Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs,
K.V.U.Gruppe Barfleur,
K.V.Gr. Cotentin Ost, KVR J1, Normandy.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

Wn144 La Pernelle is situated on a high ground over looking St-Vaast harbour. On its heights were two batteries of artillery an observation post, a large command bunker and radar.

 

 

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

Stab 1./Gren.Rgt.729.
1 x Vf6a Observation Post.
1 x R120a Artillery Observation Post.
1 x R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
4 x Vf58c Tobruk.
1 x Wasser.
1 x (R637 Measuring Post for Army Coastal Batterie) not found.

Vf6a Observation Post.

R120a Artillery Observation Post.

R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

Plan.

Artillery.

Infantry.

And the odd dog.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Information

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R120a Artillery Observation Post plan by Kurt.

R120a Artillery Observation Post 3D by Kurt.

 

 

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R120a Artillery Observation Post.
Artillerie Beobachtungstüme 441P01, artillery observation type.1940FL103.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R120a Artillery Observation Post.
Four viewing slots and a periscope in the centre top. One man would sit inside and view out, each slot would cover 90° or probably a slight bit more and another could standing below use the periscope and that had a 360° view. This is not a fighting cupola, purely for observation.

How the cupola fitted into the bunker. Access was via a ladder.

Viewing slit.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R120a Artillery Observation Post.
Periscope hole in the top.

The cut marks in the cupola.

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R120a Artillery Observation Post.
Views inside the bunker showing two of the viewing holes and the bolts to hold the special eye fitting and monocular/binocular fitting.

Note here the asbestos insulation. In winter it would be very cold and in summer extremely hot. Also you can see the periscope fitting in the centre.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R120a Artillery Observation Post.
Not accessible any more.






































Guillaume Romain Fouace French 1827 - 1895

Guillaume Fouace (22 May 1837, Réville - 7 January 1895, Paris) was a French painter. He produced over 700 paintings in a realist style, mainly portraits, still life's and landscapes.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

Vf6a Observation Post.
Sitting out in front is the Vf6a an observation post.

Vf6a Observation Post plan.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Vf6a Observation Post.
The observation slit with a vast view over the countryside.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Vf6a Observation Post.
I was too fat to crawl in so had to do with this photo. Mind you it was cold and I had two coats, two jumpers, etc.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Vf6a Observation Post.

StP05 Franceville West Redoute
Vf6a Observation post. How it may have looked.
A 1942 model observation post for a field artillery batterie. A very small observation room and a larger crew room behind.

 

 

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Vf6a Observation Post.
This is the view from the observation post towards Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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The church of La Pernelle, near Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue.
The church was hit by several shells and bombs during the lead up to D-day, D-day and later battles. HMS Erebus was the ship that fired on the Wn144 La Pernelle Observatoirs batteries on D-day, she was a monitor with two 15" guns.

HMS Erebus.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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The church of La Pernelle, near Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue.
Peinture Realisee en 1947 par un Prisoner Allemand du nom de Schneider.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Vf58c Tobruk.
This Tobruk would have covered the R608 bunker with three others that surrounded this bunker.

Vf58c Tobruk.

Tobruk.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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The second Tobruk.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Tobruk attached to the R608.

Plan.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Close combat and entrance

Plan.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Close combat defence embrasure.

Entrance into the bunker.

Plan.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Plan
This is an Allied plan dated 1943.
MI 10b/701 May'45 ABW
Store room - Chart room/Planning room - Wireless
None-Commissioned Officer - Work room - Gas lock
Commander
Crew - Ventilation - Heating - Close Combat Defence.
                                     Escape

(MI could be Military Intelligence?)

 

 

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Steps down into the bunker.

491P2 Gittertür (Screen Door) would have closed off the entrance.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Steps down into the bunker.

Close combat defence covering this entrance. 483P2 close combat embrasure.

Plan.

 

details

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Gas lock through ventilation to Close Combat Defence room.
There are no doors in this bunker, but when in use, all the doors would have been armoured 434P01 on the main entrances and 19P7 type Gasschutztür (gas protection door) on all internal doors.

Plan.

434P01.

19P7 steel gas tight doors.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Close combat defence embrasure covering the rear of the bunker.

Plan

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Periscope inside the Close Combat Defence Room.

Periscope fittings.

details

Periscope panzerteil to cover the tube when not in use,

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Ventilation room. The half round piece sticking out of the wall, was to store spare filters on.

Wn17 de Colleville ("Hohe 61") ventilation room. Showing how this room would have been populated with filter machines.

Gas filter shelf and spare filters.

Handle.

Heers Einheits Schutzlüfter HES 1.2.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Work room. The small square window is to pass messages between work room and Commanders room.

Plan.

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Work room. The small square window is to pass messages between work room and None-Commissioned Officer room.

Wn17 de Colleville ("Hohe 61") work room.

 

 

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Crew quarters.

Plan.

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Commanders room looking at the soft board cladding on the walls.

Wn17 de Colleville ("Hohe 61") Commanders room. He would work and sleep here whilst on duty, but probably live in Montebourg in a nice commandeered house.

Plan.

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Radio room.

details

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Wireless room.

Close combat defence embrasure covering the second entrance.

Wn17 de Colleville ("Hohe 61") Radio room.

details

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Chart room/plotting room and store room.

Plan.

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Tiles on the floor, a nice touch.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
Large brackets on the wall are for a radiator, these command bunkers were heated by coal stoves, they could also cook by them and heat extra water for coffee/tea or washing. Also in the corner are the telephone cable inlets from all the infantry/Artillerie units around here.

Wn17 de Colleville ("Hohe 61") heating plant room and the water pump to bring water from the reservoir outside.

Armoured cable.

Cable connectors.

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
From the Chart room to the Work room.

Plan,

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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R608 Battalion or Regimental Head Quarters.
The Boyz, left Shaun, John F and Mike.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Defence.
Pigtail picket posts still being used by the farmer for his animal fence.

 

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

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Wasser.
Of the three R608 bunkers that I have been looking at lately, they all have a water reservoir of the same dimensions, set just behind them.

Hand pumps.

Wn144 La Pernelle observatoirs

Details

© 2013 Richard Drew