Wn79 'Otter', Blériot plage,
K.V.Gruppe Calais · AOK 15 Nord Pas de Calais · France
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Stab M.A.A.244, it sat for four years overlooking its enemy and when the enemy came, it came from the air and from Canada and also from the rear. Originally designed to help calculate the fall of shot from the very heavy artillery batteries in the area. As it was possibly the closest point to Dover. It would have seen the bombardments over the years of Dover and Folkstone areas and watched as bomber after bomber flew over, day & night to flatten the home land and could do very little about it.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Stab M.A.A.244
A mixed HQ of Heers (Army), Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
2 x R621 group shelters.
3 x R612 casemates
1 x SK/Markostand.
1 x L430A
3 x Wellblech
1 x Vf/MGstand
1 x MG Stand (cupola)
3 x 7.5cm F.K.231(f).
Google Geoportail 1961
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Stab M.A.A.244
A mixed HQ of Heers (Army), Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
"The command post of the Marineartillerieabteilung 244 was located here in Autumn 1943. The command bunker is a major construction 23 x 17meters with at least 15 rooms. An observation post looking out to see, from here the MKB's Waldam, Oldenburg, Bastion II, Fort Lapin, Sangatte and Lindemann were directed and in addition it was a measuring post for MKB Todt and Grosser Kurfürst". (from De Atlantik Wall Frank Puillippart.)
map for 'Undergo'
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The green line is the line of the sand dunes. Yellow Wn79 Otter, HQ Marineartilerieabteilung 244. At the start of the war when ports needed to be defended, the Kriegsmarine artillery units took over the defence of ports. As the war went on the army units filled in the gaps between the ports. Often the naval guns covered the sea and the army the beach and land. This became watered down by the end of 1944 and army and naval units worked together. The Luftwaffe were brought in and ran the anti-aircraft defence. That is why we have all three units mixed up here.
Stützpunkte und Reserven plan im K.V.A. C" 20 May 1944
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The war had ended and the beach has been cleaned up of mines, Rommel's Asparagus and barbed wire. The beach huts have arrived and some are being built on the top of bunkers.
Geoportail 1947
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
25 September 1944 "Operation Undergo" 872 aircraft, 430 Lancaster´s, 397 Halifax, 45 Mosquitoes were again sent to bomb German defence positions but encountered low cloud. Only 287 aircraft were able to bomb, through breaks in the cloud. No aircraft were lost. The picture above shows part of that bombing raid. You can see a large explosion on the sand in front of Wn93 Maus. The pilot was Laing.
25 September 1944
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The sand dune of Wn Otter. This defence would be full of officers from the three services.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
As you walk up the sand the first thing found is a brick wall, possibly bricks removed from local houses that were bombed and re used here in the defence.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The low walls are the walls of covered trenches, sand would have been piled over the top and not seen by any attacker.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation/machine gun position.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Observation and machine gun.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Twin entrance to this side of the trench system.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Searchlight mounting.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The light would be used more to see out to sea at night, but could also be used with AA Flak.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Looking east at the searchlight bunker with the command bunker behind.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
More trenches around the front.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
More trenches around the front. These were open fighting trenches and no need to be covered over.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
HQ observation post.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
HQ observation post.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
HQ observation post.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
HQ observation post. Not as big as I would have imagined.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
HQ observation post. The rear of the observation.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Another way into the trench system.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The upper part of the HQ bunker with an escape, the low grass covered wall.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Another tunnel entrance.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Barrack block.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Barrack block, probably a canteen or also called a Casino for the officers to eat, relax and be entertained.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Barrack block.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
An interesting machine gun position.
The roof is made of Hoyerbalk pre stressed concrete lintels. Stretched steel cables are covered in concrete.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
An interesting machine gun position. A very home made defence.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
An interesting machine gun position and tunnel.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
An interesting machine gun position. Covering the whole of the rear of the bunker. The Canadian Army advanced after a heavy bombardment by aircraft and artillery, with the use of flame throwing Crocodile tanks and Sherman flails to help through mine fields, the Canadians attacked Fort Lapin to the left and took it, so I am presuming that Otter fell just after Lapin. The Canadians continued a short way and then were stopped almost dead and not until 20,000 civilians were evacuated and another very heavy barrage did the German General Schroeder surrender.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
2 x R612 casemate for a 7.5cm F.K.231(f).
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
R612 casemate for a 7.5cm F.K.231(f).
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
I have never seen shutters on the front of any bunker, mostly they used an old barn door cut down, or made their own. These two armoured doors hinged from the bottom and probably had either counter weights or pulleys to lower and higher the shutters.
The allies never did attack over the sand from Dover, the way the German Generals and Hitler had thought they might, they came in from behind and along the sand dunes.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
Looking into the rear of the western bunker. You may think an old 1890's field gun useless in a modern war of 1940's. Well actually they were still a useful weapon. On Omaha beach there were several field Kannon of this type and all did good work, knocking out landing craft and tanks. The same on the British beaches. Behind the concrete they were very effective.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The view from the sea.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The western gun emplacement.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
The view the gunners would have had looking west.
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
29 January 2018
Wn79 Otter, Bleriot plage, K.V.A. 'C'., Nord Pas de Calais
29 January 2018