulolo. The battery’s No3 and No4 guns score several near-misses forcing Bulolo to move off.
06:05 - Longues No1 and No2 guns re-engage the Ajax, George Leygues and also the Montcalm. All three ships return fire silencing the battery once more at 06:20.
Flak 2.

Plan.

HMS Ajax.

FS George Leygues.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Flak 2

Details

2cm Flak 30 type.

Plan.

2cm Flak 30.

2cm Flak 30.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Flak 3

Details

06:20-08:45 - Over the course of the next few hours the battery continues to fire intermittently. The Ajax and the Argonaut fire 150 and 29 rounds respectively before the battery is again silenced. Longues’ No3 and No4 guns have now been destroyed. It’s No1 and No2 guns are damaged but by late afternoon the crew of No1 gun manage to repair theirs and it again resumes fire on the allied fleet. Once again, the FS George Leygues and HMS Ajax engage the battery, finally putting its No1 gun out-of-action by 18:00. Conflicting reports state that Longues fired between 115-150 rounds on D-day with a further 1000 rounds remaining unused in its magazines.

Flak 3.

Plan.

HMS Argonaut.

2cm Flak ammunition.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf61? mortar Tobruk

Details

I am going to call this a Vf61, thats the type it looks like from my photos. 8.1cm Mortar Tobruk. Possibly an 8.14cm Gr W 278(f).

Plan.

Vf61 mortar Tobruk.

8.14cm Gr W 278(f).

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf61? mortar Tobruk

Details

11:32 - Spotter planes for HMS Ajax inform it that the battery has been ‘demolished.’
11:50 - Ajax forwards the spotter planes observations to the Naval Commander Eastern Task Force.
Because of the number of losses of men and equipment and casualties received by the2nd Bat. Devonshire Reg. on D-day (including one officer seriously injured, another captured and many troop casualties; all of which significantly reduced their strength, the attack on Longues by ‘C’ Company the, the Devonshire Regiment is moved back to the 7 June. The officers of C and D Companies, who have studied photographs of the battery for several weeks and noted the large number of minefields around it decide that the best option was not to tell the troops because ‘they had quite enough on the hands as it was!’ to cross the minefield.
07 June: Early the next morning, after C Company has moved up to its forward positions for the attack, the Battalion Commander - Lt. Colonel Cosmo Neville arrives and offers fire support from HMS Ajax and an R.A.F bomber squadron.

Vf61 mortar Tobruk.

Spitfires were used often flying from RNAS at Lee-on-Solent as spotters for the ships out at sea.

VOS-7 US Navy Lee-on-Solent, May- 26June 1944.The USAAF also used Spitfires as spotters.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

Information

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf61? mortar Tobruk

Details

Quite a large ammunition store, it could hold quite a lot of 8cm mortar bombs. There may have been wooden shelves lining the walls to store the mortar bombs on.

Vf61 mortar Tobruk.

Mortar crew for an 8.14cm Gr W 278(f).

Mortar ammunition.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf61? mortar Tobruk

Details

This is the gun room, an 8.14cm Gr W 278(f) captured French mortar. This mortar would have covered the cliffs to the front and could drop bombs very accurately down on any infantry trying to land and assault the cliff.

Vf61 mortar Tobruk.

8.1 cm. Mortar in
pit near director
tower at Longues.
Caption.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Vf61? mortar Tobruk

Details

Scratched into the concrete, a horse, a name and a date 1942.
There is another mortar position on the south side.

P Muttz 26.12.1942.

1942.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
FCP

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08:15 - HMS Ajax shells the battery for a full thirty-minutes in order to soften it up for the ground attack.
08:50 - The battery receives a further five-minute aerial bombardment.
08:52 - C company start to move toward the battery through the local village and over the ground churned up by the bombing in order to hopefully avoid any mines. The battery seems deserted until two Germans are spotted in its grounds. As the men of C Comp get close somebody opens fire on them from one of the bunkers on the opposite side of the battery. After a short time, the Devon’s capture this bunker. Elsewhere, at the same time, the troops approaching the gun bunkers are taken by surprise when an unspecified number of Germans emerged from one of them carrying the white flag.
09:55 - reports state that HMS Emerald reported ‘fifty men of unknown identity seen standing on top of a gun pit’ at the battery.

details

Surrender.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Map of Gold Beach attack covering June 6th and then June 7th.

