Ro426 'Karla'
WN · K.V.Gruppe Süd Île de Ré · OK 1 Vendée - Charente Maritime · France
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
INFORMATION:
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
StP Ro426 Karla .
Occupied by the 5a/le.MA.A.A.686. (Marine Artillerie Abteilung).
(LEICHTE MARINE-ARTILLERIE-ABTEILUNG 686)
2 x R612 casemates.
1 x Vf58c Tobruk.
2 x Vf bunkers. 2 x 7.5cm F.K.231(f).
2 x 2cm Flak30.
1 x 60cm searchlight.
3 x machine gun positions.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
An SHM air photo showing the two R612 casemates.
SHM
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Set into the sand dunes a small bunker with steps down to one room.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Set into the sand dunes a small bunker with steps down to one room, possibly one of the two Vf bunkers.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Window and a door leading into the room.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Plan of the STP with a Tobruk to the north, a small bunker/room under ground and two x R612 casemates.
On the roof of the northern R612 casemate was a 2cm Flak sitting on the roof. The second was set in sand dunes to the south. Both could be used as anti-aircraft or anti-landing defence. Originally the two field guns may have been in open ringstands and when the casemates were built, a small roadway between the ringstand and the casemate was added and the guns could be used in either. To the south of the position another 2cm Flak gun and a searchlight. The searchlight could be used at night to light up targets or to search for aircraft. Then with a Tobruk defence in the north and at least three machine gun positions and an observation post in the south.
Geoportail 1950
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Machine gun niche.
SHM
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
R612 casemate.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
R612 casemate. The lip over the embrasure is to allow the rain to run around the opening. A nice flanking wall that has now been removed and no sign of the Flak gun.
SHM
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Looking very battered.
11 November, 2007 JF
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
The gun room with the exhaust that sucks foul air out of the gun room via a fan in the small ammunition room behind.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
R612 casemate + Flak.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
R612 casemate rear steel door type 753P3.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
The second R612 casemate.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Both have lost their flanking walls.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
A very odd construction, probably built by the Marines that were stationed here, it looks to be a small bunker and a wall, possibly to mount a machine gun on and a small bunker to keep the machine gun safe and ammunition.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
There seems to be access from above.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
The view down the beach the field gun was defending. There were several machine guns, an observation post and a searchlight.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
Hooks to hold camouflage netting in place.
11 November, 2007
StP Ro426 'Karla', St-Clément des Baleines
11 November, 2007