Wn228 SBB 'Schlüsselblume' Bassin Loubet (Festung Boulogne)

WN · K.V.Gruppe Boulogne · AOK 15 Nord Pas de Calais · France

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

In September 1944 it was the home of the the10. Schnellbootflottille. (Primroseflottille).

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Driving along the docks.

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

RAF air photo showing the Bassin's and the main target A.

26 January 2020

High flying RAF Spitfires were used to take this photo.

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

SBB - Schnellboot-Bunker Mineesuch, Raümboot & Schnellbootflottille. 1./Res.Flak.Abt.765. 2 x Feldm 1 x Vf/MG Schnabelstand (observation). 5 x Vf2a shelters. 2/3 x Vf7ammition bunker. 1 x R134 ammunition bunker. 1 x Searchlight. 1 x listening station. 1 x R607 large ammunition bunker. 2 x Vf58c Tobruk's. 1 x Torpedo Bunker (plus Mines). 1 x S. Bunker. 3 x 3.7cm Flak (increased to six). 1 x 5cm KwK L/60 Pak.

The German armies map of this part of Boulogne

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Brittaniawall a berm of earth, probably placed there to shelter the port from the winter weather, this held at different times, batteries of 2cm & 3cm Flak. By September 1944 there were six 3.7cm Flak guns in prepared positions on the wall. The SBB bunker on the tip of the port with the Torpedo bunker behind. There was also at StP Hasso, Dannes. A large underground torpedo & mine storage. The base for S- and R-boats, an SBB started to be built in 1940. The construction civil engineer was Fähnr. z.S. Eugen Stroh, he was the site manager. On 21 June 1941 the first four boxes were ready and could be used by the 4. SFltl. A further extension of a length of 116 m and a width of 50 m for four additional boxes was following. The strength of the cover was at 3,5 m, the walls 2 to 3 m. Both bunkers were built on a foundations of 18 - 20 m long stakes. Also a torpedo bunker was needed to store safely the torpedoes and mines that were to be carried on S & R boats.

Axis History plan

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

1 September 1944 just before the bombing of the port and the SBB bunker. 17 September 1944 370 Lancaster´s, 351 Halifax, 41 Mosquitoes dropped more than 3,000 tons of bombs on German positions around Boulogne in preparation for an attack by Allied (mostly Canadian) troops. The German garrison surrendered soon afterwards. I Halifax and 1 Lancaster was lost. Many civilians and Germans were also killed. [page 585 Bomber Command War Diaries].

1 September 1944 RAF PRU Remonter le Temps - 17 September bombing mission AIR 14/3676 - War Album 1944 Vol VI 03 Boulogne

The first Tallboy to be dropped on Ashley Walk in the New Forest.

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Brittaniawall, a berm of earth made to protect the harbour from the weather by the French in more peaceful times.

Half the Flak defence

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

The view from the town. Red - where the SBB was. Yellow - where the torpedo bunker is. E-Boat means in British parlance enemy but it should be S-Boot for Schnell - fast. Raümboot is translated to War boat. On the allied side, all fast small boats were E-Boats a little like all tanks were Tigers..

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

The entrance into the port and also its the river Liane.

WO 252/151 Northern France Check Reconnaissance

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Pre war post card of the port and Casino, The Casino was obliterated by the September bombing.

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

2cm Flak 38 overlooking the SBB.

1944

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

The large SBB were very like a U-boat bunker. Room for 12 S-boats . The roofs had a thickness of 200 cm. On June 8th 1944 the Royal Air Force dropped their new "Tallboy" (12,000 lb., 5,500 kg) for the first time and just a week later, the bunker in Boulogne was attacked by the same bomb. Nearly 300 bomber participated in that attack and 10 Tallboys were dropped.

1 September 1944?

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Then the RAF turned up with a new bomb (also there was some extra destruction just before the port was captured.

Later September 1944 - MCheshireGL720

RAF Woodhall Spa an RAF class 'A' wartime airfield.
2 x T2 hangars.
1 x B1 hangar. — RAF Woodhall Spa an RAF class 'A' wartime airfield. 2 x T2 hangars. 1 x B1 hangar.

