Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

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

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

Another coastal Wn covering a gently shelving sandy beach with rocky outcrops on the beach and out to sea.

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

709 Static Infantry Division.

1 x R612 casemate.

6 x Unterstands.

1 x Vf+mirador (watchtower).

1 x 7.5cm F.K.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

The 709th Static Infantry Division was a coastal defence unit assigned to protect the eastern and northern coasts of the Cotentin Peninsula. Commanded by General Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben from a command post in a tunnel complex above Cherbourg. A Static Division occupying a rigid defence position. They were not trained in mobile warfare and as such possessed very limited mechanised transport; any transport assigned to the Division was usually horse drawn. Many of the officers, non-commissioned officers (NCO´s) and men in these divisions were either previously wounded, older men, lacking combat experience, suffering from medical conditions, or conscripted prisoners-of-war. (Wikipedia).

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

In 1947 it shows the R612 casemate designed to take a field gun of around 7.5cm in size, sitting on the shore line and not as it is now , out on the beach. Several places can be seen in the picture that maybe bunkers and trenches.

Remonter le Temps 1947

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

SHM post war plan of the defence.

SHM

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

Wn116 with two mine fields of MF59 & MF60 either side.

German defence plan

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

The Allied Bigot map dated May 1944 showing the known defences of a long row of hedgehogs covering the seward defence

Bigot

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

A row of these were seen by Allied intelligence from air photos, Resistance spies and other means running all the way along the beach front here.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

A casemate built in reinforced concrete it has been made to look like a stone house. The flanking wall covering the embrasure from being attacked from the seaward side. And the direction of fire, a flanking fire down the beach and not out to sea. The two wings on the back of the casemate are to hold earth that can be heaped up on the sides as camouflage.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

The view looking from the sea, there is extensive damage, this may have been done from D-Day until capture and many people say this. But since WW2 the French Deminage Securite Civile/Military use the bunker on numerous occasions to detonate in a safe way munitions that have been found in the area. So maybe its a bit of both, a direct hits from the sea around D-Day and the Deminage doing their job.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

The gun room, two niches each side to hold ammunition and a 7.5cm Field Howitzer would have sat on the floor and the guns trail resting in semi circular grooves in the floor.

25 September 2005

Semi circular marks on the casemate floor.

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

It looks like a shell came through the embrasure and ricochet around?? The whole floor has been gradually blown out.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

This is where a ships gun may have caught the casemate a direct hit.

25 September 2005

There were US naval destroyers working this coast until t was completely captured.

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

The Steel reinforcement now showing through. This bunker could have been built by Organisation Todt or by a local French building firm. I have found documents stating that local/national French building contractors were used to help build the Atlantikwall, but a friend said that they did not last that long after the Allied invasion.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

The flanking wall.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

The way the gun could only fire down the beach and not out to sea.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

13 June 2017

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

There were six Unterstands here. An Unterstand is basically a bunker that was usually made by the defending soldiers rather than from a recognised German Fortress plan. They were usually a one or two roomed affair, with maybe windows, a wooden door borrowed from a farmers barn or a local empty house.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

Steps down into the bunker.

25 September 2005

Wn116 Les Epagnes Dranguet

erbaut 40924B.

Built by 40924B possibly RAD or Todt workers. Troops of the 709th Static Infantry Division were stationed here but this could be the construction battalions number that built this bunker.

25 September 2005