StP84 Maisy - Batterie Brasilia PART1

BATTERIE · K.V.U.Gruppe Vire · AOK 7 Normandy · France

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Two batteries set side by side (which is unusual) StP84 & StP83. StP83 had four10cm le.F.H.14/19 Kannon and two 7.5cm F. K. 16n.Art. in three R612 casemates with a third under construction..

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Batterie 8./A.R.1716.
3 x R612 casemates.
1 x R612 under construction.
4 x Geschützstellung (Ringstand).
1 x Wooden observation/water tower (Mirador - Watchtower).
5 x Vf58c Tobruk´s.
1 x Kabelbrünen (cable connection box).
1 x R607 Ammunition bunker.
1 x R622 Twin group bunker.
2 x 7.5cm F.K16 n.Art.
4 x 10cm le.F.H.14/19(t).

google

3 R612 casemate for a lande und sturmgeschütz. Assault gun. Usually a 7.5cm F.K. type.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

The road today an easy track, just follow the Maisy batterie Museum signs and drive straight past and its 700m down the lane. If you have time you can visit the museum.

google

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', Martinére Part 1

Red - StP83.
Yellow - StP84
The German Army map of the area showing the two batterie sites and all the other defences. Also notably all the Mf. Mine fields laid out in the area, more than on Omaha beach by the looks of it.

German defence map

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Kabelbrünen Set on the side of the road.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Kabelbrünen

ignf 1947

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Kabelbrünen I have always wondered what this was but now I think its the Kabelbrünen, it would have connected the batterie to the main telephone grid for the area and also its fire control post on the coast.

23 November 2008

This is a 1947 air-photo of the Kabelbrünen and I think the thin white line (I have enhanced it) of the cable trench. The trenches were not laid in a straight line but zigzagged to allow for stretch in the wire if a shell or bomb exploded near by.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Guard shelter This concrete guard shelter was here in 2006 but removed by the farmer with the trees and hedges to cultivate more land. (more land more subsidies).

19 March 2006

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Guard shelter inside.

19 March 2006

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

G-2 Estimates of Enemy Artillery & Ranges

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

G-2 Map Allied intelligence map of the area.
Yellow - StP 83.
White - StP 84.

G-2 Estimates of Enemy Artillery & Ranges

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

G-2 Map The range of the guns that were here. Yell
w - StP 83.
White - StP 84.

G-2 Estimates of Enemy Artillery & Ranges

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

The road into the batterie now with the hedge and trees removed.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Railway line A piece of railway line probably used in the construction of the batterie.

23 November 2008

The railway line used to tip spoil from excavations.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Turm3 The first R612 casemate from behind.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Niches A row of small ammunition Niches about ten set in a semi circle.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Looking into the ammunition niche.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Ammunition niches The semi circle of ammunition niches.

15 noveber 2017

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Screw pickets were used to hold up barbed wire.

19 March 2006

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Tobruk 1 Tobruk Vf58c one of five that were around here.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Tobruk 2 Tobruk Vf58c the second here.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Tobruk 2 Tobruk Vf58c the second here.

23 March 2015v

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Tobruk 2 Tobruk Vf58c the second here.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Tobruk 3 Tobruk Vf58c the third here.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Tobruk 3 Tobruk Vf58c the third here.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Tobruk 3 Tobruk Vf58c the third here.

23 March 2015

There was also a twin MG.42 used in the anti-aircraft role.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

3 x R612 casemates The track to Turm1. Between here and the casemates are two bunkers, one R622 twin group bunker and an R607 ammunition bunker. At the time I had no idea there were two bunkers here.

19 March 2006

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

3 x R612 casemates Turms 1 to 3.

19 March 2006

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

3 x R612 casemates The view down to the sea.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Vf6a Observation Post at Wn87.
At Wn87 there is a Vf6a, a complicated odd bunker for a fire control post. A passage into the main room and an observation space. A cable would have been laid from here to the batterie via the Kabelbrünen.

11 May 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates turm1 gun room.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Turm1 R612 casemates gun room. Steel hooks on the roof are to aid positioning the gun and removal and replacing the barrel.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Turm1 R612 casemates.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Turm 2 R612 casemates.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2 made of Bauform concrete blocks.

