StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B., K.V.U.Gruppe St Vaast, K.V.A. J1

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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Heeres Küsten Batterie
Batterie 5./Heeres Küsten Artillery Regiment 1261.

The army's coastal batteries were mostly set up with field cannons, but often stationary mounted on turntables in concrete positions. The fire control equipment was also the same as the field artillery had. The batteries were therefore often unable to deliver directed fire to a moving sea target, but instead focused on barrage fire. (Wiki Norge)

Les Arquets, F.C.P., Morsalines., the lighthouse on the hill above Morsalines was Crasville's fire control post.

Les Arquets, F.C.P., Morsalines. Les Arquets, Morsalines, the lighthouse on the hill above Morsalines.

Originally they were in open ringstands.

Don't forget the horses.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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Batterie 5./H.K.A.R. 1261.
2 x R650 casemates.
2 c R671 casemates.
1 x Vf58c Tobruk.
1 x Wasser bunker.
1 x SK/MG stand.
4 x 10.5cm K.331(f) guns.
1 x 2cm Flak 30.
1 x 3.7cm Flak.
Munitions, garage, Flak mound, unterstand,etc.

 

 

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Details

SHM plan and I have added items that we have found.

Turm 1 R650 casemate.

Turm 2 - 3 R671's & Turm 4 R650.

Flak mound for 2cm flak 30.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

R650 casemate for a pivot gun. Some casemates a field gun can be pushed in via a back door. Here you cannot. The gun room has a hold fast cemented into the floor where pivot mount could be attached. Then a field gun, removed from its carriage. Lifted in place. There were nearly always large rings set into the casemates ceiling to be used to lift a barrel in and out.

Plan.

The guns hold-fast and ring of bolts

Hold-fast bolts at Azeville.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

This is a plan of Batterie Azeville R650 from MKB Bunkertour, which is the same type.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

This picture was taken of the embrasure just after capture. The gun I think was still in place here Two guns were removed after the Americans had landed and placed back on their carriages. They were then used in the retreat to Cherbourg. The other two, it looks as though they were still in the bunkers. One carriage was damaged and we will see that one in a later picture.

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B
K331 with shielding 10.5cm Schneider Mod 1913 (f). .

Details

This is the type of gun that was used here and it arrived in 1943 and the batterie of four guns made up the 5./H.K.A.R. 1261. The batterie may have been horse drawn and placed ringstands that sat out in front of the casemates. The horses were often retained so the batteries can be moved around from position to position. When the batteries were casemated the horsed were retained and used to draw ammunition or food and general carrying duties.
(Heers Kusten Artillery Regiment)

The ringstand.

10.5cm horse artillery unit.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

R650 casemate looking along the rear of the bunker. L to R Entrance to the observation/Tobruk, Left hand entrance and right hand entrance.
The left entrance was to allow access to the ammunition rooms to re load them. The right was the crew entrance with a defended close combat defence room and inside the crew room another CC defence, a 434P01 heavy steel door closed off both rear entrance and also the close combat room.

R650 plan.

The red arrows are the embrasures.

434P01 door.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

Just after capture the detritus of war lying around with items of building materials.

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

The Carriage of the K331 10.5cm Schneider Mod 1913 (f) with badly damaged wheel. The guns barrel has been removed and fitted into the casemate.

 

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Details

K331 with a 10.5cm Schneider Mod 1913 (f). This is how it may have looked set up in one of the open emplacements. The camouflage net is fitted to a frame and can rotate with the gun.

Plan.

Plan.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

A slightly later photo and several camouflage nets have gradually been removed, may have been commandeered for use on American vehicles? Note the building matáriels still lying around.

Turm IV R650 casemate.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

The rear most entrance up to the observation Tobruk.

Plan of the Tobruk.

details

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

The iron steps set into the concrete.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

Niche for a connection box for a field telephone. Above a tube for the speaking tube/Sprachrohr that linked to inside the bunker.

Sprachrohr.

Sprachrohr pipes through the bunker.

Relay box for a field phone.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

A steel ring would have been cemented into the recess where four brackets fit.

Tobruk ring on the island of Alderney.

Fittings for a Tobruk.

Fitting.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

The Tobruk observation and defence.

As observation.

As observation.

As defence.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

Crew entrance and close combat defence embrasure.

 

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

The internal Close Combat embrasure. There would have been a 434P01 door just inside to the right..

details

434P01 door.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

Crew room.

The yellow arrow is looking at the door in the main picture and the large red arrow is the close combat embrasure.

The main red arrow shows the plan of the main picture and looking into the close combat defence room.

Red     - Crew Room.
Green  - the passage way.
Yellow - Close Combat room.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

Passage way from the crew room to the gun room.

Red     - Crew Room.
Green  - the passage way.
Blue    - Gun room.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm IV R650 casemate

Details

The roof of Turm IV looking towards Turm III a R671.

details

R671 plan.

Plan view of Turm III showing that the rear does not have the two wings on either side. The reasons they were added was to help hold earth to the sides as camouflage.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm III a R671

Details

Being squared off these are from the design for use in towns, so they fit into a townscape with the straight sides and square look.

