StP208 Plage Collignon

WN · K.V.U.Gruppe Cherbourg See · AOK 7 Normandy · France

StP208 Plage Collignon

What was once a small defence of the east of Cherbourg, is now a lovely sandy tourist beach. The Cherbergoise flock out here in sunny weather.

StP208 Plage Collignon

Cherbourg La Digue, this runs from here right around to Fort Querqueville in the west. There are five very large forts out on the Digue protecting the harbour. The modern defence of the port of Cherbourg was started in 1783. The outer wall & forts, added around 1860.

15 May 2005

The SHM plan of StP208.
1 - Listening post (may also have two Tobruks).
2 - Tobruk.
3 - Searchlight and bunker.
4 - Mortar Tobruk.
5 - Tank Turret.
6 - Bunker. 1 x R501, 1 x R502a + garage.

U Tobruk with an Pzt. Ft tank turret, there were two here.

StP208 Plage Collignon

SD's plan of the defence incorporating an existing French fort on the start of the sea wall that surrounds Cherbourg´s outer harbour.
Bunkers : -
1 x R502a.
2 x R501.
2 x PZ.T17 Tobruks.
Up to 3 Tobruks.
1 x Mortar Gr.W 8cm.

How the R501a set into the fort may have looked.

Listening post: -
RRH could detect targets at distances from 5 to 12 km. It may have had one of these sophisticated sound listening apparatus or it may just have been a group of Luftwaffe soldiers looking out for Allied aircraft. — Listening post: - RRH could detect targets at distances from 5 to 12 km. It may have had one of these sophisticated sound listening apparatus or it may just have been a group of Luftwaffe soldiers looking out for Allied aircraft.

Underneath is an R501 bunker and on the top is a platform for a search light. The grass ramp to allow the light access to the position or to remove it and probably place it in the garage in the old French fort. There would have been a standby generator set somewhere here. It could be under the platform inside the R501??

15 May 2005

StP208 Plage Collignon

The entrance for the searchlight and sand ramp leading up to the platform. When the light was in place, to protect the men operating the light, they would place large bulks of timber to close off the entrance. On many you can see slots to slide wood into them.

15 May 2005

Part of the German army's plan dated 1944, of the defences around this part of Cherbourg. MF is Mine Field with its number. Here its MF10. Somewhere in the Cherbourg Head Quarters would be a plan of each mine field in its area.

german defence plan

StP208 Plage Collignon

Rear crews entrance with a concrete covering wall on the outside.

21 July 2012

The search light platform with a trench cut out of the concrete for the electrical cable to pass through from a hole in the bunker wall and down the outside of the bunker to the generator. This light could be used as help to the anti-aircraft batteries in the port or for searching out ships for the inland batteries.

24 November 2006

StP208 Plage Collignon

Sat behind the sand dune is the Tobruks.

24 November 2006

On the 19c map it shows an unnamed Batterie which I believe this is the one.

24 November 2006

Visit of Louis XVI to Cherbourg in June 1786
also Napoléon and Marie Louise attending the parade of the squadron in Cherbourg 1811. Quarrying the stone . — Visit of Louis XVI to Cherbourg in June 1786 also Napoléon and Marie Louise attending the parade of the squadron in Cherbourg 1811. Quarrying the stone .

StP208 Plage Collignon

On the 19c map it shows an unnamed Batterie which I believe this is the one.

From Rade De Cherbourg 1879 - 1881

StP208 Plage Collignon

The batterie would have had a wall that extended to the left across the road and a large double gate.

01 May 2006

Plan of the fort and the sort of gate entrance it may have had.

Pz.T. FT17 tank turret bolted down onto this U Ringstand , the turret could have had a machine gun (f) of a co-axle 3.7cm (f) small cannon. Here I am not sure which type were here.

15 May 2005

Elevation of a U shaped ringstand and an Pz.T. FT17 Girod (steelworks) turret with a 3.7cm Mle 1918 [KwK144(f)] canon.

Plan view of a U shaped turret and an 8mm Hotchkiss Mle 1914/s.MG.257(f) .

This is an FT riveted or Omnibus type turret, this one has a canon fitted.

A riveted FT

StP208 Plage Collignon

The second U Ringstand.

15 May 2005

The turret ring that would have been bolted down by the seven treads set into the ringstand.

A nut & thread and the gear for the turret to fit in.

An R 502a bunker that was to hold the crews for the machine gun turrets, the mortar and the defence troops. A tight squeeze with three bunk beds high and each room could hold about 15 men.

15 May 2005

R502a (copy from BELFRA team) The first is an R502a which has been modified to make room for a water tank. Not being able to get inside is very frustrating. The second is a standard R502 twin group bunker for about 30men.

StP208 Plage Collignon

Looking over the top of the R502a along the fort.

15 May 2005

This is the site of the garage, what was the garage used for?. Well it could have been to keep the search light safe and store the fuel for the generator. The garage has been destroyed. Something that Allied soldiers would do, is place all the live ammunition into a bunker and then explode it. Usually destroying the bunker just like this one.

15 May 2005

An obliterated bunker courtesy American engineers.

This is a garage at StP09 St Martin de Varreville is for an anti-tank gun, thus the hole in the far wall for the guns muzzle to fit in, here in Plage Collignon it may have looked very like this one.

21 October 2004 StP09 St Martin de Varreville (Clos Duval), K.V.U.Gruppe Marcouf

StP208 Plage Collignon

15 May 2005

This would have held powder in the days as a French fort, a large oblong room with a curved roof (see below). Powder would be kept in large barrels stacked up ready for use. Meaning ready for the English to come and annoy them.

15 May 2005

Preparation du fulmi cotton, trempage dans les acides et expression du produit.
Preparation of cotton fulmi, soaking in acids and expression of the product. A French engraving. — Preparation du fulmi cotton, trempage dans les acides et expression du produit. Preparation of cotton fulmi, soaking in acids and expression of the product. A French engraving.

07 October 2006 Wn Lo362 Gâvres, K.V.Gruppe Lorient

StP208 Plage Collignon

Above the powder store is the mortar position.

15 May 2005

Nicely moulded lip to position Mortar Gr.W 8cm.

15 May 2005

StP208 Plage Collignon

15 May 2005

R501 in Brittany showing how small they are inside and the escape hatch on the side wall.

StP208 Plage Collignon

Plan and details.

Plan Kurt

491P2 Gittertür (Screen Door) outer door.

The escape. If the main and only entrance was blocked, the only way out was through the escape. Open the 410P9 steel door, remove some shutters, clear away sand or small shingle stone half filling the tunnel. And the crawl out. Remember it would be pitch black, a battle going on and panic ensuing.

15 May 2005

A concrete covered escape, on this R501 it is a brick type.

15 May 2005

German troops covering Plage Collignon. This is quite close to where the Tobruk is today.

ignf 1947