StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Two visits, one in February 2014 we just viewed it from both sides and in March 2024 we actually visited it.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Looking along the beach from Merlimont, walking south.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
A lot of damage has been done by the sea and its very hard to understand what and where everything is r was. These defences in the KVA D1 and KVA D2, went through a lot of changes between inception and June 1944. As weapons became available, new bunkers were built and either superseded the old ones or added too. In some cases a 5cm KwK can start in a field position, then move to a Vf600type Ringstand to an R667 casemate.
Here
it looks as though there are three different positions for two 5cm KwK guns and the 7.5cm F.K. was originally on an open Ringstand and then was casemated into an R612. (These are my thoughts).
1 x Peilstand (not found).
1 x R612 casemate.
2 x OB600 Ringstands.
1 x Vf67 tank turret Tobruk.
1 x Vf58c Tobruk (not found).
2 x Munitionsstands.
4 x Feldm/unterstand (shelters).
2 x Wellblech shelter. (one found).
1 x Pz.T. turret.
1 x 7.5cm F.K.
2 x 5cm KwK28.
Feldm/unterstand & FA simple bunker/shelters.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Hard to imagine it when it was in use, the sea was coming in, further out, so the bunkers were up on sand dunes and these now have washed away. So the heights of each bunker may have been very different to now.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Vf67 tank turret Tobruk for a Pz.T. turret(f). This could have been a machine gun, or a 3.7cm Pak with co-axle machine gun.
The white arrow is showing where the turret ring would have been held in place by the metal strap.
Vf67 tank turret Tobruk for a Pz.T. turret(f).
FT 17 type turret that was probably here.
Vf67 tank turret Tobruk for a Pz.T. turret(f).
Vf67 tank turret a model showing its parts.
Renault 17 tank that the turrets came from.
A French training rig for the gun..
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Vf67 tank turret Tobruk for a Pz.T. turret(f).
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
1961 and the bunkers were in the sand dunes.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Possibly a spare ammunition room or a cover for a trench to enter the casemate.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Ringstand or Geschützstellung for the 7.5cm F.K. When the R612 casemate was built, the gun would have been removed from here and placed in the casemate.
7.5cm F.K.
Geschützstellung plan.
7.5cm F.K.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
This piece of un reinforced concrete has lots of boot prints in it.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Originally living quarters for the 5cm KwK & the tank turret crews to eat and sleep in. The small hole in the wall, is to allow, that if a grenade was to be dropped down the chimney, it would roll ou of this hole and not explode inside.
Plan of the chimney pipe.
WD80K gasdichter und druckfester ofen. (Gas-tight and pressure-resistant oven).
Chimney.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Living quarters.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Concrete covered trench to and from the bunkers.
The shape of the tunnel.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
R612 casemate with a 7.5cm F.K. was to shoot up landing craft as they arrive on the beach. In Normandy they did this very well and sank/destroyed/damaged many craft. The 5cm KwK was more of an anti-tank weapon and could knock out a Sherman tank easily.
details
7.5cm F.K.
Probably came from a Horse artillery batterie.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Inside with the two ammunition niches each side and the gun room and embrasure in the distance.
Ammunition storage.
Cleaning brushes for the barrel.
R612 crew and gun.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
R612 casemate with its glacis plate under the embrasure, usually this is covered in earth/sand. The small embrasure and the faulty concrete, lots of stone and very little sand. We noticed how bad the concrete was here.
details
R669 under construction in Normandy.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
R612 casemate with a large flanking wall. Also there seems to have been provision for a set of doors, probably armoured ones as there are slots set into the embrasure opening.
A set of steel doors on an unknown casemate.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Feldm/unterstand (shelters) for guns crew. In some pictures I have seen chimneys sticking out of them.
MKB Plan of the FA at StP Bunker.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Feldm/unterstand (shelters) quite a large room, but very thin walls.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
MKB Bunkertour measuring up the shelter. It seems to have had two doors and an escape, here on the right.
410P9 escape door.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Ammunition room for the Ob600 Ringstand for a 5cm KwK Pak.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Ob600 Ringstand for a 5cm KwK Pak.
Ob600 Ringstand for a 5cm KwK Pak with ammunition magazine.
The guns hold fast ring, showing the square that sits into a same shaped hole in the concrete.
The guns hold fast ring in position, awaiting the gun to be mounted.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
5cm ammunition storage. This is probably the first time I can remember seeing 5cm ammunition storage. I am sure I have never seen them in Brittany and Normandy.
Ammunition storage.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
This looks to be a 1693 type open Ringstand for a 5cm KwK Pak.
Plan of a 1693 type open Ringstand for a 5cm KwK Pak.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
This looks to be a 1693 type open Ringstand for a 5cm KwK Pak.
Range card of a 5cm KwK 39, later types had muzzle breaks and more powerful cartridges.
Sherman tank.
Churchill.
Bren gun carrier.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
The defence from the sand dunes.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Destroyed Wellblech shelter, the main living quarters for the position.
Elevation of a Wellblech shelter. A steel sheeted roof, protected by a concrete covering.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Destroyed Wellblech shelter, the main living quarters for the position.
IGNF 1960 and it can be seen.
Red - Wellblech.
Yellow - Shelter.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
Another shelter, now covered in a sand dune, but originally it was just on the top of the sand.
IGNF 1960 and it can be seen.
Red - Wellblech.
Yellow - Shelter.
It can be seen on this picture above the sand.
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage
StP Bunker, Merlimont Plage