Turm III a R671.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm III a R671

Details

Rear entrance.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm III a R671

Details

Rear entrance.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm III a R671

Details

Gun room looking toward the rear door right side. The walls for the ammunition storage has been broken out, this may have been done by the farmer to make room as a barn or storage.

Gun room looking toward the rear door left side.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm III a R671

Details

The gun room looking out.

The gun room looking in. Note the ring set into the roof to lift in and out replacement barrels.

Azeville gun in place very much like this one.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm III a R671

Details

A rather shell splattered wall.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm III a R671

Details

This is slightly later than the last photo as it looks as though its been tidied up a bit. You can just see the gun shield in place but no barrel, that is because this barrel was re united to it gun carriage and used later outside the bunker in the retreat to Cherbourg.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm II a R671

Details

The rear view.

Turm II a R671.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm II a R671

Details

Just after capture and work was still in progress right up to 6th June.

Todt workers.

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm II a R671

Details

Gradually being lost in the woodland.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm II a R671

Details

This one also has its gun barrel removed.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm II a R671

Details

A good amount of ammunition seems to have been fired off.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm I - II - III

Details

This photo looks as though it was taken later and the site is quite tidy.

Turm I R650 casemate.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm I R650 casemate

Details

Three quarter view of the gun line.

Plan.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm I R650 casemate

Details

The embrasure side of the casemate.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm I R650 casemate

Details

This photo was taken very soon after capture, the gun is still in place. It does looks like yje casemates were painted a dark colour as several cannon shells have hit the casemate and splattered the concrete, chipping the paint. The guns shield was not hit.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm I R650 casemate

Details

Just after capture another good photo, it shows a lot of the building matáriels lying around.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm I - II

Details

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Turm I R650 casemate

Details

Rear view showing the Tobruk entrance, the ammunition entrance and the crew entrance.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Flak Tumulus

Details

This is one of the only gun sites I have ever found a Flak Tumulus. I checked with a friend and its not a pre - Roman burial Tumulus.

Plan.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Flak Tumulus

Details

It had a 3.7cm Flak on the top when captured and would have had a very good 360° view of the area. And was probably used in ground defence when the batterie was attacked.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Flak Tumulus

Details

The 3.7cm gun in place.

Flak crew.

 

3.7cm Flak magazines.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Flak Tumulus

Details

This picture, taken slightly later and the defence wall around the gun has been pushed down.

3.7cm Flak 37.

3.7cm magazine clip.

Ammunition cases 3.7cm.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Vf for Flak

Details

Possibly a Vf bunker (Vf1a?) either for the crew or more likely ammunition for the 3.7cm Flak gun.

Plan.

Vf1a bunker.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Vf bunker

Details

Another Vf bunker of some kind, just the outline of its top.

details

Vf2a plan.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Flak?

Details

Now this is something I have never seen before. Some say 2cm Flak but I found a live Lebel round on the floor. So the best I can do is, that it possibly was a Reibel machine gun taken from a Maginot fort and re used here?? in the anti-aircraft role.

Plan.

8mm Reibel machine gun.

8mm Lebel rounds.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Flak

Details

It is too small for a 2cm Flak 30 type by may be able to house a 2cm Flak 29 Oerlikon.

2cm Flak 29 Oerlikon.

2cm Flak 29 Oerlikon.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Vf bunker/Unterstand escape

Details

Here we just found the escape and no bunker.

Looking down the escape with steel steps set into the side of the wall.

Plan.

Escape.

A slightly exaggerated plan of the escape.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Ammunition storage

Details

Extra ammunition storage next to Turm IV.

Plan.

10cm ammunition.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Ammunition storage

Details

Ammunition storage there were at least two at Crasville.

Powder box.

Cordite powder charges.

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Tobruk

Details

This Tobruk is on the road side and covered the South/West side of the batterie.

Plan.

It looks like a Vf67 Tobruk.

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Wasser

Details

Some call it a Wasser bunker/water bunker, but its not a bunker but a water tank for the construction of the batterie. Since used as a Pig sty.

Plan.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Wasser

Details

 

 

Cement mixers.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Ammunition bunker

Details

The second ammunition bunker, just a small room for storage.

Plan.

Box of ammunition

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
SK Generator house??/Anti-Tank gun garage

Details

I am not sure this was a generator house, more an SK anti-tank garage for a small 2cm AT gun. On the left maybe the generator house.

Plan.

2cm/2.5cm AT gun being pushed out of a garage.

3.7cm AT gun.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
SK Generator house??/Anti-Tank gun garage

Details

This left entrance could have been a gererator house? we did not look in.

 

 

Petrol can.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
SK Generator house??/Anti-Tank gun garage

Details

The gun can sit over a pit in the floor and spare ammunition for the gun is placed in the pit. Room for the small crew on the left side.

 

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
SK Generator house??/Anti-Tank gun garage

Details

I cannot see a Generator was fitted in here but certainly the pit had a ledge each side to take wooden boards so ammunition could be stored under the gun.

 

 

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Bunker/Unterstand

Details

Steps down into the bunker.

Plan.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Bunker/Unterstand

Details

The entrance.

 

 

Alarm.

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Information

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Bunker/Unterstand

Details

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.
Bunker/Unterstand

Details

Inside.

 

 

StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

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StP142 Crasville Videcosville H.K.B.

Details

© 2013 Richard Drew