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This defence covers a slither of land pointing out into the Channel. Both sides of the defence would have been flooded so the two tracks here would be the only way on & off the beach.
5cm KwK L/42.
58c Tobruk.
Wellblech bunker.
Wn128 La Heuge
Wn128 La Heuge
Troops of the 709th Static Infantry Division. Probably a platoon stationed here.
1 x R677.
2 x Vf58c.
2 x Unterstands.
1 x Wellblech.
1 x Ringstand for a 5cm KwK.
1 x 5cm KwK L/42.
1 x Sk bunker.
1 x Ringstand Pz.T.
1 x Vf/Pakstand.
Plan
5cm KwK L/42.
Vf58c Tobruk.
Wn128 La Heuge
Plan of the defence. As far as I could see there was no R677 bunker. It may have been planned or being built up to D-Day. There was a Vf/Pak stand here, so there may have been a 7.5cm Pak 40 here??
Plan.
Minefield plan.
R677 anti-tank gun bunker.
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Ringstand
Nr1694 ringstand for a 5cm KwK L/42
Nr1694 ringstand.
5cm KwK L/42.
Plan.
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Ringstand
This Nr1694 ringstand has four ammunition niches around the inside wall and the gun pivoting in the centre. The 5cm KwK L/42 was an ex tank gun, made redundant when 7.5cm & 8.8cm guns started to be used. Although redundant in tanks, here as beach defence. They could be ruthless. On D-Day they did a lot of damage to landing craft and even tanks.
Ammunition box.
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Ringstand
The view the gun would have had.
Nr1694 ringstand.
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Tobruk
Tobruk Vf58c type one of three we found here. Two standard Tobruks and one had a Pz.T tank turret fitted.
Tobruk Vf58c.
Plan.
Wn128 La Heuge
Tobruk
Looking down onto the machine gun ring.
Tobruks could also be used as an observation position as well. They could have a cable link t an artillery batterie or a mortar batterie and call down fire on the enemy.
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The house has now been demolished.
This is centre of the position.
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Unterstand
A very small either ammunition or shelter to keep out of bad weather.
Unterstand.
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Barbed Wire
Part of the barbed wire defence that would have ringed the defence and the minefield.
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Three Eisenpfahel barbed wire defence posts.
Eisenpfahel post plan.
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Wellblech bunker
Probably made by the infantry section/platoon that was stationed here. Part of the 709th Static Infantry Division. A division made up of older, wounded or eastern soldiers. That is how Hitler defended his Atlantikwall, by using lower calibre troops and captured eastern soldiers who would rather be treated better as soldiers, than they would as POW’s.
Wellblech bunker.
Eastern troops.
Wn128 La Heuge
Wellblech bunker
Corrugated iron half round in shape and covered in a thick layer of concrete, made these very efficient small bunkers. A fire at one end to heat and cook on.
Plan.
If they had a heater like this, it would worm up.
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Wellblech bunker
You can see the remains of the corrugated iron roof.
Wn128 La Heuge
Wellblech bunker
Fire place in the back of the bunker.
Wn128 La Heuge
Wellblech bunker
Corrugated Iron remains.
Corrugated iron.
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Tobruk
The forward facing Tobruk 58c type.
Wn128 La Heuge
Tobruk
This Tobruk has a larger opening but it does give an idea how it may have looked here..
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Unterstand
There were four unterstand here and this is the second we found, note, now covered over are the steps down inside.
Unterstand.
Plan.
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Eisenpfahel
Eisenpfahel barbed wire post upside down, this is actually the base of the post. The idea of turning it upside down was so a directional lamp could be placed on the top. This way light could be shined in one direction and a patrol could find their way back.
A bunker battery operated lamp that may have been placed on this post.
A lamp WK2 Wehrmacht Eisemann.
A carbide lamp.
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The modern hard road down to the beach.
Plan.
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Tobruk
This may have been the ringstand Pz.T type Tobruk.
details
Pz.T type Tobruk.
Plan
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Tobruk
The view this gun would have had.
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Unterstand.
The entrance.
Unterstand.
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Eisenpfahel
Barbed wire post.
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Road Block
This looks to be a road block stopping access to the hinterland from the beach.
Tanks rolling off landing craft on Gold Beach D-Day. This is what it was built to stop.
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Road Block
Two concrete walls either side with the left side having several niches.
Plan.
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Road Block
A niche set into the wall and a small extra niche added on the left. A Belgian gate could be drawn into the roadway and completely block off the road.
Belgian Gate.
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Road Block
There is another use here, sand was recovered from beaches to be used in concrete manufacturing to build all the bunkers around the coast. There is a sand wall near Gatteville, another at Bonneville-Carteret and there must have been many more.
A lorry or horse & cart could pass between the walls and sand could have been loaded onto it?
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Rommel's Asparagus, anti-shipping and anti-tank defences made of concrete and reinforced with steel rods.
Wn128 La Heuge