Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

BATTERIE · K.V.U.Gruppe Cherbourg See · AOK 7 Normandy · France

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

1 x Poste de Direction de Tir - PDT.
4 x Large open emplacements.
4 x 194mm mod.1902 cannons in mod.1934 mounts. Not installed.

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

194mm mod.1902 cannons in mod.1934 mount under German control, somewhere in France. I believe the guns were never fitted at Brule, but this is how they may have looked mod.1934 mounts.

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

194mm mod.1902 cannons in mod.1934 mount under German control, somewhere in France. I believe the guns were never fitted at Brule, but this is how they may have looked mod.1934 mounts.

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

194mm mod.1902 cannons having its breach cleaned by a French Sailor..

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

The batterie laid out almost facing north, with the PDT(Fire Control Post) right out in front. A huge PDT on several levels that also could be used to direct the guns of Castel Vendon, Batterie Française Tourville, (Souterrain). Basically the modern French batteries of 1920's onwards, are based on the Maginot theory.
After WW1 France decided it did not want to fight another blood bath of a war. So under André Maginot (1877-1932) (as a wounded veteran he became a politician and served in the post war French government as Minister of War). He demanded that the country’s future be protecting from the dangers of the past and built a line of fortresses on the border with Germany. The line was also lengthened to include Frances ports and also its foreign dependencies. So even defences in Africa, Caribbean, Etc. were strengthened. Most batteries outside the the main line were coastal and were manned by the French Navy (Marine).

IGnf 1947

Plan Castel Vendon Batt.
A-B the two gun positions.
C - PDT (Fore Control Post). — Plan Castel Vendon Batt. A-B the two gun positions. C - PDT (Fore Control Post).

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Now a nature reserve the old military road that connected the batterie to Cherbourg.

15 October 2017

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

I am not too sure which emplacement this one is, maybe Turm 1.

15 October 2017

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 1 Guns hold fast in the centre with two ammunition shelters each side.

15 October 2017

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 1 The very substantial guns hold fast or turntable.

15 October 2017

194mm mod.1902 cannons in mod.1934 mount.

And here showing how the hold fast may have looked on the guns here.

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 1 Ammunition storage.

15 October 2017

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 1 Although there were no guns ever fitted, there does seem a lot of battle damage. This may have been in the battle or it may have been destruction after its capture. Maybe blowing up of ammunition/mines that were just around the area.

15 October 2017

Turm 2 you can see one section completely blown out.

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 4 These photos were taken in 2000 with a FinePix49, so old I cannot find a picture of one. The batteries were 4 x AA and they lasted no time at all. You needed a pocket full of batteries. A little different nowadays.

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 3 The hold fast ring.

15 October 2017

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 3 Ammunition storage.

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 3 Ammunition storage.

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 2 Showing battle damage and the hold fast ring in very good condition.

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 2 Damage with a lot of the wall blown out.

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 2 More damage.

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 1 This was the gantry, ready to hoist shells in from delivery lorries, onto trucks to transfer the ammunition, to inside the emplacement.

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Turm 1

02 January 2000

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

I have always wondered if the guns had been fitted, but these photos, kindly given to me by Jim Swan. Taken by I believe his father Nicholas Rudziak after the batteries capture. Shows no guns were ever mounted.

US Army Signals Corps, Nicholas Rudziak.(Thank you to Jim Swan)

Maginot style electrical cabinet at Petit ouvrage Hobling (A23).

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

Telegraph poles were used and some old metal sheets, to make it look as though there were guns here. That way they would become a target for the Allies to bomb and waste time and energy on a useless target. As far as I can see the Allies knew it was empty of guns and I have seen no evidence that it was bombed??

US Army Signals Corps, Nicholas Rudziak.(Thank you to Jim Swan)

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

The concrete was painted in camouflage and here an old sheet of corrugated iron has been used to make it look like a shield.

US Army Signals Corps, Nicholas Rudziak.(Thank you to Jim Swan)

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

More camouflage painted walls. These pictures could be all four emplacements.

US Army Signals Corps, Nicholas Rudziak.(Thank you to Jim Swan)

Batterie Brule (f) Batterie

19 June 2001