Wn414 Sud de la Rue
WN · K.V.U. Gruppe Cherbourg Land · AOK 7 Normandy · France
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Part of the Cherbourg outer ring defence, this machine gun bunker covers a bare hillside on the east side of Maupertus airport or as it was called then StP Theville Flugplatz at the time. Behind the casemate are four Tobruk's covering the back of the bunker.
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
About a five man crew for the casemate & eight men to crew the Tobruks.
1 x R630 casemate
4 x Vf58c Tobruk's
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
1958 photo showing how the field system worked with the R630 covering the N/E side of the field. The Tobruks can fire grazing fire at knee height over a 360° around their position.
1958 Remonter Le Temps
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
The 200 numbers are the main Cherbourg See defence.
The 400 numbers are the Cherbourg outer ring defence.
The 500 numbers are the defences between the See and the outer ring. HQ, Flak, etc.
German defence plan
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
The size of the Cherbourg defence, there was also many anti-tank ditches built covering the eastern, southern & western approaches to the city.
SHM
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
To the left side is the gun room shooting to the left and the right side is the entrance into the casemate.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Left door to the Tobruk defence/observation. The next door is the entrance to the casemate.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Left door to the Tobruk defence/observation. The next door is the entrance to the casemate.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Back wall and escape.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Frontal view of the machine gun embrasure.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Side view of the machine gun embrasure.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Bolts cut off that held the steel plate in place.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Gun room.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Ammunition room viewed from the crew room. The door on the left is into the gun room..
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Door into the Tobruk.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Entrance into the bunker.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
The door way into a lobby, on the right is a fitting for a radio aerial. Not always fitted. Over the years I have noticed many seem not to be fitted, but some have earth strips in place and I feel they were the only ones fitted. There would have been a field telephone link with maybe the Tobruk's and a small HQ.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Crew room. This is where the crew would sleep and eat. There was a bunker heater that could burn coal or wood that food could be cooked on and also to heat the room, bunks attached to the walls that could fold down to make more space. A ventilations system to allow fresh filtered air against a gas attack inside and even smoke filters if there was heavy smoke outside. Manually turned or if there was electricity, then that could be used.
On the left wall is the escape tunnel which we saw outside earlier, then the door in from the lobby. Next the ventilation system with the six bolts on the wall. Next the close combat defence embrasure. A machine gun/sub machine gun or even a rifle/pistol could fire through here at any enemy trying to enter down the steps.,
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Close combat room covering the entrance with a 48P8 embrasure.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
4ML01 air compensator, allows the air pressure to equalise after a close explosion.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Looking at the area the gun would have covered.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
All the Tobruk's should be Vf58c type..
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Tobruk.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Tobruk.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
Tobruk.
22 December 2004
Wn414 Sud de la Rue
22 December 2004