Wn129 Plage du Vicq
K.V.Gruppe Cotentin Ost · AOK 7 Normandy · France
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
This defence covers a slither of land pointing out into the Channel as both sides of the defence would have been flooded so just the beach front would need to be defended.
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Troops of the 709th Static Infantry Division. Probably a section stationed here.
2 x Vf58c Tobruk´s.
4 x Unterstands.
1 x Ringstand for a 5cm KwK.
1 x 5cm KwK L/42.
1 x Anti-tank wall.
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
With the sea behind us, looking at the defended line.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
1958 photo does not show an Nr1694 ringstand for a 5cm KwK anywhere. Some Unterstands show up and two concrete structures. The Tobruks also do not show up..
Geoportail 1958
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
I am sure this wall was a bit taller when it was built. There would have been a barbed wire entanglement all along the top.
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Tobruk covering the left flank.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
erbaut 40924B
Built 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 the wall.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
A map the Americans would have used to find their way around here.
Allied map of Cherbourg area 1943
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Rommel wanted millions of mines laid along the Atlantikwall. To make out that there were more minefields than there were, dummy fields were laid to look like real ones.
German defence map and showing the minefields.
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
When the allies built anti-tank walls to learn how to destroy them, most were built way too strongly. Thinking that the Atlantikwall was much stronger than it was. When the tank wall at Omaha Beach was blown, it was found that there was no steel reinforcement in it and it just blown to pieces when rather a large amount of explosive was used.
24 November 2009
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Gun position for either an anti-tank gun or a machine gun.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
The view of a gunner across the beach.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Steel screw pickets were set into the concrete wall and then barbed wire rapped around them.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
View from the beach.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
There are at least two in the field behind the wall and another in the garden of a house just down the road. There maybe another here.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Inside this thicket is an Unterstand.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Entrance hidden in Bracken.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
The entrance.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Another here, somewhere???
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Details
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Second Tobruk.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
A closer look at the Tobruk.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
When we were there when the house was being built. We saw an Unterstand in his lawn.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
You can just see it under the lawn,
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
Eisenpfahel barbed wire post upside down, this is actually the base of the post. The idea of turning it upside down was so a directional lamp could be placed on the top. This way light could be shined in one direction and a patrol could find their way back. This is the second one found, one here at Wn129 and also Wn128.
24 Normandy 2008
Wn129 Plage du Vicq
24 Normandy 2008