Devon´s.

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
FCP

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10:0 - Orion reports that our own troops have be seen occupying the battery.
10:18 - Orion reports that ships of the Naval Commander Western Task Force are again engaging Longues!
11:00 - The 2 Devon have finished clearing the battery, suffering one fatality and capturing approximately 90-120 prisoners.
11:14 - N.C.W.T.F. requested NOT to engage targets within 30 Corps Boundary.
It was noted during capture that the casemates had received two direct-hits. As you will know it has always been a bone of contention as to whether the Georges Leygues or the Ajax had scored a direct-hit but this answers the question.
After the capture, close-by of ALG (Advanced Landing Ground) B-11 was built. From June 21 to the 4th September, RAF 125 Wing move in. At some point in time, casemate No1 of the Longues battery is torn asunder by an internal explosion; the cause of which is still open to much debate.
For several months after capture the Longues battery receives a series visits from experts wanting to examine the battery for their reports. These include the Army and Combined Operations. Even as it now stood in silence it still seemed the fascinate the British experts.

Spitfire on B-11.

Spitfire bombing up at B-11.

British landing grounds.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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FCP under construction and one of the Vf bunkers.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
FCP

Details

M262 Fire Control Post for a light Batterie.

Plan.

M262 elevation.

M262 plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Children will be children. He did enjoy the weekend of discovery.

Eating was a major part of the tour.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

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1961: Daryl F. Zanuck’s ‘The Longest Day’ is filmed. For this filming the Leitstand is finally finished and for some bizarre reason a Renault tank turret is stuck on to roof of one of the casemates!! Like all films, many liberties were taken to no doubt save time and money and the real location of Major Pluskat on D-day is actually also a bone of contention but Pluskat was also an advisor on the film! Who can forget though Hans Christian Blech as Pluskat shouting into his phone “Der invasion; sie commen!’ For me, that is were my fascination with Longues and the Atlantikwall began.
Longues is now the only battery on the Atlantikwall in France that retains its original guns. It is a protected national monument and has become a popular tourist attraction and place of interest not just because of its role in the D-day landings but also to its use in the 1961 film ‘The Longest Day.’

This is now the entrance into the top Range Finder room. This is a modern construction and was not there until a few years ago. Access was by the steel ladder at the rear. The gap used to walk in, is actually a space to pass through equipment and would have been boarded off when the rangefinder was fitted.

Excavated FCP before the construction started.

Almost finished.

Rangefinder.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

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This is the way inside from the ladder. The solid concrete roof is held up by only four steel legs.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Inside looking out towards the see. There was to be a large range finder.

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Down at the rear and the door inside.

Plan.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

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Steel ladder to the upper level.

details

Steel steps.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

The entrance into the bunker.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

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Passage way.

Plan.

434P01 double steel door.

Details of doors.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

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The thickness of the concrete here. Moving into the computing room.

Plan.

How it may have looked if it had been fitted out.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Computing room. None of the equipment had arrived and the basic structure was finished but the berm of earth was still in place until they made the film 'The Longest Day'.

Plan.

Computing room.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Far end the witless room, Liaison room and where I am stood Watch Officers room. There would be walls built of local brick work to create the three rooms.

Plan.

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Moving into the Observation room.

Plan.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Observation room.

Plan.

Another 434P01 door would have been used here.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Observation room.

Plan.

Observation.

Observation.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

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The view.

Plan.

Observation.

Observation.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Both sides of the door are aerial sockets. Two aerials could be fitted into them. And when needed they could be extended by winding them up by a handle. The radios would need to be used if the underground telephone cables were broken.

