Gi307 Les Arros 'Reichenberg' M.K.B.

Batterie 2./M.A.A.618.

1 x M157 Fire Control Post for medium heavy batteries .

4 x M270 Embrasured emplacement.

2 x R670 Embrasured emplacement for central pivoting gun (90°) without annex.

1 x Fl277 Emplacement for searchlight 150cm.

3 x R622 Twin group bunker.

2 x M151 Quarters for 1 Officer, 2 NCO's and 24men.

1 x M159 Dressing station.

2 x M145 Ammunition depot.

2 x R621Group bunker.

1 x V148 Bunker for commissariat.

1 x Vf58c Tobruk.

4 x 16.47cm K.M./87 (f).

2 x 7.5cm F.K.231(f) Several radars.

1 x Fu.MG Seetakt code 'F.M 17' Fu.MO 2.

1 x Würzburg See Riese Fu.MO 214 under construction.

A large car park and and the old French railway which ran all along this coast.

SHM plan showing how large the batterie was. It had a fire control post, four large casemates for 16.4cm guns, two casemates for 7.5cm kannon, AA radar, naval radar, and loads of other bunkers.

Plan Gi307 a four casemated gun battery with ammunition, living, radar and fire control post. We saw what we could in the time allowed (it was getting dark), but there is a lot more there than we found. In the summer there are tours by the local museum and they will walk you all around the site.

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg3.

The first casemate which covers the left flank of the battery looking down the coast and would have had a 7.5cm F.K.231(f) gun.

On the 18th/19th April 1945 the commandos and infantry elements of the 38th R.I.(Gironde, Dordogne and Tarn et Garonne) and the III/131 R.I. (FFI of the Eure and Loir Department) and the R.M.E.M. suffered heavy opposition from the defenders of Arros. 19.00 on the 19th April the final assault from the south and by help from Basque volunteers and three companies of R.I. and support from 131 squadron of 13 R.D. tanks and aircraft from FFA operations. (A bad translation).

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg.

The battle must have been quite nasty, the attacks started just before the capitulation of all German forces in April 1945. Many casemates around the Medoc region show signs of battle and Royan had to be completely rebuilt after the bombing.

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg.

Armoured piercing rounds could have been fired from French Sherman tanks coming north from Soulac-sur-Mer.

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg.

Quite a large casemate for a 7.5cm gun.

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg.

This bunker did take a battering from the town of Soulac-sur-Mer but the gun was designed to attack targets down the beach.

The mounting is a French fixed pivot mount. The gun a WW1 French 75, one of the best guns to come out of France at the time. Used as artillery, anti-tank & and anti-aircraft gun.

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg.

Rear entrance. The eight square holes are for wooden blocks to be fitted and a steel door frame attached in place. Then a full steel door hung on large hinges. There would be a sign somewhere inside stating that, "The rear door must be opened when firing the gun".

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg.

One of the two ammunition storage areas, we think they could store around 50 rounds on each side.

R670 Casemate for a Medium Pivoting Gun 90deg.

Mike rapped up trying to stay warm.

The guns mounting unusually still in place for the French 7.5cm

A plan of the defences in the Gironde Süd area. The red line was the inner defence of the area, an anti tank ditch was dug and the rivers in the area utilised. When the attack came in from the south, the anti-tank ditch and waterways, made very little difference. By then bridging techniques had advanced from the early 1940's. Each defence was rolled up, one after another is a very bitter struggle.

The tank ditch in the south also utalising the waterways in the east and middle sections.

R622 Twin group shelter.

This R622 twin group bunker to house the batteries guns crew, up to 15 men per room

R622 Twin Group Shelter.

Plan and details.

R622 Twin Group Shelter Tobruk defence.

Tobruk on the right side of the bunker with a slot for a speaking tube.

R622 twin group shelter.

On the far wall a close combat defence embrasure. A machine gun, rifle, pistol or sub machine gun could be fired up at any enemy trying to enter. If a hand grenade was thrown down, the shutter could be closed off to stop the blast entering the bunker.

R622 twin group shelter Gi307.M 05. 1943.

Gas lock between the two doorways where two 643P01 doors. A rubber gas seal around the edge. The two insets each side were for radio aerials. My take on these aerials, if there is an earthing strip in place, then the aerials were originally fitted. There were no earth strips here.

