StP Danes Plage
STP · Hardelot - Merlimont K.V.A. D1. · AOK 15 Nord Pas de Calais · France
StP Dannes plage
This defence was laid out to block an exit from the beach. This is one of the beaches where the German thought D-Day would come. So they defended it quite well and were also starting to beef up the defences by adding more Wn's in between.
StP Dannes plage
StP Dannes plage
The German plan of their defence along this coast.
Hasso - a large mine/torpedo storage area.
Waldlager Dannes - StP Gruppe Mont St-Frieux complex.
Bttr - batterie of guns below St. Cécile.
German Plan
StP Dannes plage
6.Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Grenadier, Regiment, 49th Infantrie Division. (1944).1 x R612 casemate.
1 x R667 casemate.
6 x Vf58c Tobruk's.
1 x R502 twin group bunker.
1 x Vf/Pak garage.
1 x Wellblech bunker.
7 x Feldmässig.
1 x 7.5cm F.K.
1 x 5cm KwK L/60 Pak.
Plan Geoportail
StP Dannes plage
Car Park.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The road to the beach.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The first Tobruk visited. Also attached by a brick/concrete trenches to an underground bunker of some time.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Details
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
I think this is a Vf8 Tobruk type.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Looking down into the machine gunners space.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Trenches leading to a bunker of some type. There were at least 7 x Feldmässig. This could be one of the, Feldmässig were none standard concrete/brick or earth bunker. It looks like the like the trench leads down into a bunker of some type.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The entrance into the bunker.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Down in the trench.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Trench back into the Tobruk.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The face of StP Dannes plage with an R667 and an R612 further down the beach.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The rear entrance of the R667 casemate for a 5cm KwK L/60 Pak gun. Now turned into a pedestal gun but originally a tank gun converted as it became redundant for tanks. The L/60 with a muzzle break was the final model gun. Very good for shooting at landing craft and Allied tanks.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The rear entrance into the bunker with square shoot for the spent ammunition to exit the casemate.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Rear entrance.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Gun room now full of sand.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The seward view an invader would have seen.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The flanking wall and gun embrasure.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Further down the beach is the R612.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The seward side of bunker.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The embrasure bricked up.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
There were at least six Tobruk's here and I have found four but only visited two.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
If D-Day had happened where it was expected, Here. It would probably been here, with wide beaches and nice open sand dunes behind. The artillery around here was awesome and that would have been one of the downfalls, as so much would have been fired at the landing craft as they approached.
After the Dieppe raid, the Allies new that attacking a port was
suicide. So this would have been an ideal beach to have a landing on.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
There was a Pak garage, a concrete structure to house probably a 3.7cm or 5cm Pak gun. This would have added mobile fire power around the StP and could have been used on or close to the beach in a prepared position or inland to cover the rear from attack.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Possibly a crew entrance to a Feldmässig attached to the Pak garage.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
R502 twin group bunker for up to 30 men.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Defensive Tobruk.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
Testament
If destiny grants me only a short career of combatant, I thank the eye for having been able to give my life to the liberation of France.
Let it be said to my mother that I have always been very happy and grateful that I have had the opportunity to serve God, country and those whom I love, and that whatever happens, I will always be near her London 1943.
RENÉ MOUCHOTTE
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
The view on to Wn03.
23 October 2014
StP Dannes plage
23 October 2014