Gi325 Chenel de Neryan 'Traknen'
WN · Gironde Sud · OK 1 Vendée - Charente Maritime · France
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
Facing the Gironde river N/E direction. Quite a well defended area, with a 7.5cm Field Kannon and a 7.5cm Pak 40.
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
On the southern end of the Pointe De Grave defences, a strong defence Wn has been built just behind the anti-tank ditch.
A hard road takes you out to the waters edge where fishermen and wild fowler's use the area to hunt & fish.
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
1 x R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
1 x R622 Twin group bunker.
1 x R674 Small ammunition bunker .
1 x R680 Casemate for 7.5cm Pak 40.
1 x R621 Group shelter.
2 x Vf67 Tobruk for Pz.T FT17 turret.
1 x 7.5cm Pak40.
1 x 4.7cm Pak181.
1 x 7.5cm F.K.236(b).
2 x Pz.T FT17 tank turret.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
Driving down the road to the defence.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
In front is the R612 facing out to sea covering the north/east flank and on the right the twin group bunker for their living accommodation.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
A 7.5cm F.K.236(b) would have been used here. Its not accessible now as it has slipped down at the front, there were no foundations, just a hole dug in the sand and a frame of reinforcement assembled and then concrete poured. So when the ground under them moves they tend to tip over.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
"After very hard fighting night in this sector and heavy losses, elements advances the 34th R.I (FFI the lands, Gironde and Lot and Géronne) obtained the surrender of the enemy resistance nest of La Longue and opened their regiment to the road to Verdon".
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
On this side is a Tobruk for a close support machine gun.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
Tobruk defence. R612's do not normally have a Tobruk defence. But they are an option in the plans to add one if needed.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
Inside the Tobruk with a recess for a voice pipe to communicate with the inside of the bunker.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R612 Casemate for an assault gun.
View the gunners would have had.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
Vf67 Tobruk.
Pz.T. FT17 Tank Turret.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R622 Twin Group Bunker.
The seaward side of bunker.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R622 Twin Group Bunker.
It looks as though this side was hit several times and a newer wall has been added for some unknown reason?
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R622 Twin Group Bunker.
It looks as though this side was hit several times and a newer wall has been added for some unknown reason?
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R622 Twin Group Bunker.
Bullet marks in the steel beam.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R622 Twin Group Bunker.
Aerial tube.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R622 Twin Group Bunker.
Tobruk.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R674 Small ammunition bunker.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R674 Small ammunition bunker.
This small bunker would have had to store 7.92mm rifle/machine gun ammunition, 7.5cm A/T. 7.5cm field artillery. 4.7cm A/T, 9mm pistol and any other ammunition needed here.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
H674 Small Ammunition Bunker.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R680 Casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40.
This is interesting, when we visited we did not notice the significance of the fact that, this gun is shooting inland. When the other casemate is shooting out to sea.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R680 Casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40.
From this air photo you can see the casemates direction. It was covering the died ground between the anti-tank ditch in the south and here. Its effective range was 1800m and its maximum was 7678m. That is a lot of coverage.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R680 Casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40 'PanzerAbwehrKanone'.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R680 Casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40.
The slots on the left to accommodate the guns trail. Adjustable to size. This and the 8.8cm Pak 43 were some of the best anti-tank guns produced. By 1942/3 they were getting to heavy to move around in Russia quickly when the Russians attacked in vast numbers. They were being swamped. So they were replaced with hand held Panzerschreck's. That freed up guns to be used in the Atlantikwall under concrete casemates.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R680 Casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R680 Casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40.
Gun room. not a lot of space.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
R680 Casemate for a 7.5cm Pak40.
Some battle damage.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
Tobruk for a Pz.T FT17 tank turret.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
Vf67 Tobruk for a Pz.T FT17 tank turret.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
The direction the French attacked.
08 November 2012
Gi325 Chenal de Neryan 'Trakehnen'
Plan of the attack north.
18 April 1945