23 November 2008

Bauform concrete blocks and steel reinforcement.

Bauform concrete blocks cemented together and steel reinforcement would be placed between the walls and then filled with concrete.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2 . Rear projecting wall.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2. Rear entrance where a large door was supposed to close this space off.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2. Gun room and two ammunition spaces each side.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2. Ammunition niche.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2. Ammunition niche where a large fan was to be fitted to suck out the foul gases when the gun is fired.

23 March 2015

Grill at the rear to allow the gases to vacate the bunker.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2. Attacked by the 5th Ranger Battalion. 'A' company came in from east above the two batteries, continued west and then turned south into the front of StP84. A lot of fire from small calibre was directed into the rear of the batterie from Maisy village area and support came that direction with 81mm mortars, 4.3 mortars, two 75mm cannons on half-tracks and artillery support. 'A' company had to cross several minefields and flooded fields to reach the batterie. The battle lasted about five hours and about 90 prisoners taken.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Plan & Attack.
The direction of attack by 'A' Company. The red areas are the marked mine fields but I believe there were a lot more to the north of the batteries.

Allied Bigot Map

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2. Drainage??? well its under the rear door and I have never seen the need for a drain there. So I don't know. The concrete block is the original cover for the hole. It could be the case pit, where you throw the used cases after firing. Its easy just to chuck the cases down on the ground after firing, but a pile of cases laying around get under your feet. So some bunkers have a pit or small room dug underneath them where usually you throw the cases down in a specially made tube. Then you open a man hole cover and remove the cases to re use them. I wonder if here the cases could be chucked down and removed later??

23 March 2015

Castel Vendon 6/MAA260, Cherbourg. The tube to drop down the shell case.

Plan of a case store in larger bunkers, under the gun room.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 2 gun embrasure with a diagonal gutter across the top of the opening.

23 March 2015

I have found a picture (very rare) of a set of doors on the front.

Also a set of wooden doors being visited by Rommel.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3.

23 March 2015

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3. The six square holes were for a steel door frame to be set in and doors then fitted. Front doors have to be open when the gun is fired (obviously) but the rear doors too should be open to take out the blast inside the gun room.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Mo86c Batterie Versendoket 2/A.R.266. This is inside the gun room of four R612 casemates in Brittany telling the gunners what to do.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3. Peppered north and east side.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3 south wall nice and clean.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3.

15 november 2017

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3 quite battered from the direction of the village of Maisy. The round hole is the vent for gases from the gun room.

23 November 2008

The extraction pipes inside the walls of the casemate.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3 gun room.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

R612 casemates Turm 3. The view out of the embrasure, the steel sheets were used a lot in WW1 & WW2 first by the French in WW1 and the Germans in WW2 as reinforcement for roofs, etc.

23 November 2008

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Maisy II Unoccupied field battery Interservice Target N: 9/J/6

Ref: GSGS 4250/6E6/528916 Geographical Coordinates: 49° 22' 26" N. 01° 04' 02" W. Height above sea level: 20 meters. Position for 4-gun field troop, unoccupied, probably only temporary. The original emplacements have been demolished, and the guns are in the open at 53194 (MAISY IIa). Interservice Target N: 9/J/6. (details taken from the picture DEFE 2/375).

DEFE 2/375

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

The construction site with the three casemates nicely covered in earth and what look like small bushes planted in clumps. The water/observation tower and the narrow gauge diesel engine and railway lines.

Allied photo taken from a small Grasshopper observation aeroplane

The tower made of wood was built for a water tower for the construction and could also be used as a makeshift fire control post.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Turm3 and Turm4 under construction. The wooden scaffolding in place, these bunkers were built in Bauform concrete block.

Allied photo taken from a small Grasshopper observation aeroplane

Bauform bricks and reinforcement steel bars.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Turm4 under construction and Turm3 showing bullet damage.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

Allied intelligence post action photo of Turm 4 casemate being construction..

Air 37/864

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

There was one R607 ammunition and an R622 twin group bunker. There are two entrances lead into two doors large ammunition rooms. In Part 2 you can see inside this bunker.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

10cm le.F.H.14/19(t) found after the battle, with one very damaged one.

StP84 Maisy - Batterie 'Brasilia', La Martinére Part 1

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