Nz105 avant port rive est Süd is the left side of the ecluse which was made to allow shipping to enter the Bassin. When the French capitulated in 1940 the German Navy moved down to the French Atlantik ports. They could use them for their large battle ships and also for their submarines (U-Boats). Later due to excessive allied bombing large concrete pens had to be built to stop U-boats from being destroyed in port.
4./Ma.FI.A820.
1 x R623 machine gun casemate with a front plate.
1 x 625/SK casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40.
3 x R630
machine gun casemate with a front plate.
1 x R638
small dressing station.
2 x Vf/Schartenstand LAG.
5 x SK/Flak.
7 x Vf/MG.
3 x Pz.T. tank turret Tobruk.
4 x MG/Schartenstand.
6 x Flakstellung.
1 x R631/SK
casemate for a 4.7cm Festungspak(t).
1 x 7.5cm Pak anti-tank gun.
1 x 7.5cm F.K.235(b).
2 x 8.8cm S.K.C./35.
5 x 4cm Flak 28.
1 x 2cm Flak 28.
4cm Flak 28.
2cm Flak 28.
Pz.T. 37variant 144(f) elevation.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Le ecluse.
R623 machine gun casemate with a front plate.
R630 machine gun casemate with a front plate.
R630 machine gun casemate with a front plate.
R630 machine gun casemate with a front plate.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
The view due south where submarines came and went.
Plan.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Pumping Station.
Details2
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Ponts Chaussees (causeways bridges)
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Ville de Sainte-Nazaire.
Ville de Sainte-Nazaire.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Pump room.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
The entrance into ecluse (lock) allowing shipping entry into Bassin de St-Nazaire.
R630 on the entrance to the ecluse.
MG34 machine gun.
7P7plate for an R630 casemate.
Possibly the plan of the R630 that was on the end of the ecluse.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Vf 7.5cm gun bunker.
Vf/Schartenstand casemate for an 7.5cm Pak one of two that were here. The second may have been for the 4.7cm Pak.
7.5cm in a casemate.
4.7cm Pak.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Vf 7.5cm gun bunker.
If this had the 7.5cm Pak it would have covered any ships coming into the harbour and would have damage them badly.
7.5cm Pak.
Plan.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Vf 7.5cm gun bunker.
Flak.
This is a picture of the Flak on the roof. On the right an emplacement for a 2cm or 4cm Flak 28 and on he left a position for a range finder.
Hand held range finder.
Larger type of range finder.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Vf 7.5cm gun bunker.
Embrasure.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
The three flak positions, two Vf anti tank gun casemates and a Hockenbunker (command bunker).
Plan.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Vf 7.5cm gun bunker.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Vf 7.5cm gun bunker.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Hockenbunker (command bunker).
Flak position on the roof..
Hockenbunker.
Hockenbunker flak on the roof.
Flack position.
4cm Bofors.
Plan.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Hockenbunker (command bunker).
The flak position on the roof.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Hockenbunker (command bunker).
Command bunker a mix of SK & Vf bunkers.
SK - Sonder Konstruktion (Special construction).
Vf - Verstärkt feldmässig. (strengthened reinforced structure).
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Hockenbunker (command bunker).
Closer look at the flak bunker. You can see one of the entrances into the crew part of the bunker.
Crew room.
4cm Bofors gun on the roof of a large bunker.
Four round magazines of 4cm flak 25.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Hockenbunker (command bunker).
Air vet set into the bunkers wall.
200mm vent steel cover.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est SüdHockenbunker (command bunker).
The two small square windows I think were escape hatches. Most bunkers have an escape on the opposite side of the entrance and here that´s what these two look like.
410P9 escape door inside the bunker.
How the emergency escape worked.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Hockenbunker (command bunker).
I think this steel eye is an aerial cable tie down.
Bunker radio aerial.
Bunker radio.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
The end of the mole.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Looking back towards Nz105 from the mole.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Modern art. St-Nazaire modern regeneration.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
This is a 1946 photo the inner area with the ecluse. There were many bunkers built here amongst the ruins of the old town. In the picture which is post war the area was cleaned up and then the bunkers were removed and re building started.
By the ecluse is an R630 machine gun bunker, then an R622 twin group bunker. R638/621. R638 a small dressing station and R621 a group shelter possibly used as an extra ward. Ft67 a French Ft67 tank turret on a concrete Tobruk. Also an SK bunker?.
Ft67 tank turret on a concrete Tobruk.
R630 without a flanking wall.
R638 small dressing-station.
R621 entrance..
R622 twin group bunker with two Tobruks.
R105 machine gun casemate.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Allied bombing of St-Nazaire.
B17's.
Wn Nz105 avant port rive est Süd
Details