Wn23 Aumerville Lestre Plage

This defence was placed on the site of a French fort, Fort Le Polygon.

A defence against the English invader. Then the Germans turned up and started building trenches and gun positions. As extra weapons arrived, new defences were built. A concrete Ringstand for a 5cm KwK, a Tobruk for a tank turret. Mine fields and beach defences. All to hold back an invasion. The doctrine was to defend, defend everything. So this small corner where the Allies had NO intention of landing, for several reasons. The main one is that: When the tide receded. It left first an area of marsh land with sea grasses and tussocks. Second a large area of open sand, where the French locals grew Oysters and Moules So basically, there was absolutely no need to build here. But that would be against doctrine.

1 - Tobruk's.
2 - Encuv- 50mm.
4 - Abri st soutes.
5 - Tourelle de char.

919 Gren. Regt.
2 x Vf2a. shelters.
1 x Vf69 mortar Tobruk.
1 x Ringstand 5cm KwK.
1 x Ringstand Gr.W.203 mortar(f).
5 x Vf8 Tobruk's.
1 x Vf/MG.
1 x Pz.T. R35 tank turret.
1 x 3.7cm KwK 144(f).
1 x 4.7cm Pak 181(f).
1 x 5cm KwK L/60.

The 'Dirt' (The American phrase for it) Fort.

1920 air photo of the French Fort le Polygone that once stood on this site. What the other two huts were for, I have no idea, They could be barracks.

The 'Dirt' (The American phrase for it) Fort.

This picture looks to be a construction camp set on the railway line. A lot of sand for construction of bunkers, was removed from beaches and loaded into trains for bunkers, V rocket sites and building repairs.

The French fort Polygone, was re modeled with L shaped concrete slit trenches, ammunition niches. A Vf2a shelter and at least two more bunker/shelters. A Vf69 mortar Tobruk and an open emplacement for a 4.7cm Pak 181(f). There maybe more but its overgrown and back filled with sand.

A Tobruk with a central shaft to hold a small table that a Gr.W.203 French captured mortar could sit on. Thousands of these mortars were made by several manufacturers just prior to WW2, to arm the French army. The Germans captured a massive stock of guns and mortar ammunition and re used a lot on the Atlantikwall. The ammunition would be stored in their carrying boxes, inside the Tobruk.

Looking into the fighting compartment. You can see where a steel ring was fitted to allow the machine gun to swivel 360°.

Vf8 plan