Wn115 Pointe de Saire

K.V.Gruppe Cotentin Ost · AOK 7 Normandy · France

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

A defence integrated into an old French fort that was built, would you believe to keep out the English. History repeats itself. This fort must have been the HQ to the defence and two casemates one for an 8.8cm Pak facing north and a 5cm Pak facing south. An ant-tank wall closing off the western side. A wonderful use of the R677 casemate it has been turned into a restaurant. Le Goéland 1951, north of Utah beach of D-Day fame on the Cotentin peninsula, is the perfect place to watch the cross-Channel yachts and seagulls (goelands) swoop for fish and chips. In an airy, wooden viewing station, built at the end of a concrete second world war bunker (the dining room is inside it), a glass of the local beer costs e2.90, cocktails e7 and it serves a creative selection of local fish, oysters, tapas (e5-6) and charcuterie or cheese boards (e8). It’s a bustling bar, open every day from 11am until 1am with live bands playing all weekend and a DJ every Friday night. Deckchairs face Tatihou island and the Vauban fortifications at St-Vaast-la-Hougue. From The Guardians 10 of the best beach bars in France.

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

10.729 Komp Anti-Tank ditch.

1 x Old French stone fort.

1 x R667 Casemate.

1 x R677 Casemate.

8 x Unterstands.

1 x Wellblech bunker.

1 x Vf2a Group shelter.

1 x Vf58c Tobruk.

1 x Vf/MG.

1 x 5cm KwK L/42 Pak.

1 x 8.8cm Pak 43/41.

1 x Kabelbrunnen.

Geoportail 1947

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

A plan produced by the French military just after the war, Plan No.64-III Pointe de Saire. 1 - Petit P.C. Observation. 2 - Soutes et abri. Crew bunker. 3 Casemate canon anti-char. 4 Casemate canon anti-char.

SHM plan

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Plan an R677 casemate with an 8.8cm A/T gun and an R667 for a 5cm Pak.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

The Fort now being used as a lighthouse as well as a lovely home.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Lighthouse. 'How many lighthouses in France' try searching you will be all night looking.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Found on the beach, I have no idea what it was, but it does look contemporary to WW2.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Found on the beach, I have no idea what it was, but it does look contemporary to WW2.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Wellblech shelters were half round corrugated iron (a much thicker sheet than the Allied sheets) set into a concrete floor and then concreted over. Often semi sunk into the ground.

24 November 2008

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Looking down on the Wellblech.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Wellblech - translates to Corrugated iron. This would be the ammunition magazine for the R677 casemate. The entrance, now I believe it is where all the beer is kept for the Bar.

24 November 2008

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Plan of a Wellblech shelter.

Plan Kurt

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

13 April 2003

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Observation/defence. This one has a very good view south to St Vaast.

13 April 2003

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Observation/defence. The barbed wire could almost be contemporary.

24 November 2008

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

This a Guerite or sentry box. Note the large amount of concrete on the top.

13 April 2003

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

24 November 2008

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

R677 casemate was specifically designed to take an 8.8cm Pak, anti-tank gun. These became available in 1943/1944 due to the fact, anti-tank guns although effective were becoming too big and cumbersome to use in a fluid battle field. When being attacked by tanks, these guns could be overwhelmed easily and the crews unable to drag them away. Much easier weapons were beginning to come in to use like the Panzerfoust, hand held rocket. Simple and cheap.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

The cafe now sits in front of the casemate and the gun room is now part of the experience and there are tables inside.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

The gun room.

13 April 2003

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Defence Tobruk and also it could be used to control the firing of the gun. A speaking tube, Sprachrohr would allow the soldier in the Tobruk to shout fire orders down to the gun room below.

15 April 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

SHM view.

SHM

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

The view of the Pointe from the beach.

Google

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

This is the area the 8.8cm Pak would have to cover.

15 April 2019

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Tobruk and concrete observation point.

13 April 2003

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

I think here was a small telemetry devise to triangulate a target at sea and pass the details to gunners inland.

25 September 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Although this post looks like it would be a bit dangerous stood out here watching an enemy shoot at you. I think there would be piles of sand bags stacked up around it and then sand/earth piled up as camouflage. Around the inland area were several artillery positions that they could call down fire onto a landing. This never happened in this area but they were bombed from the air and shelled by ships on D-Day and afterwards, until they all slipped away into the defence of Cherbourg.

24 November 2008

Checking the SHM plan states a Petit P.C. in the north, of which nothing remains and this one in the south. The two could triangulate a target at sea and then the details sent by field telephone/radio to an inland batterie.

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

There would have been trenches here and this is a concreted trench position.

25 September 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

13 April 2003

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

13 April 2003

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

I think this is a Vf/MG position, a bit like a Tobruk.

25 September 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

24 November 2008

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Remains in concrete

25 September 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

A very well made R667, this is the rear entrance into the bunker.

24 November 2008

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Rear entrance door and to the left of the door a small hole. These are square and it is to pass the fired shell cases from the gun room to the outside in battle. Then they would be cleared up after the battle and sent back for re cycling.

25 September 2005

The square hole to pass fired cases through the casemate wall.

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Looking out of the gun room at the beach it had to cover. In the far distance is Wn116 and an R612 casemate for a 7.5cm Field Kannon.

24 November 2008

Plan;
Wn116 North.
Wn115 South. — Plan; Wn116 North. Wn115 South.

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Quite a large flanking wall.

15 April 2019

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Looking into the front and its embrasure 1944/45.

SHM

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

Looking into the front and its embrasure 2008.

24 November 2008

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

The view across the bay with Wn116 in the far distance.

24 November 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

In the distance the casemate R612 with a 7.5cm Field Kannon firing down the beach and the R667 casemate from here with a 5cm KwK Pak L/42 firing up the beach. The cross fire would have been devastating.

25 September 2005

Wn115 Pointe de Saire

The Fort built to protect this part of the coast. St Vaast had the L'ille Tatihou with several large forts and Tour Vauban La Hougue to protect its front and south, here it would have protected its north side. All along this coast are small and large forts all built to keep out those Anglaise, the hated enemy.

Google