Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
HKB · Gironde Sud · OK 1 Vendée - Charente Maritime · France
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
On our trip to France in November 2012 we crossed the Gironde river at Royan to Verdon and behind the ferry port is Gi300,301 & 302. Here we are interested in Gi301. The guns were covering the entrance into the Gironde River which leads to the U-Boat pens in Bordeaux.
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Gi 301 'Koblenz' 4./H.K.A.A. 1282.
4 x R607 Munitions bunker.
3 x R502 Twin group shelter.
1 x R621 Group shelter.
1 x R622 Twin group shelter.
1 x R636a Command post for Army coastal batteries.
2 x R669 Casemate for field guns with 60°.
4 x R671Casemate for medium pivoting guns 120°.
2 x Vf. 4 x 10.5cm K331(f).
2 x 7.65cm F.K.5/8(t).
2 x 2cm Flak 30.
Plan of defences
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
A battery of four R671 casemates, two with Flak emplacements on their roofs. Four R607 ammunition bunkers behind. In the middle is an H636a army fire control post and a very unusual R669 double casemate. Also an R621, 622 and R502 crew bunkers.
13 - Fire Control Post.
14 - 2 x R669 Casemate for field guns with 60°.
15 to 18 - R671Casemate for medium pivoting guns 120°.
19 to 21 Flak. 22 to 26 - R607 munitions bunkers.
27 to 33 Personnel. 34 to 36 - Platform for a Canon.
37 to 44 - Tobruk's.
From SHM
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
A very unusual double bunker for 2 x 7.65cm F.K.5/8(t). The guns face south to fire over the port of Verdon.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
The double bunker plus a personnel bunker.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Now made into holiday cottages.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
The Fire control post is has now had a modern Semaphore built on its roof to watch for shipping.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Batterie.
IGNF 1974
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
The first R671 casemate with its Tobruk defence. Turm 4.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
R671 casemate for a medium pivot gun.
MKB Bunkertour
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
The Tobruk defence for the casemate Turm 4.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
This picture could have been taken here or at Gi302 M.K.B. La Verdon as they had the same casemates.
Bundesarchive
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
R636a although the more modern Semaphore has been added, the original bunker can be seen.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
The large bulbous head on the observation room.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Looking back at the fire control post. The commander of the batterie would have commanded his guns from the first floor. Targets would be seen by observers and later radars were added and then a group of officers and senior ranks would work out the range and direction and via the commander. Orders out to each gun giving them their individual fire orders.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Interesting rear defence position, this is the first I have ever seen on an R636a.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
How it would have looked.
08 November 2012 SHM
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Hard to understand where we are here, John in the red coat is about to walk past the front of the bunker, the embrasure which is now burred in the sand. Above it is a flak position for a 2cm or 3.7cm Flak gun.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
4 x 10.5cm K331(f). Ex French captured guns were removed off their gun chassis and set up on pivot mounts using a ring of hold fast bolts set into the concrete. The guns were vintage WW1 field guns, but for that they could put up a good rate of fire and as seen on Omaha Beach in 1944, it was guns of this sort of calibre that did a lot of damage to life, landing barges and vehicles. They could fire a mix of high explosive and armoured piercing.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
There were at least 2 x 2cm Flak 30's here. In two emplacements sat above Turm2 here and Turm1 that is now covered in sand. These guns were lethal against low flying aircraft and many an Allied planes came home with large and small holes from a 2cm Flak round.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Looking down on the embrasure.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
The door is the crew entrance, the brickwork is the gap left when making the open emplacement so the gun can be hauled up into position. Either a sand ramp, metal or wood would be used to pull and push the gun into position, then remove it from its trailer and set it down on three padded legs. Adjusted level and its ready to go.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
This is the crew entrance and also you can see the bricked up gun entrance.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
As far as I can see there was at least two independent Tobruk defences not attached to any bunkers. One was right out the front and probably washed away by the sea and there is this one on the left flank.
08 November 2012
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
This is a Liberator of the USAAF starting its bomb run and also using a smoke marker for other planes following. The bombs look like Napalm. Its actually bombing Royan or the bunkers on the north side of the Gironde, but the south side shows up very well in this picture. The Liberator also has GHz H2X type radar where a ball turret may have been. The radar was a British design (H2S) that was sent to America for developing and came back to Europe as a very good radar in deed.
AIR Files
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Now here is a bombing mission that was aimed at Gi301. You can see the smoke markers have gone down and sea is getting one hell of a bashing.
AIR Files
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
Gi302 'Kreuzburg' and you can see the bomb craters showing up.
SHM
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
This is the wooden fire control post for Gi331e Batt 'Lauben' the two railway guns just inland and I expect there were plans to build a concrete tower to replace this at some time.
Gi331 E, Batt. 'Lauben', Gironde Sud, KVA E1, Charente-Maritime
SHM 1945
Gi301 Pointe de Grave 'Koblenz' H.K.B.
08 November 2012