R622 twin group shelter.

Gas lock between the two doorways where two 643P01 doors. A rubber gas seal around the edge. The two insets each side were for radio aerials. My take on these aerials, if there is an earthing strip in place, then the aerials were originally fitted. If there were no earth strips then the aerials were not fitted.
The picture I have added the washing facilities to the end of the corridor.

R622 twin group shelter.

Arrows - Heers-Einheits-Schutzlüfter HES 1.2 air filtration system that filters the outside air of gas/smoke. The white circles on the roof are pipes that went. The square is the heating system chimney pipe.

R622 twin group shelter.

Heating inspectors.

This is the chimney pipe.

If you slept in a bunker, washed in a bunker, you probably also cooked in a bunker, Mess tins could he hooked around the side to heat up water for coffee, the top can be used as a stove and also to it can heat the bunker.

R622 twin group shelter.

The doors would have been thin steel doors with a small window and a seal to stop the Ingres of gas. Two handles to close the door and lock it.

R622 twin group shelter.

This is the close combat embrasure that covers the right hand entrance. Anybody coming down the steps would be stopped and checked and if an enemy, then they would be shot.

R622 twin group shelter. The fitting in the roof is the closure for the periscope.

SR9 Stahlführungsrohre, (Steel guide tube) details.

R622 twin group shelter.

The second room with the gas filter fittings on the right. There would have been beds mounted on the walls and a few cupboards, chairs and table.

R622 twin group shelter.

To the left of the close combat embrasure is the fitting for a speaking tube (Sprachrohr/mouthpiece). This was connected to another in the Tobruk on the outside.

R622 twin group shelter.

Bunkers number. M 05.1943.

R622 twin group shelter.

R622 twin group shelter.

The Tobruk.

Radio aerial base or flak mounting. As it is only a base, they may have surrounded the emplacement with sand bags.

2 cm Flak team at 'Reichenberg'. This is a 2cm Flak 28 type.

In front of the gun is a 150cm searchlight, there was also an Fl277 bunker to house one here.

M270 casemate

M - Marine 270 casemate, this is a quite large casemate for its 16.47cm K.M/87 gun. Bolted down to the floor. The gun had been used as secondary armament on a French battle ship.

M270 casemate

M - Marine 270 casemate, this is a quite large casemate for its 16.47cm K.M/87 gun. Bolted down to the floor. The gun had been used as secondary armament on a French battle ship.

1 - Platform pour canon de 164mm. These original French guns must have been used right to the end as these pictures show them, after capture.

2 - Platform pour canon de 164mm.

M270 casemate Turm1

The slots in the concrete walls either side are to allow the gun sights. This gun had two sets of sights.

M270 casemate Turm1.

M270 casemate Turm1.

There is a space under the bunker to take fired shell cases, when fired they are posted down one of two holes on each side of the bunker. When the battle is over, they can be brought out and re used. Well that did not happen.

M270 casemate Turm1.

M270 casemate Turm1

M270 casemate Turm1

M270 casemate Turm1.
Close combat room.

M270 casemate Turm1.

Rear entrance in the centre and Tobruk access on the left.

M270 casemate Turm1.
The two handles are to help the gunner climb the steel ladder into the Tobruk.

M270 casemate Turm1.
Close defence Tobruk.

M270 casemate Turm1.

M270 casemate Turm1.
Defending the Gironde estuary.

M270 casemate Turm 2.

M270 casemate Turm 2.

M270 casemate Turm 3.

M270 casemate Turm 3.

M270 casemate Turm 3.
Gun room.

M270 casemate Turm3.
The posts sticking up vertically from the roof, are to allow sand to be piled on the top and grass grown on it. This helps to camouflage the bunker.

Battle damage.

R670 Casemate.

R670 Casemate, Tobruk entrance.

R670 Casemate.

R670 Casemate.

R670 Casemate.

R670 Casemate.

R670 Casemate.
Extraction and more ammunition storage.

R670 Casemate.

When the gun fired and the breach opened, smoke would poor out. The extractor fan would suck the foul gases out via slots in the ceiling to the large pipe in the roof.

R670 Casemate.
The gun would have been bolted to the ring of threads on the floor.

The long walk back.

The railway lines running along and out into the sea, we think was for the collection of sand from the beach to use to make the concrete emplacements in the area of Gironde Süd.