Wn22 Quinéville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

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

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

4./H.K.A.R.1261. Lieutenant Schultz.

4 x R671 casemates.

1 x Vf2a Gruppe shelter connected bay a trench..

4 x 10.5cm K.331(f).

3 x Ammunition niches connected by a trench. (Old number was Wn22).

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Google Maps

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

The defence area of Quineville.

Map

1500 cartridges Dry
aufbewarrent
-against-shock and fall protect. — 1500 cartridges Dry aufbewarrent -against-shock and fall protect.

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

From an Allied plan with details of the battery: -
Mont Coquerel , Light Coast Battery, Inter service Target No.9/J/810
Ref Map: GSGS 4250/6E3&4/361080. Chart Map F.1014.
Geographical Coordinates: 49deg° 30' 52" N. 01° 18' 35" W.
Height above sea level: 40meters.

Position for four ? 75mm (actual 10.5cm) guns. Range ? 13,000 yards (13,112yds). Weight of shell 13lbs.
Rate of fire 8-10 r.p.m. Guns will be housed in casemates 20ft by 36ft. 60-65yds apart (41m).
The casemates are situated radially in pairs, given a total arc of fire for the battery of about 140°. Construction of this position began in early March. 1944, and was nearly completed April, 1944.
Accommodation: Concrete shelters under construction.

Op. Neptune Part 1F 1943

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Turm 4 casemate.

14 November 2001

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Air photo of the battery, there seems to be a bunker in the top of the batterie that looks like another Vf2a? but cannot see it in new aerial photos. Turm 3 & 4 seem to have a trench running into the Vf2a Gruppe shelter. There was little or NO spare ammunition outside the casemates just the small ammunition niches behind the gun line.

14 November 2001

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

SHM Plan.
1 - Piece canon de 105mm. ------10.5cm canon.
2 - Piece canon de 105mm.
3 - Piece canon de 105mm.
4 - Piece canon de 105mm.
5 - Abri personnel. ----------------- Vf2a shelter for crew.
6 - petite abris avec tranchees. --- trenches between the No.2 casemate and the Vf2a and trenches between the three ammunition niches.

SHM

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Turm 1 & 2.

14 November 2001

After the war, all the buildings were damaged by internally explosions. I am not sure what happened to the guns.

This is a picture of Wn391 Biville H.K.B. Petit Thot. Another R671 type bunker and it looks as though its got pedestal mounted guns meaning that if the guns here at Mt Coquerel may too have been pivot mounts and unable to remove them when they retreated.

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Allied fire plan onto the French coast with the Quineville battery above beach Peter. As the allies thought the guns were 7.5cm in size, they dismissed the battery in their fire plan, unlike some of the larger batteries. USS Tuscaloosa was tasked to shell the area around the batterie.

1944

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Turms 3 & 4.

14 November 2001

R671 casemate slowing the gun to fire in a 120° arch of fire. A pedestal mounted gun, two small ammunition niches each side and a small rear door.

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Turms 1 & 2.

14 November 2001

A 10.5cm K331 set on a pivot mount but with a half round shield. Not the same as here.

This is a K331 at Batterie Azeville showing the style of gun and shield.

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

Turm 2.

14 November 2001

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

All guns have a fire plan and here the beaches along the coast have oblong areas code named so a fire control officer can call down fire on any place at any time by just using the code word. Here Odol would drop four rounds from Mont Coquerel straight onto the beach in front of Quineville.

1944

Wn22 Quineville Mt Coquerel H.K.B.

26 October 2008