StP125 M.K.B 'Prinz Heinrich' Ost

MKB · K.V.Gruppe Calais · AOK 15 Nord Pas de Calais · France

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Operation Seelöwe was the plan to attack the British Isles in 1940, first the RAF had to be removed from the skies and then the landings could take place. The German army (Heers) wanted to have some very large guns along the coast to cover the channel and fire on the Dover area (the landing beaches). Several batteries were started and here a batterie of two 28cm S.K. L/45 Marine batterie was built (27 July 1940). They fired on shipping in the channel on many occasions and the the Dover area. The batterie was removed in 1943 and transferred to Leningrad, Russia and StP155 Grosser Kurfürst replaced it.

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

The site of the batterie with the two white circles are the gun turntables and the red circles two remaining ammunition bunkers. There maybe more there but we could not get access. Marineküstenbatterie Prinz Heinrich 1 x Fire control post (Leitstand).. 2 x Maschinenbunker. 6 x Munitionsbunker. 4 x Unterstands 1 x SK/Sanittatsbunker 2 x 28cm S.K. L/45 2 x 8.8cm Abk L/40 2 x 4cm Flak 28. Guns were removed by 1944.

18 May 2018

28cm S.K. L/45, note the large concrete block that the gun sits on.

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

I have superimposed a picture of the guns in the place they were.

Google

This could be the Fire control post (Leitstand) on the coast.

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Left Side: - The hospital bunker and a reserve ammunition bunker. Right Side: - Batterie site with a barbed wire and mine field. Second reserve ammunition bunker.

1949 Geoportail

SK/Munition bunker at StP106 Dresden. This type may have been used here close in to the guns.

8P710 wooden Fire control post (Leitstand).

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

28cm S.K. L/45.

1942

Convoy being attacked by heavy batteries in the Dover Straits.

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

This is a 28cm S.K. L/40 here they were L/45,s. Probably not very different.

WO 208/2985

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. Entrance into the bunker with two large double wooden doors.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Plan of a Reserve ammunition bunker. “Reserve Magazine” Drawing from file Wo 196/27 No. D.F.W.S. No.25.

WO 196/27

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. Reading the above Drawing No. D.F.W.S. No.25, it states that they had wooded doors, This one has had a thin steel sheet has been screwed to the front with Phillips screws, so not an original covering. But behind is a wooden door?

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. If the doors are shut, to talk to the men inside you had to use a speaking tube.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. Battle damage??

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. Looking at one side showing the air vents to allow fresh air to enter and pass through the ammunition rooms.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. Looking at one side showing the air vents to allow fresh air to enter the ammunition rooms.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. Around the back.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. They all seem to have these cubes with a steel rod sticking out. These are for camouflage nets to be strung around the bunker.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve ammunition bunker. I am not sure about the building on the roof, often they had a 2cm or 4cm Flak in an emplacement on the roof. Here were about 2 x 4cm Bofors. The roadway would circle around and lorries could drive around and through the back door and out of the front door without having to turn around.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Top right: - The SK/hospital bunker. Bottom left: - Another reserve ammunition bunker.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

The SK/hospital bunker. Set into the farm and away from the batterie position.

Geoportail 1946

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

This is MKB's elevation of the SK/hospital bunker. Larger entrances to allow casualties an easy access to the bunker.

MKB Bunkertour

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

This is MKB's plan of the SK/hospital bunker.

MKB Bunkertour

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Second Reserve Ammunition Bunker. The road was too busy to stop and also its covered in growth and hard to visualise.

Google

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Second Reserve Ammunition Bunker Grosser Kurfürst Batterie at Framzelle. The road way through the centre of the bunker.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Second Reserve Ammunition Bunker Grosser Kurfürst Batterie at Framzelle. The doors into the ammunition rooms.

18 May 2018

Overhead rails brought the shells out from the rooms to be loaded onto lorries.

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Second Reserve Ammunition Bunker Grosser Kurfürst Batterie at Framzelle. Ammunition room.

18 May 2018

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

A shell store.

WO 196/27

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

A cartridge store.

WO 196/27

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

Reserve Ammunition Magazine at Grosser Kurfürst Batterie at Framzelle, this is how the Reserve ammunition Magazine here at M.K.B Prinz Heinrich may have looked with a flak position on the roof.

WO file

StP125 M.K.B Prinz Heinrich Ost

F/O Smith 25/09/44 Sangatte beach