Wn165 Cosqueville

Just to the east of the D26, a batterie of four 7.62cm Field Kannon captured from the Russians and re used here. These guns were to cover the north east of Cherbourg's coast Wn's, Wn130 to about Wn126.

1/AR 1709 4 x 7.62cm F.K.39(r). 4 x R669 casemates to be built. 1 x SK/Machinenstand. 1,2,3,4 - gun positions. 5,6 Machine gun positions. 7 - Concrete observation post. 8- Barracks.

The first thing we found is a small defence position for probably a machine gun.

Machine gun position. Small niches for ready ammunition.

Eisenpfahel German defence barbed wire fence post. On one end a serrated top and a plate at the bottom A hole is dug and the plate end planted in it. Then the earth is used to fill in the hole. Stamped down and the post is firmly in the ground.

Batterie position.

Turm 4 & Turm 3

Ammunition magazine.

7.62cm F.K.39(r) horse drawn artillery. The German army although were very mechanised with their Panzer Regiments. But when it came to field artillery and the defence of the Atlantikwall. Literally every form of transport, was horse drawn.

Ammunition magazine.

Ammunition magazine.

Larger bunker may have been a command bunker to the batterie.

Turm 1 & Turm 2.

Observation post.

Observation post.

Observation post. We were not quite sure what this was for, it overlooks the batterie position and faces in the direction the guns would fire. It may have held a direct line radio.

Lichtsprechgerãt or RSV for short - Manufacturer Carl Zeiss. I believe this is the type of unit used here. Lichtsprechgerãt - (literal translation) - Light talkie. Photophone.

Observation post. So that may have been its use.

Observation post.

The second machine gun post covering the rear of the position.

Just up the road towards the coast is an SK/Machinenstand.

These two photos were given to me many years ago and its nice I can use them now. They were taken in 1998.

Inside would be about two generators and dynamos (sets) and would have powered what ever needed electricity in the area. The lookout on the roof is actually an air vent to draw cooling air through the bunker.

American soldiers firing a captured 7.62 F.K.39(r).