Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage. K.V.G. Süd Île de Ré, A.O.K.1 Vendée

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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île de Ré is situated just off the coast of La Rochelle. To get onto the island there is a toll to pay over the bridge.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Wn Ro415 Gerda is a very small Wn with one 5cm KwK in a Vf221 emplacement and a small soute (shelter) and a niches for a machine gun .

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

Details

1 x Vf221 ringstand.
1 x 5cm KwK 38/39.
1 x Machine gun position.
1 x Ammunition bunker.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

Details

A 1959 air photo of the area, you can just make out some bunkers and a small ringstand.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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The car park is behind the sand dunes and you can see the spire of the church at La Noue.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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As you can see erosion has worn away the cliff and this Vf221 has fallen off.
This Wn is a small defence of this part of the South/Eastern end of the island. Probably a section of troops with a few machine guns, several members of the section would have been trained in heavy weapons and their job would be to fire the 5cm KwK 38/38. A light anti-tank/anti-landing gun that was designed to be placed in MkIII type tanks. As the war went on, the MkIII's were being up gunned to 7.5cm Pak. That left a production run of hundreds of 5cm KwK's with nothing for them to do. So they were sent out to the Atlantikwall, to be used in its defence. The gun could be placed in a field position with a small concrete base and earth surround, to the Vf 221 type ringstand, to Nr1694, to larger bunkers with a crew room underneath and an ammunition room and the ringstand on the top, to R677 casemate.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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When the defence was planned, a small section would take over a section of the beach. Trenches would be dug, machine gun or guns mounted. A small living accommodation behind. The main defence would be to cover the beach to stop an enemy landing. As weapons were made available, heavy weapons could be added. No extra troops were added and the infantrymen would have to take on the job. The Battalions heavy weapons platoon would teach the infantrymen how to handle the guns. So the defence went from a small section with one or two machine guns to a defence set around a very good quick firing 5cm gun and the rest of the section, protecting the guns position.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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More bits of concrete lying around.

These pictures were taken in 2007, today the Island authorities have removed a lot of concrete and some may still be able to be found, but others sadly not.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Possibly a small crew bunker.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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This could be their kitchen, barracks, command post. A small protected building, sunk into he ground, with steps down.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Trying hard to remember as it was a few years ago, this position for a small field/anti-tank gun. The gun by 1944 may have been removed as the 5cm gun took over the defence.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Found on the beach???? looks like the base of a gun position.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Vf221 ringstand.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Vf221 ringstand.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Vf221 ringstand entrance and my mate John in the background.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Vf221 ringstand. To the left the ammunition room and to the right a small crew room.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Vf221 ringstand ammunition room.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Vf221 ringstand the gun, parts are still here.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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Vf221 ringstand.

Wn Ro415 'Girda', Le Bois Plage

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© 2013 Richard Drew