Plan.

details

Aerial sticking out of a bunker.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

Details

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
M262 FCP

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
2nd Devons advance 6/7 June

Details

The crew of the battery (184 men, half of them over 40 years old) surrendered without a fight to advancing British troops of 'C' Company the 2nd Devonshire Regiment at midday on June 7. (different numbers of crew and captured differ with information from different sources).

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment 7th June 1944.
The company Commander Michael Holdsworth sat with his cup of tea as he explained to his platoon commanders what he wanted when attacking the Longues-sur-Mer batterie. His twin brother was to lead the attacking platoon, set out through the minefield. They advanced one platoon behind the other and then spread out for the attack. Very slowly they used their bayonets to probe for mines as they advanced. When close to one of the guns, he threw in a couple of hand grenades and with that the guns crews came out with their hands up. Between 90 & 120 were captured before 11:00am.
It turned out that the batteries defence infantry, had been ordered to move south and attack some British around the Bayeux area and had not returned and it left the gun crews without and support, of which most were in their 40's.

 

 

 

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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The top of the cliff viewing toward Arromanches.
On the way back to the entrance there are two Tobruk's in the field that can be found, depending on the crops in the field.

Mulberry Harbour.

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.
Time Line

Details

Wn 48 -Longues-sur-Mer

19/11/43 - After the decision had been made that a new battery was required for Port-en-Bessin initial surveys as to its location are undertaken.
14/12/43 - The decision is taken to site this new battery near the village of Longues-sur-Mer. This decision would become a significant problem to the Allies and their plans for D-day as the location would enable it to fire over the future approaches to Gold, Juno and Omaha beaches.
15/12/43 - The site is surveyed and a Company of Festung Pionieere (Fortress Engineers) are made available.
31/12/43 - Work begins on the construction of the new battery but is slow due to a lack of tools and materiel.
15/01/44 - Work starts on the installation of the pedestal for the No2 gun and then the 152mm TbK C/36 gun itself. Because of the size of the guns the walls and roofs of their M272 casemates cannot be poured until the installation of the gun is complete. The site will also be equipped with a 12cm K370 (b) gun but it would not be casemated.
Work also commences on the excavation of the sites network of communication trenches and the installation of its barbed wire defences. Although new tools and materiel are delivered the Organisation Todt is still suffering from a shortage of manpower so work is further delayed.
15/02/44 - Work continues on casemate No2. Three flak emplacements and all the Tobruk's are built. Some 300m of trenches are excavated.
31/01/44 - Work begins on the embrasure of the No1 gun casemate.
29/02/44 - Work continues on the No2 gun and its casemate. Excavations commence for the M262 Leitstand.
15/03/44 - Work begins on the No3 casemate and although the No4 gun is installed, further delays are caused not only by a lack of labour but also by the breakdown of an excavator.
31/03/43 - All four guns have now been installed. No1 is operational and the concrete for its casemate is poured. Excavations for the M262 Fire Control Post are now 50% complete. The battery’s ammunition bunkers, its Tobruk's and its searchlight position are complete.
15/04/44 - All four M272 casemates with their 152mm TbK C/36 guns have now been finished. The foundations of the M262 Leitstand are finished and work commences on its form work. Thus far, more than twelve bunkers have been completed including ammunition bunkers, personnel bunkers and the searchlight emplacement.
30/04/44 -No1, No3 and No4 guns are now operational; with work continuing as planned on No2. Their form work is complete but the concrete for them cannot be poured due to a lack of gravel. Work continues on the form work and steelwork for the Leitstand.
09/05/44 - Feldmarschall Rommel, the General Inspector of Western Defences visits the battery on one of his inspection tours.
15/05/44 - The concrete for casemate No2 is poured. Form work and steelwork for the Fire Control Post is now complete but there is not enough concrete to finish it
27/05/44 - 1205 hours. 48 Marauders drop 150 x 125kg bombs. No2 casemate is hit leaving one side of it (containing the ammunition) destroyed. The gun, however, is undamaged. One ammunition bunker is also hit, a barrack building destroyed and there are two dead and five injured. An allied photo reconnaissance report (B180) states that:

