Wn37 Asnelles (Gold Beach)
K.V.U. Gruppe Bessin (Gold/Omaha Beach) · AOK 7 Normandy · France
Wn37 Asnelles.
A lovely little seaside village, strong point 'Dart' the British code name for the area of Wn37 for D-day.
Wn37 Asnelles.
1 x R677 casemate.
1 x R667 casemate (under construction).
4 x Vf58c Tobruk's.
2 x Feldm.
1 x Nr.1694 ringstand.
2 x Mortar pits?
1 x U Tobruk with an Pz.T FT MG.311(f).
1 x 8.8cm Pak 43/41. 1 x 5cm KwK L/42 or L/60.
2 x French Abri (air-raid shelters).
Wn37 Asnelles.
Wn37 also had an anti-tank ditch running around the back of the defence.
Many anti-tank ditches were dug here but the British had the answer in bridge laying tanks.
1944
Wn37 Asnelles.
Abri are French air raid shelters (more later).
The R677 covering the beach to the east up the beach.
The R667 casemate under construction and it was to replace the ringstand.
Two mortar Tobruk's would cover the whole area with a heavy barrage of bombs.
The U Tobruk with a French tank turret with a French machine-gun 311(f).
Wn37 Asnelles.
This is an Allied Bigot map of Asnelles.
The line of anti landing craft defences, upside down U's are minefields.
Bigot map 1944
Wn37 Asnelles.
This is a view from Wn39 to Wn 37 and right down Gold Beach.
22 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
The western end of Wn37 showing some of the old houses that were there. The picture taken by a Lightening of the USAAF PRU flight, flying very low along the beach in May 1944 before all the beach obstacles had been planted. You can see the horse and cart and several groups of men assembling more obstacles.
19 May 1944 An American PRU photograph from AH.
Wn37 Asnelles.
The start of Wn37 on the western flank.
The sea wall has been battered by the sea and the war but you can see the Préventorium large buildings in the distance.
1944/5
Wn37 Asnelles.
Les Tourelles - ''Village Vacances du réseau Cap France à Asnelles sur Mer en Normandie''. One of the original prominent buildings.
Bigot map 1944
Wn37 Asnelles.
Information board with details of the buildings. very normative boards are along the sea front explaining the houses and their history.
Bigot map 1944
Wn37 Asnelles.
Along here was a Préventorium.
Built to aid children who succumbed to TB and were brought to the coast for fresh air and sun. There were several here.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
A very low level photo of the beach front.
19th May 1944, I expect there were some very startled looks from the bunkers and Tobruk's in Asnelles.
Information Board 19 May 1944 An American PRU photograph from AH.
Wn37 Asnelles.
This is a German map of the area showing Wn's 36 to 39 and MF mine fields 1, 88 & 75.
Wn37 Asnelles.
Vf58c Tobruk's. The anchor I believe was where part of the Mulberry Harbour was anchored.
220 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
Vf58c Tobruk.
22 March 2015
Wn37 Asnelles.
I believe that this was used to anchor part of the Mulberry Harbour.
220 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
This was one of the ramps made by British engineers to allow access to the beach/land onto the floating roadways..
220 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
A photo from 30 June 1945 looking at the western Préventorium and the sea defences.
WO 252/149
Wn37 Asnelles.
A photo from 30 June 1945 looking very much like the one above but at high tide.
WO 252/149
Wn37 Asnelles.
The main defence in the centre.
A - Vf58c Tobruk.
B - U Tobruk with an FT MG.311(f).
C - It looks like a machine gun bunker/observation.
D - The R677 casemate.
Kew archive 1946
Wn37 Asnelles.
Two of the large beach front Préventorium. Also the sea defences are a bit slim on the ground. This picture taken at low tide 19 May 1944 and by D-Day a lot more obstacles had been added.
19 May 1944 An American PRU photograph from AH.
Wn37 Asnelles.
A post D-Day photo of part of the Mulberry harbour showing the Préventorium.
Combined Ops Bulletin Mulberry Harbour
Wn37 Asnelles.
A post war photo.
