Wn72 Vierville-sur Mer le Casino (Omaha Beach)
WN · K.V.U.Gruppe Percée (Omaha Beach) · AOK 7 Normandy · France
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Wn72 part of the group StP Vierville covering Vierville-sur-Mer and the D1 draw or valley running inland and the easiest way off the beach. The Germans defended this beach with its three Wn's, an 8.8cm Pak 43/41. One of the most powerful guns at the time and many many machine guns. When the Americans tried to land here, the inevitable happened. The German defence plan started to work from the moment the Infantry Landing Craft ramps came down and a withering fire came off the two Wn's 71 and 72 from the cliffs above. The range was ideal for the MG34's & 42's and closer in a French Mitrailleuse Mle 31. By mid morning the Germans were winning the war, Americans that made the beach could not fight due to casualties in officers and NCO's and their weapons were full of sand and return fire was small in number. Then tanks started to land, first DD tanks, a few managed to swim ashore and then others were beached directly onto the sand. The tank fire added to the ships firing directly onto the cliffs. General Cota working his way around the flank and rear, cleared the back of the defence. So here D-Day very nearly failed, but due to continual pressure from the Americans and the total lack of German reserves to cover casualties, the Germans lost. Casualties on both sides, disastrous probably the same in percentage.
Michael Akkerman
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is how tranquil Vierville-sur-Mer was prior to WW2.
Pre WW2
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is an early air photo of the area of Wn72.
Pre WW2
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This German map shows where Wn72 sits with 71 & 73..
After D-Day
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Wn72 after the battle had calmed down.
After D-Day
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Part of 11.Grenadier-Regiment 726. (CP: Château - de Jucoville).
1 x 677 casemate.
1 x SK/Doppelschartenstand casemate.
1 x Vf/MG Stand.
1 x Tobruk Pz.T.FT17 (turret may not have been fitted?).
1 x 8.8cm Pak 43/41.
1 x 5cm KwK L/ 42.
1 x 5cm Mortar in field position.
Plan
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is a Bigot assault map showing what the Allied Military Intelligence thought what was there in April 1944. This is the interesting point, all the arrows that show the guns firing forward when actually most of the weapons were firing up and down the beach.
After D-Day
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Looking strait into Wn72 with its 8.8cm Pak 43/41 casemate above and the SK/Doppelschartenstand casemate for a 5cm KwK L/42 below. Up on the cliff were a double MG stand.
11 October 2018
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The casemate with many memorials supplanted on it.
11 October 2018
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This shows how very low down this casemate is and how hard it must have been to see from the sea, but they did.
11 October 2018
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This picture shows the way the casemate was built into an old hotel and leaving some of the building added to its camouflage. This picture must have been just after capture as there is so much rubble around.
DEFE 2/434 Report on Bombing Of Invasion Coast Defences On D-Day
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The gun still in place today and the stepped flanking wall covering the gun from direct fire from the sea. This is the image we are used too after it was cleaned up.
June 1944
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The 8.8cm Pak 43/41 inside its casemate.
24 September 2009
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Some shells managed to hit home and took this casemate out.
24 September 2009
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The view down the beach. The brackets fitted to the barrel are for attaching an MG42. The idea is to fire a tracer round aligned with the range of the gun. Fire the MG42 and if the tracer hits the target you then fire the main gun. Thus knowing that you will hit with the first round.
Later 1944
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Details of the 8.8cm Pak 43/41 ranges. Anything afloat would be damaged badly.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Shooting range.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The view from behind at the rear of the R677 and I have added in the anti-tank wall that was placed across the road. This wall was blown by the advancing Americans and to their luck, it did not have any steel reinforcement. So it just disintegrated when the charge was fired.
June 1944
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
A post action photo, placed in a Secret file.
Note the chespale fencing used as a roadway surface. The sign showing D-1-Exit still there and reels of more tracking.
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Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
R677 and SK/Doppelschartenstand casemate.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
A casemate for a 5cm KwK L/42. The gun sits in the middle of the casemate and it has two embrasures either side and has its seaward side closed off. Two flanking walls also cover the embrasures. All these casemates seem to be of slightly different designs but show the same characteristics.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is the eastern facing embrasure, I have added the right side flanking wall.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is a continuation piece of my Omaha Beach research series. My last illustration depicted the R677 bunker of the German strong point WN72. Well, the R677 was one of two bunkers in that position. This is my depiction of the other major fortification in WN72... Michael Akkerman.
Michael Akkerman's painting
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The eastern embrasure with the gun still in place and you can just see through the western embrasure.
DEFE 2/434 Report on Bombing Of Invasion Coast Defences On D-Day
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Inside Wn93 further along the coast, you can see where the ready ammunition space I the niche where the guns barrel can swivel through 360°.
Inside Wn93 Doppelschartenstand casemate.
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Another view of the eastern embrasure.
DEFE 2/434 Report on Bombing Of Invasion Coast Defences On D-Day
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The view down onto the roof.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This was the western embrasure. Now used as a small garage.
11 October 2018
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The embrasure marked out.
24 September 2009
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is a Tobruk with what should have been an FT tank turret. The base or turret ring is in place and a centre post was in place to hold a French
24 September 2009
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Under the concrete slab is the turret ring of an FT turret.
24 September 2009
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
The Tobruk with a small vertical wall covering the seaward side, the machine gun a French model could fire up and down the beach. The French machine gun was designed as a heavy machine gun. It could fire sustained fire for a long time. Barrels can be changed easily and cooled by placing in a pot of water. This is what the French did on in the Maginot forts.
24 September 2009
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Up on the hill is a double machine gun embrasure that could fire down on the most important parts of the beach and it did. At least two MG42's and a handful of riflemen. That is all that was needed.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is one of the Vf/MG Stand's on the opposite cliff in Wn71.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
A drawing of Vf/MG Stand here by Michael Akkeman. He has a You Tube video about why he has drawn it.
Unteroffizier (Corporal) Henrik Naube of the 325th Inf. Div. and nine other men held this position.
Michael Akkeman
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
DUKW's and lorries unloading.
Later June 1944
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Beach assembly areas for the build up to start. Roads (tracks) were laid from the beach exits to the fields for DUKW's and lorries to unload.
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
On D-Day, 6 June 1944, the fifth U.S. Army Ranger Battalion
landed on Omaha Beach near Vierville-sur-Mer under intense
enemy fire. Responding to Brigadier General Cota's historic
order, "Lead the way Rangers" the fifth Ranger Battalion,
with A-B- and C companies of the 2nd Ranger Battalion,
advanced against strongly defended enemy fortifications
manned by General Rommel's toughest troops. The Ranger
breakthrough opened the breach allowing troops of the 29th
Infantry Division to pour through and thus paved the way
for the Liberation of France.
Dedicated to our fallen by the Ranger Battalions
Assoc. WWII, the Citizens of Normandy and the
5th Ranger Battalion. 6 June 1944
06 October 2013
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Intermediate Pier head Pontoon of the American Mulberry Harbour. Built in Britain somewhere along an inlet of the coast, these pieces were assembled all. There are many places all around the coast where you can see remains of their building.
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Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
This is where the bits and pieces were stored and then brought to Normandy.
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Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
Before the storm this is Vierville and the Mulberry.
June 1944
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
After the storm.
June 1944
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
First Wave
Artist Michael Akkerman
06 June 1944
Wn72 Vierville-sur-Mer le Casino
06 June 1944