Yport H.K.B,
K.V. Gruppe Fécamp,
K.V.A. 'F', Haute-Normandie.

Page updated: March 1, 2024

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Yport north of Le Havre, another cleft in the cliff, and another lovely little seaside town, with a stony beach,
small fishing boats and bathing huts.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

The battery we are looking at here are the casemates on the hill above the cliff.
From document: WO 233/56 Ground Checking Notes No.3 - Le Havre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-D day report: ?4 ?150mm guns. 4 casemates still
                               under construction at the cliff edge.
                              Ident: An Army Coast TP.
                              (from cover to 28.4.44) [from air photos]

    A ground check on 16.11.44 confirmed the presence here of four casemates, two of which were complete and occupied by 155mm French GPF guns.

    The only feature of interest was provision of a semicircular armoured shield for the gun, filling the entire embrasure, the cheeks of which were also faced with armoured plate. Camouflage of the casemates, which were well earthed, was by broad mesh netting. Work on the site had not been complete at the time of capture, Nos. 3 & 4 casemates being still under construction.

    The identification as an Army Coast Troop was confirmed by civilian descriptions of the uniforms worn by the personnel.

    A point of interest for photographic interpreters is the comparison of the roof plan of the type of casemate in use in YPORT with the design of its gun compartment. The plan of the roof of the casemate is almost rectangular except for the projecting canopy over the gun, and it reflects the plan of the gun-compartment, the front wall of which is parallel to the back wall, giving the gun a greater traverse than is possible in those types of casemates that have a chamfered front.

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R679 casemate.

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R679 casemate.

 

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Gun-Compartment.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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WO 252/149 (14:6:45)

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Beach 33. Yport: view east from beach showing ramp leading from beach onto promenade. (4041/108 N.E./659351) (14:6:45).

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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WO 252/149 (14:6:45)

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Beach 33. Yport: view west from jetty, showing beach and cliffs. (4041/108 N.E,/659531) (14:6:45).

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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IGNF1947

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

3./H.K.A.A.1253.
2 x R679 casemates. 2 x R679 casemates under construction.
3 x Vf bunkers.
1 x Stollen (covered trench or small tunnel)
2 x 15,5 cm K.420(f) guns.
Originally there were six guns in field positions somewhere behind the cliffs. Then when in 1943, the order came through to casemate all the guns. Only two were managed to be built and occupied by September 1944. The other two still under construction.

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15,5 cm K.420(f) guns in field positions.

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15,5 cm K.420(f) guns on a pivot position.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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SHM 1946

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

This is the SHM French military plan of the defences dated 1946. Some of the text was unreadable.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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WO 233/56

Information

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Taken from WO 233/56 air photo showing that there was four gun emplacements originally here and were being casemated.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

The view from the beach of the two R679's.

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Plan.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Yport.

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How they would have looked.

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and inside.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

Information

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 1 R679 casemate.
R679 casemates for pivoting gun (120°).

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R669 casemate.

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Plan.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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1945

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 1 R679 casemate.
Teams of Allied officers toured the defences of the Atlantikwall, to photograph and document them. This is an American. By standing in front, it tells the photo interpreter that he is of average height. Say 5' 10". 177.8cm. Then they can work out the dimensions of the bunker.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Rear of Turm 1.

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The back door should have had a door like this one.

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Guns crew.

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Inside an R679 at Gatteville, Manche.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 1 R679 casemate.
The battery sits high up on the cliffs above Yport in the valley.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 1 R679 casemate.
How it may have looked, there also may have been camouflage netting and even chains hanging down over the gun.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 2 R679 casemate.

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Plan.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Turm 2 R679 casemate.

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Gatteville.

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Elevation.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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WO 233/56

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Taken from WO 233/56 a British plan of the casemate.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 2 R679 casemate inside.
A small ammunition room to the right of the rear door.

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Ammunition niches each side at the rear.

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Plan.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 2 R679 casemate.
The large concrete cap with a strip of steel plate to increase protection.

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Cap from underneath.

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There would have been two more metal plates bolted to the sides, these have usually been removed and just the bolts in place.

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Gatteville.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Turm 2 R679 casemate.
I have superimposed where the two metal plates would have fitted. The gun was a  K.420(f) guns.

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15.5  K.420(f) gun.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Vf Unterstand.

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Vf Unterstand.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Tobruk Vf8 & to the right and down by some of the houses a Vf Schnabelstand.

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Vf Schnabelstand I think nestling in with one of the houses on the top of the cliff.

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Vf Schnabelstand. An observation but could also be used with a machine gun.

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Vf8 Tobruk.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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Internet

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

A 2cm Flak 38.
Somewhere here there were two 2cm Flak 38's for anti-aircraft defence.

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Parts of a 2cm Flak 38.

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Magazines.

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Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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IGNF 1954

Information

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

A 1954 photo of Yport, you can just see the two casemates.

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

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05 March 2012

Information

Yport H.K.B 3./Heeres Küsten Artillerie Abteilung 1253.

Details

Fécamp in the background.