Wn406 Viaduc des Moulins

An old French railway line ran from Cherbourg to Barfleur and beyond, it had to cross a very deep valley (La Vallie des Moulins) of the River No. The river was also used to power a water mill.

 

Fermanville Railway station.

The route of the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer Normans (CFN).

German Army Plan Plan of the defences to the east of Cherbourg, part of the Cherbourg defence ring.

Cherbourg defence The Cherbourg defence ring and yellow the area we are in.

Cherbourg defence Yellow - The 400 series Wn/StP's. Red - The 500 series Wn/StP's. The 400 series was the outer ring and the 500 series the flak, radar, artillery, road blocks, HQ and forts. Un-coloured the 200 series that is the K.V.U.Gruppe Cherbourg see (Sea) defences.

Started 1908, completed 1911.

In 1926, these two lines were bought by the department and entrusted to the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer Normans (CFN). During World War II, the Germans closed the line and used it to transport construction materials for the Atlantic Wall, but also for the installation of a heavy artillery battery on the railway in the Anse due Brick, in order to protect the approaches to the port of Cherbourg from possible Allied landing. Then, on June 21, 1944, in order to slow down the Americans' advance to Cherbourg, the Germans blow up part of the Poult viaduct (Fermanville) which will be re built after the war, shortly before the line was closed in October 1950. Today, the line (IGRF n ° 50511.01N, 50562.01N, 50562.02N and 50602.01N) has largely disappeared and can no longer be followed except on a few short sections including this one fitted out for safe hiking that crosses the Poult viaduct; and the one that has become the coastal tourist route (RD 116) between Aubiers (commune of Fermanville) and Cherbourg. In addition to the viaduct already mentioned. It was nicknamed Tue Vaques (kills cows in Norman) because of the many accidents that intervened with wandering cows grazing along the tracks. 

Plan 2 x Vf58c Tobruk's. 1 x Vf 1 x Vf/MG 1 x SK

Tobruk Well hidden in the undergrowth.

Tobruk Vf58c type Tobruk.

Tobruk

1 x Vf, 1 x Vf/MG, 1 x SK - these bunkers would have been small concreted boxes made probably by the soldiers using them. I have yet to find them.

 

A most beautifully designed viaduct.

The view over the top of the Viaduct.

La Normandie Pittoresque.

Nicholas Rudzaik must have been attached to a unit that went around many of the captured defences and photographed them. He with foresight kept some pictures for himself and through that we can now see what these parts of Normandy looked like. Jim Swan kindly has allowed me to use these photos.

Return to the MENU page