StP026 West Ecqueville
BATTERIE · K.V.Gruppe Etretat · AOK 15 Haute-Normandie · France
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
In 1942 field batterie turned up and located its guns in field positions, 6 x 10.5cm K.35(t). Then four open emplacements (Geschützstellung) were built with underground tunnels to and from the ammunition stores. Many bunkers and barracks, an air raid shelter and also a rifle range all built by the Todt Org. 1943 they started to upgrade the batterie with two R621, one R607, Flak and anti tank guns. Then four R671 casemates were built, a fire control post was built just behind the gun line.
1./I./H.K.A.A 1254.
4 x R671 casemates.
6 x Geschützstelung (open gun emplacements).
1 x Hochleitstand/SK (fire control post).
2 x R621 twin group bunkers.
1 x R607 ammunition bunker.
3 x Vf58c Tobruk's.
2 x Zisterne.
2 x 2cm KwK38 A/T guns.
2 x 2cm Flak 38.
4 x 10.5cm K.35(t).
2 x 7.5cm F.K.16 n.Art.
1 x 60cm searchlight.
1 x 150cm searchlight.
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
A roundabout on the D942 driving south towards LeHavre.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
German plan overlaid Google earth.
German plan.
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
This is a 1947 air photo.
1947
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
On the left in the bank was a machine gun and in the road a roadblock.
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Barn that would have been used as a barracks.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
There seems to be some prefabricated concrete added to the outer walls.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
There seems to be some prefabricated concrete added to the outer walls.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
It would be nice to think I have found something of historical importance from the batterie but I expect its just a piece of farm machinery??
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Kitchen and pigsty. Water reservoir in this field and the fence posts are all German Eisenpfahel barbed wire posts.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Kitchen and pigsty.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Ferme Dégenétois. Inside the farm are also two more ammunition bunkers.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Ferme Dégenétois, may be rifle slits??
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
More very roughly poured concrete on the side of this barn.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
On the right was a stable bunker for four horses ((pour 4 Cheaux).
The mound is a one roomed ammunition bunker.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
The mound is a one roomed ammunition bunker.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
The mound is a one roomed ammunition bunker.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Another one roomed ammunition bunker of which there were four down this road.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
One roomed ammunition bunker.
Looking into the entrance.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Paparazzi!!
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
The last of the four single roomed ammunition bunkers.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Ammunition bunker. There were fifteen here.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Unknown on plan so it maybe a fifth one roomed ammunition bunker.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Unknown on plan so it maybe a fifth one roomed ammunition bunker.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 4.
R671 casemates.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Air photo showing the three R671's and the fourth R671 Turm 3 with an additional room added on.
1973
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Unknown structure. This could be 15 on the plan making it an early emplacement of some kind.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 4 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 4 R671 casemate showing the side walls jutting out, earth would have been heaped up to add as camouflage and added protection..
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 4 R671 casemate showing the embrasure in the front.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 4 R671 casemate front view.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 4 R671 casemate front view. Note the two I beams sticking out, they could hold either camouflage netting or a set of steal (chain mail) to help close off the entrance to stop large shell splinters from entering the casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Vf58c Tobruk.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Tobruk & casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Rifle range firing point.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Firing range butts.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Towards the sea.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
2cm Flak emplacement.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
2cm Flak emplacement.
Ammunition niche.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
2cm Flak emplacement.
14 October 2022
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Well from a distance you see a bunker, you get excited, you photograph it with your zoom lens and it looks good on your camera screen. Then you get close and OH boy its a Duck shooters hide. What a let down.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Looking down the cliff.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Eisenpfahel German barbed wire fence posts.
There was a barbed wire fence running right around the site, outside the fence a large mine field with anti-tank and anti-personnel mines.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 1 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 2 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 2 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 2 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
Rear of the casemate.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671/SK casemate.
Generator room machinery entrance. This is where the generator would have been pushed into the room and then closed off.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate. Door to the actual generator control room.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate rear entrance.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
Gun room.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
R/H ammunition room showing the arrangement for racks to hold the she;;s. Very rare to find..
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
L/H ammunition room shell.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
Gun room the two maximum ranges of the gun.
17500m = 11 miles. 15000m = 9.5miles.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 3 R671 casemate.
Gun room.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Turm 4 Geschützstelung (open emplacement) possibly the only one left.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Hochleitstand/SK (high control centre) fire control post. The first post was situated on the cliff edge in a field type position. Later this replaced in 1943 by a full Hochleitstand/SK (fire control tower in special construction SK). 11 meters tall with a roof observation reached by a steel ladder, then two operations rooms with open viewing slits. Then down to a basement and tunnel system to two shelters.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Plan of the Batterie.
SHM
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Hochleitstand/SK (high control centre) fire control post. Posts sticking up where possibly another observation space was built in wood??
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Hochleitstand/SK (high control centre) fire control post.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Hochleitstand/SK (high control centre) fire control post.
Hard to see the vision slit where batterie officers would have looked out to sea.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Hochleitstand/SK (high control centre) fire control post.
The lower observation slit rather low down.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Hochleitstand/SK (high control centre) fire control post.
The south side of the post.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Munitions bunker in a garden. There are many odd bunkers in and around new housing, some have gone but some are well hidden.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
German Eisenpfahel barbed wire fence post today holding up the fence.
12 September 1944 due to the attack and advance on LeHavre operation 'Astonia' the crews damaged the guns to stop them falling into the hands of the 2nd Seaforth's.
28 March 2017
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
10 September 1944 Operation 'Astonia' the attack on LeHavre. It started with a 1000 bomber raid, then an artillery barrage of 49th, 51st (H) Div. artillery plus two monitors HMS Erebus & HMS Roberts out at sea and 4th and 9th AGRA's. (Army Group Royal Artillery) then the tanks went in, ending on the 12th.
05 September 1944 Defence overlay of LeHavre. WO 223-82 34 Tank Bde. report on operation Astonia 1944 Sept.
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Artillery barrage.
September 1944
StP026 Batterie West Ecqueville
Tanks move forward.
September 1944