1. The No1 casemate has a crater 7 yards in front of it but is undamaged.
   The No2 casemate has had two near misses and one direct hit which has blown-off six feet off of the rear left-hand corner of it.
   The No3 casemate has experienced two near-misses; one to the front right-hand side of it and one to rear right-hand side although no damage has been done to the casemate itself.
   The No4 casemate is intact and undamaged
2. There is no damage to the Command Post
3. Although the main road to the battery and the road to the Command Post are undamaged the cable trenches and some of the battery’s trench-system have been cut.

31/05/44 - Work on the four gun bunkers is now complete. Each M272 bunker has consumed 750m³ of concrete. Work on the M262 Leitstand is also complete although it is yet to receive it’s rangefinder and the spoil is yet to be cleared from in front of the bunker thus obscuring its view out to sea. It has consumed 720m³ of concrete. Work begins on the protective earthworks for each of these bunkers. However, the No2 gun bunker is so badly damaged from the bombing on the 27 May that it will have to be rebuilt so work begins on that.
02/06/44 - 2015 hours. During a twenty-two-minute raid by allied bombers approximately 120 bombs are dropped. There are no casualties. Allied photo reconnaissance reports thirty fresh craters (Report B220).
05/06/44 - A further 604 tons of bombs are dropped in the latest allied raid.
06/06/44 -D-day dawns: HMS Ajax (8 x 6” guns), HMS Argonaut (8 x 5.25” guns), HMS Bulolo (HQ ship British XXX Corps), USS Arkansas (12 x 12” guns), the FS Georges Leygues (9 x 15.2cm guns) and the FS Montcalm (9 x 15.2cm guns) all drop anchor.
05:30 - HMS Ajax engages the battery.
05:37 - Longues opens fire on the USS Emmons but then switches its fire to the USS Arkansas. Arkansas, Ajax and the George Leygues fire 130 shells between them until the battery is silenced.
05:57 - Longues resumes fire targeting HMS Bulolo. The battery’s No3 and No4 guns score several near-misses forcing Bulolo to move off.
06:05 -Longues No1 and No2 guns re-engage the Ajax, George Leygues and also the Montcalm. All three ships return fire silencing the battery once more at 06:20.
06:20-08:45 - Over the course of the next few hours the battery continues to fire intermittently. The Ajax and the Argonaut fire 150 and 29 rounds respectively before the battery is again silenced. Longues’ No3 and No4 guns have now been destroyed. It’s No1 and No2 guns are damaged but by late afternoon the crew of No1 gun manage to repair theirs and it again resumes fire on the allied fleet. Once again, the FS George Leygues and HMS Ajax engage the battery, finally putting its No1 gun out-of-action by 18:00. Conflicting reports state that Longues fired between 115-150 rounds on D-day with a further 1000 rounds remaining unused in its magazines.
At this point it should be added that the A.N.C.X.F (Allied Naval Commander Expeditionary Force) reported at 11:50 that the battery had been demolished. This was apparently confirmed by spotter-planes for HMS Ajax at 11:32. These two pieces of information are not repeated in any other Naval reports that I have seen. However, the same report does also state that at 09:55 on the 7 June about fifty men of unknown identity were seen ‘standing on top of a gun pit’; at 10:04 states the Orion reported seeing allied troops occupying Longues (which would be about right); at 10:18 says the Orion reported ships of the Task Force again engaging Longues (which means they were shelling allied troops(!); and at 11:14 that Naval Commander Western Task Force had requested that they NOT engage targets within 30 Corps Boundary.

Pete Foreman
09 December 2019

Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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Wn48 Longues-sur-Mer M.K.B.

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© 2013 Richard Drew