40a, 40b & Pointe 54 le Puits d´Herod, Arromanches (Gold Beach)

WN · K.V.U. Gruppe Bessin (Gold/Omaha Beach) · AOK 7 Normandy · France

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

1/916 I.R. 352nd Inf. Div.
1 x R677 (under construction).
1 x 7.5cm Pak 40.
2 x Gr.W. Mortars.

Bundesarchiv

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Google

Wn40, 40a, 40b & 41 Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Air photo dated 4th June 1944 just two days before D-Day, the three Wn's of the Wn40 group. Wn40 is the main defence.

4th June 1944

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

The German plan of Wn's in the area, Wn40 is on the plan but the smaller a & b were being made by the new 352nd Inf. Div. that had moved into the area just before D-Day and were frantically digging in.

German Defence Map

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Plan showing the position held above le Puits d´Herode.

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

In the photo a group of Wn's and the white lines their field telephone cables.

400/197 4th June 1944

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Wn40a a section position Time Team found an M.G.34 position several trenches, dugouts and a field position for a 7.5cm Pak.

400/197 4th June 1944

They would also have had a radio but relied more on field telephone as it was more secure but was liable too the cables being broken.

A piece of armoured cable I liberated from a French field.

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

The start of the track up to Pointe 54 with Wn40a at the very top. This is where two Dorset soldiers advanced up the hill with their colleagues on the other side of the woods.

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

They continued up the hill to the top corner of the wood.

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

This is very like how the two Dorset soldiers would have looked advancing on their own up this track.

06 June 1944

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

This is a plan from Time Team Special 17 (2004) dig of the area and they found field bunkers, trenches and a field position for a 7.5cm Pak. 'A' Company Dorset's attacked across an open field unknown to them that there was a hastily built defence by the new 352nd Inf. Div. just brought into the area to boost the 917th Div. 'D' company, in fact two very brave men ran up the track and using fire and manoeuvre tactics and a few hand grenades took out the position. Several Germans were killed and two officers and 15 soldiers taken prisoner. 2 Officers and Seven German soldiers killed and 15 captured.

BBC Time Team screen grab

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Point 54 is to the right and Wn40a by the red tractor. The attack started behind the wood and faltered until two Dorset's ran up the track using fire and manoeuvre and took the point.

15 October 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Heroded´Herode

Now at the top and looking back at Wn40a in the woods. The farm on the right is very new. Pointe 54 is just behind the camera. Wn40a is the corner woodland.

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Heroded´Herode

In the corner of the woodland is an old windmill not mentioned in any of the reports.

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Heroded´Herode

A trench running down the western side of the hedge parallel to the track.

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

I think the position of the 7.5cm anti-tank gun.

15 October 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

"Stone the Crow's That is a mean bit of wire. That don´t look agricultural to me" Phil Harding, bless his socks. Found at Point 54 Wn40a.

BBC Time Team screen grab

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Heroded´Herode

Pointe 54, I found it beyond the woods.

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

The view down to Gold Beach and Asnelles. Showing how dominant this hill was.

15 October 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Now looking to the left of Wn40a with Wn's 40b & 40 to the left and StP42 the Arromanches radar station which would have had a giant Wurzburg dish by the cliff edge.

15 October 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Now looking west at Wn40b in the trees.

15 October 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

This is Wn40b It was possibly was only a section position and a couple of machine guns and mortar. A telephone buried cable system looks to have been hastily laid out running from the coast , inland. A small buried extra cable looks as though it was added later than the main cable trenches. Time Team found trenches and dugouts here.

400/197 4th June 1944

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

This air photo shows the cable trench running out to local defences and the HQ and the position of the casemate R677 (Bw.Nr.484 building number) under construction at Wn40. It was to be made in Bauform (Breeze block) and steel reinforcement and filled in with concrete. The foundations remain and time Team unearthed them.

400/197 4th June 1944

Screen grab of the plan of a bunker Time Team found. They thought it could have been a command post but construction was halted due to D-Day.

8.8cm Pak 43/41 inside an R677. But here only the foundations had been started..

The inner and outer wall has been built at Wn32 Batterie Vera.

The steel reinforcement would have been added and then cement poured in the gap..

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

This is a screen grab from Google Maps on the D65 looking North East towards Gold Beach and the main defences on the beach. Mortars in Wn40 could drop their bombs very accurately on any troops advancing and the 8.8cm A/T gun could take out any tanks attacking up this important valley running from L to R. to the advance inland. It I believe actually did knock out at least one tank crossing the valley.

Google D65

Plate 10: Wessex Archaeology the foundations of the R611.

Sherman DD tanks of 'C' Squadron Sherwood Rangers gave the Dorset's support.

90th Field Reg. RA gave fire support with Sexton 25-pdr guns.

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

This is an 8.8cm Pak 43/41 in Russia and shows how it would have been placed here in Wn40. We do not know if a gun was in the Wn on D-Day or if it had been damaged in the shelling and bombing and damaged it beyond repair?? There is no mention of this gun being used in the books and Time Team report??

Bundesarchiv, Bild 1011-705-0270-18 Foto; Baur-Aviter Sept Oct 1943 Russia

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

2 x Gr.W. 8cm Mortar. There were two mortars here in open pits like the one in the picture and may have had as many as six or seven men serving it. The Dorset's lost a lot of men almost a third due to casualties from shelling and mortaring. The next attack on Wn40 came in from Wn40b and with the use of tanks of the Sherwood Rangers and artillery fire from the 90 Field Reg. Wn40 was taken and 40 Germans were captured including some artillery spotters for the guns at Wn41 over the hill behind them.

Bundesarchiv, Bild 1011-316-1190-27 Foto; o.Ang. 1944

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Wn's 40, 40b, 40a & 41. This is all the information that intelligence had gathered by May 1944. They had not seen anything of Wn40a in the woods only a machine gun position out in the field and as for Wn40b they do show some machine guns. The woodland had been gradually cut down to make anti landing posts on land and in the sea. A veteran said that the woods looked a bit thinner than today.

Bigot May 1944

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

A simplified plan of the Dorset's attack after landing to the East of Wn37. Consolidating at les Roquettes and continued in the attack on Asnelles with the Hampshire's. Then moving South towards Buhot. On the way 'D' Company captured a company of Pioneers.
'C' Company (light blue arrows) advanced across the orchard but came under heavy fire and 'A' Company (dark blue) came around the flank and up a track that was covered by an M.G.34. Two Dorset's advanced using 'Fire and Manoeuvre' tactics and overcame the machine gun and crew with a few grenades. 'A' Company then continued its advance on Wn40 with 'D' Company in support. They crossed open ground but came under fire from Wn40a. 'D' Company attacked the wood and killed and captured the defenders. The advance on Wn40 continued and captured at least 40 men. Only then could the advance continue on to Wn41 to the West.

400/197 4th June 1944

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Wn 40 from the valley looking up at where the bunkers were (above the large white cow).

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

The remains of a defence position?? there is very little to see now. Most of the bunkers were field positions and not full concrete bunkers.

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

02 June 2017

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

Also: - Click here for the Channel 4 Time Team D-Day Special. Three recommended books: - Three Assault Landings, Lt-Gen. Bredin. The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester. The D-Day Landing on Gold Beach. Andrew Holborn. ISBN: 978-1-4411-8326-6. The 56th Infantry Brigade and D-Day. Andrew Holborn. ISBN: 978-1-4411-1908-7 (hard back) 978-1-4411-1908-1 (Paper back).

Time Team

Wn40, 40a, 40b & Pointe 54. Arromanches - le Puits d´Herode

02 June 2017