Wn32 La Marefontaine “Batterie Vera” (Gold Beach)

BATTERIE · K.V.U. Gruppe Courseulles (Juno/Gold Beach) · AOK 7 Normandy · France

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

A casemated battery of four 10cm guns covering the area of Wn29/31.
Batterie 6./A.R.1716.
4 x R669.
4 x 10cm FH14/19 (t).
Crew of 50 men.

The area covered by the casemated battery.

Plan from the Allied Bigot map of the battery.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Google

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Four 10cm Horse drawn artillery of WW1 period.

Google

The Allied Bigot plan shows a few bits behind the casemates but the field today is bare.

A battery of Hippomobile (horse drawn) artillery.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Allied Intelligence report on the batterie.

23 March 2015DEFE 2/375 Battery photographs Cherbourg to Honfleur

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

DEFE 2/375

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Just before D-Day the battery was bombed and it looks as though it hit the few bunkers that were behind the gun line. Between 13 February -17 October 1944: 226 Sqn were stationed at RAF Hartfordbridge.

24 May 1944 Air 37/334

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Target Area

Air 37/334

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

The battery showing how flat it is around here.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Getting closer..

23 March 2015

The German Army map of the area showing where the battery was.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

This is the one south of the track.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

A then and now picture.

1944

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

A horse drawn battery, casemated. This battery did fire on D-day.

From web

10cm powder charges in their wooden box.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

First there is the half round stops for the guns trail to fit. Then a pit under the gun which I am surmising that it would have been (if its deep) covered in with planking and a hole to allow fired cases to be put so they are not loose around the gunners feet. Or its a shallow pit so that gunners are lower down and covered by the guns shield from incoming shrapnel or rounds? Then the circle that the wheels fit either side and a centre pin that must have fitted into the gun carriage to pivot the gun?

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Now looking at the back door, you see the pit and the arc of the trail stops.

23 March 2015

In the corners both sides are tubes allowing the access of command cables.

A forward observation officer would have had a place to hide that was quite high up and as there is only two fire control bunkers between Wn08 and Pointe du Hoc so it may have been a church tower? but also may have been an observation bunker on Wn38 Ver-sur-Mer.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Some gutters go left and some to the right?

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Note the detail, drainage over the door and exhaust vent. Built in Bauform, note the block work with two layers of blocks and steel reinforced bars between them and then back filled with concrete. With Bauform a separate lip around the top has to e added and hooks fitted in to take a camouflage netting.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

There is damage to the rear and we were not sure if it was battle damage or a farmer with a large tractors bucket?

23 March 2015

Extractor fan outlet with a heavy armoured grill and a gutter over the top.

Most extractors were removed after the war this is a picture of what they looked like.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Turning circle for the gun.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

A drain for water to stop it dribbling into the casemate and nine large holes to allow door fittings in the front. I have never seen doors fitted.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Side view.

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Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Considering the battery came under such a bombardment from the guns of HMS Belfast, we only found some internal damage which may have come from a farmer trying to make more internal space. The batterie was also heavily bombed between H-30 & H-5 with 500lb & 1000lb bombs fused at 0.025 delay. The casemates and the guns inside were undamaged. All guns fired 25 rounds per gun on D-Day. [Special Observer Party. Beach Report]

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

This one may be used by the hunters as its very clean and tidy.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

This is a fire plan of the area for Wn32 Batterie 6./A.R.1716 'Vera' to use. The plan shows the red named circles Attona, Oedlinburg & Opplin are the 6/1716 batterie Vera targets for saturation fire onto a beach landing. The blue circles are other saturation targets and the blue & red dots are point targets, cross roads, areas where bunching up of attacking forces, etc. This fire plan was actually used on D-Day. The batterie although heavily bombed between H-30 & H-5 with 500lb & 1000lb bombs fused at 0.025 delay. The casemates and the guns inside were undamaged. All guns fired 25 rounds per gun on D-Day. [Special Observer Party. Beach Report].

German Artillery Map

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

This casemate may be used by the local hunters to have their dinner when out shooting.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Not the roof ventilation, I have never seen a bar type vents before.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Block of concrete. If you know the answer to what this piece did, please can you let me know.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Front view. You can see the Bauform block work showing up.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Gun room looking towards the back door.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Back door.

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Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Grating over the rear drain. Is this an original grating???

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

The communication pipe. The tin cover we think is not original and may have been for a BBQ.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Gun room. This one is in excellent condition and may have been lived in post war due to a lack of housing in the area after the war.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

The condition of the internals of this bunker are in very good condition and note the different vents.

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Two ammunition Niches either side, one for shot and the other shell. 6. Batterie / II. Abteilung/ Artillerie Regiment 1716. The regiment formed in January 1944 and was subordinated to the 716th Infanteriedivision with which it underwent the campaign in Normandy. (web)

23 March 2015

Note the two niches either side at the rear.

Belt buckle from a soldier of the regiment. From Fronta.cz.

Wooden fittings to take a pipe of some form.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

The 7th Battalion the Green Howards landed on Gold Beach at 08.00hrs near the road to Ver-sur-Mer. The beach was under slight mortar fire. Battalion advanced through Ver-sur-Mer which was clear of the enemy. Halted on the road to Crépon and organized into companies A. B. D. & HQ. They came upon the Battery of the 6./A.R.1716 which had been under fire from HMS Belfast. 40-50 prisoners were taken. [from the Intelligence/war dairy (WO171/1303) 7th Bat. Green Howards].

23 March 2015

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

''The 69th Brigade's third battalion, the 7th Green Howard´s, landed at about twenty past eight, and made at once for Ver-sur-Mer. There were no enemy in the village and the battalion continued to the battery beyond it. Bombing and a two-hour bombardment by H.M.S. Belfast had left the garrison with little further will to fight and fifty were taken prisoner; their four l0-cm gun-howitzers in concrete emplacements had apparently fired eighty-seven rounds before they gave in.'' from GOLD BEACH: D-DAY

Internet

50th Division, Tyne Tees landed at Gold Beach, King sector and advanced on Wn32.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

Details from ADM 199-1655 NA & ADM 239-367 ANXCF Report on Operation Neptune - Vol II. Around 87 rounds had been fired. As it says with 224 rounds fired from HMS Belfast, the blast effect would be horrendous. Interesting that no OP was found??

Details from ADM 199-1655 NA & ADM 239-367 ANXCF Report on Operation Neptune - Vol II.

Wn32 Ver-sur-Mer, La Marefontaine Batterie Vera.

J. Richaton 1848 1954 Was this somebody who lived here.

23 March 2015