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Inside an SBB loading torpedoes. The SBB in Boulogne was designed for 12 boats and behind it was a further ammunition bunker for the storage of torpedoes/mines. This torpedo bunker had access ramps on both sides and the ports railway network and a small track connected the SSB to the torpedo bunker. The roofs had a thickness of 200 cm. which, at the beginning of the war, was sufficient to protect the boats against most British bombs. However, as the war progressed, the bombs got larger and more efficient. On June 9th 1944 the Royal Air Force dropped their new "Tallboy" (12,000 lb.) for the first time and just a week later, the bunker in Boulogne were attacked by the same type of bomb. Nearly 300 bomber participated in that attack and 10 Tallboys were dropped. This attack made the harbour unusable and the Germans quickly moved all their undamaged boats to the base in IJmuiden.

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

The entrances to the SSB.

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Torpedo Bunker looking along the fishing quay.

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

A British photo taken on the 25 May 1945 of the docks and the Torpedo bunker on the right. Where the cranes are, is the coal wharf. Originally coal ships would load here for shipment abroad. Boulogne become the base for S and R-boats. Work started on the SBB as early as 1940. A young civil engineer Fähnr. z.S. Eugen Stroh was acting as site manager. On 21 June 1941 the first four boxes were ready and were used by boats of the 4. SFltl. A further extension of a length of 116 m and a width of 50 m for four additional boxes was following. The strength of the cover was at 3,5 m, the walls 2 to 3 m. Both bunkers were built on a foundation of 18 - 20 m long stakes.

WO 252/151 Northern France Check Reconnaissance

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

A closer look at the Torpedo Bunker.

WO 252/151 Northern France Check Reconnaissance

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Another view down the coal dock. Now a fishing dock.

WO 252/151 Northern France Check Reconnaissance

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

SK Torpedo and Mine bunker.

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

It was not only to store Torpedoes and Mines but also to work on them to repair them from storage inland to being placed on board boats. Motors, timers, fuzes, explosives, etc would be checked and set ready for one of the boats to pull around to the dock and load up, or the weapons would be taken to the covered dock and loaded there under cover of thick concrete, impervious to British bombs at the time.

MKB Bunkertour

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

These are the two entrances possibly arrivals.

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Another RAF target photo: - aa - Wn227 Sonnentau with 2 x 7.5cm Flak. & five machine guns. Brittaniawall earth berm with 3 x 3.7cm Flak and a Vf7a ammunition bunker. Warehouses with Luftschutzbunker. Air-raid bunkers. Station platforms. Torpedo/S -Bunkers. R611 Casemate 15.5cm s.F.H.(f). Schleusse - lock into Bassin à Flot. Wn226 Sonnenblume 3 x 2cm Flak, Machinenstand and 40cm searchlight. (Sonnenblume - Sunflower)

ADM 199/1607 Tactical Targets Boulogne

z.
A Luftwaffe strong point, located more precisely on the Britaniawall dyke of the Bassin Loubet. Britannia Damm. 1. Batterie/Reserveflakabteilung 765 with 6 x 3.7cm Flak 36 guns. — z. A Luftwaffe strong point, located more precisely on the Britaniawall dyke of the Bassin Loubet. Britannia Damm. 1. Batterie/Reserveflakabteilung 765 with 6 x 3.7cm Flak 36 guns.

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

The view along the entrance side of the bunker. A railway line would have brought the torpedoes/mines from possibly StP Hasso, Dannes.

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

Inside the repair/maintenance side of the bunker.

26 January 2020

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

This half does look to be the maintenance side of the bunker. An attack would be made operational, mines or torpedoes would be ordered from the main storage tunnels in chalk hills behind Dannes. A train would be sent to StP Hasso and the required amounts placed in the trucks. The train would then arrive at the docks and be unloaded into the bunker. Each weapon (mine/torpedo) would then be checked over and the settings adjusted to the circumstance of the attack. After passing through the system, they were then placed on narrow gauge railway trucks and moved to the S/R-boot bunker, where they would be loaded onto the assigned boats.

26 January 2020

StP Hasso.
Rommel visiting Dannes complex. — StP Hasso. Rommel visiting Dannes complex.

StP Hasso.
The day of our visit. — StP Hasso. The day of our visit.

Wn228 Schlüsselblume Bassin Loubet

You can see the narrow gauge railway lines set into the concrete floor. The half armoured door, the outer skin has been removed and scrapped. The Torpedoes/Mines would come out of this door and then be moved across to the main S-Boot bunker, ready for use.

26 January 2020