Inside the R677 was an 8.8cm Pak 43/41 that did a lot of damage on D-Day.
1940's
Wn37 Asnelles.
My good friend John a tour guide had to take several Americans down the coast in two helicopters. His good fortune are a set of photos from the Seine to Omaha Beach.
16 August 2007 From JF http://www.atlantikwall.org.uk
Wn37 Asnelles.
R669 with attached flanking wall and had an 8.8cm anti-tank gun installed.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
Memorial on the casemate. The casemate was doing a lot of damage along the British landings.
147th Essex Yeomanry Field Regiment RA, RHQ landed at 09.30 two hours after H-Hour. Sextant's of 511 Battery knocked out this casemate and another (possibly the 5cm KwK) at Le Hamel over open sights.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
R677 casemate from the sea side. You can see the damage (not a lot) on the side wall and see the flanking wall covering the guns embrasure.
220 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
Another picture of the little damage.
220 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
The landward side and some more damage, it just shows how very well protected these bunkers were.
22 March 2015
Wn37 Asnelles.
The rear view.
22 March 2015
Wn37 Asnelles.
Rear door and vent.
220 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
Towards the eastern end first a Vf58c Tobruk.
Between here and the sand dunes was a 5cm KwK gun in an open ringstand, and a casemate under construction an R667 again for a 5cm KwK gun. There may have been two mortar pits somewhere within the defence.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
The Hampshires after landing turned towards Wn37 but were not strong enough to take the W,n also the tanks they expected to help them were either knocked out or too busy. The artillery forward observation officer had been lost. So they stopped attacking Wn37 and continued to help other units with taking Wn36 Roseau Plage. No.47 Royal Marine Commando landed after the Hants and were very badly shot up by Wn37. Their job was to move inland as fast as possible, turn right and head for Port en Bessin and link up with the Americans from Omaha. They landed, turned right and then had to take Wn37 & Wn38 before they could continue on with their D-Day mission.
Internet
Wn37 Asnelles.
R667 under construction a casemate for a 5cm KwK 39 L/60 gun.
1944/5
Wn37 Asnelles.
The first French air-raid shelter.
One of two shelters built here, a political incentive to protect its children in schools or hospitals by the per-war French government.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
The second French air-raid shelter.
This was I believe:
''The resort is served from 1899 to 1932 by the Calvados Railways. The construction of a sanatorium (Préventorium) for children whose one parent works at the National Society of French Railways, is imposed on the commune 1926 until the eve of World War II, it will accommodate more than 1,500 boys and girls''.
22 March 2015
Wn37 Asnelles.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
Side view of the shelter.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
This is a picture of the rear of the house possibly pre war??.
Gaby postcard
Wn37 Asnelles.
This is behind the house and huts show up on the air photos where these huts and other hut bases are, these may have been huts for the soldiers.
09 March 2013
Wn37 Asnelles.
Jig Beach Green east.
1st Bat. Hampshire Reg. landed at Jig Beach Green East.
07.40 AVRE's start to land.
07.45 1st Hants start to land.
1944
Wn37 Asnelles.
The 1st Bat. Hampshire Reg. of the 50th Infantry Division assaulted Gold-Jig-Red-West Beach at 7:30 AM D-day at the sandy beach top left. Beach obstacles, minefields and enemy resistance took 200 casualties in the first hours. Only five of their sixteen tanks made it beyond the minefields. Moving west accompanied by one tank the Hampshires attacked a 8.8cm strong point codenamed “Dart”. C Company bypassed Dart to attack a 5cm strong point on the town’s west side. German resistance was completely overcome by 4:30 that afternoon. The battalion continued on to Arromanches.
With the enemy gun position at Cabane (Wn38) out of action, the next objective was a Radar Station (Wn42) along the coast which was quickly captured with 40 prisoners. The greater part of the day’s objectives completed; there still remained the task of clearing Arromanches itself. This was achieved with no casualties and resistance was slight. The town (Wn43/Wn44) was clear of the enemy by 9pm that evening.
1944
Wn37 Asnelles.
09 March 2013