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Should France preserve the wall

A nice article on the BBC site asks the question: Should France preserve the remnants of the Atlantikwall. Interesting reading with some known French bunkerarcheologist names.

It’s nice to read the positive comments on the article, but then again, it’s Great Britain where it seems there’s more care about heritage than in other parts of Europe.

Read the complete article here.

Should the French preserve the wall. It's too late for these casemate at Vert Bois on Île d'Oléron. In june 2011 they were demolished. (Photo: Henk Adriaanse)

Should the French preserve the wall. It's too late for these casemate at Vert Bois on Île d'Oléron. In june 2011 they were demolished. (Photo: Henk Adriaanse)

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Goldmine in France

Again a unique find in France. Last week we wrote about the four M19 cupolas found on Cazaux military airport. Now we can add two more ones to the list.
But this time the turrets are of a type that I thought didn’t exist anymore: the Kleinstglocke 24P8, an early design 250mm thick observation turret. Never seen on war time photographs, and now suddenly they turn up in south west France. They can be picked up for €5000 each.

The original forum topic.

Kleinstglocke 24P8 on Cazaux military airfield. (Photo: Alain Privat)

Kleinstglocke 24P8 on Cazaux military airfield. (Photo: Alain Privat)

Kleinstglocke 24P8 on Cazaux military airfield. (Photo: Alain Privat)

Kleinstglocke 24P8 on Cazaux military airfield. (Photo: Alain Privat)

 

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It’s raining.. cupolas

Yesterday was a good day for Panzerteil enthusiastics. First there was the news about the dug up 90P9. But the major news were the three M19 turrets and one turret for a howitzer found on Cazaux military airbase in southwest France!

Yes I said four. One turret is a very rare 73P9 ‘für leichte Haubitze im Turm’, a 10cm grenade launcher under a huge cupola. Peter Heijkoop, a specialist on armoured parts, thinks this turret was supposed to be used in La Rochelle where a bunker for it was planned. Two of them are the 290mm thick A1 version turrets for M19 automatic grenade launcher, 428P01. The fourth turret is a 250mm thick regular 424P01 one. The turrets are reused on a French military airfield south west of Bordeaux. It’s not clear where they came from but looking at the state of the cupolas they were still in store at the end of the war. Unfortunately the site is still off limits for anyone outside France and its military.

You can actually have them if you can arrange the right documents and transportation! More info and photos on Axis History Forum.

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New Regelbau 671 found in Brest

Just behind the U-Bootbunker of Brest a casemate was found.

The site around the U-Boot base and the important oil tanks was defended heavily both by the navy and the regular army. It’s a real dense forest on the hills over there so that’s why this bunker was hidden for so long.

Some background info via the Axis forum.

The obscured 671 in Brest. (Photo: Oliver Mantey)

The obscured 671 in Brest. (Photo: Oliver Mantey)

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Battery Plouharnel makeover

The Liberty Breizh Memory Group (L.B.M.G.) from Plouharnel has signed an agreement with the local governement to clean some of the bunkers of the railroad battery Plouharnel.

The battery also known as Le Bégo is a heavy 34cm railroad battery. Most of the bunkers are still there and the association managed to get permission to clean two ammunition bunkers. More info on the works on the french Atlantikwall forum.

Nice to see this good news from France!

One of the rooms in a ammunition bunker before the cleaning. (Photo: Arthur van Beveren)

One of the rooms in a ammunition bunker before the cleaning. (Photo: Arthur van Beveren)

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More bunkers for sale in France

It’s property sale in France. Again two bunkers are on the market.

The rare bunker for machinery M 123 (also known as a Luftwaffe type) at Le Croisic, including 1002 m2 of land, is for sale for just under €300.000. Another bunker is for sale on Île d’Oléron. Judging the photos it’s probably a Vf bunker for personnel. A house has been built on top of it. Great for the vacations: €189.000.

The M 123 of Le Croisic in the La Baule area. (Photo: bunkersite.com)

The M 123 of Le Croisic in the La Baule area. (Photo: bunkersite.com)

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Bunkers for sale

Lately some bunkers in France came on the property market. A big V 142 radio bunker in Royan and small cable bunkers in Normandy.

The V 142 designated Gi 23 M 02 and built in 1943 is for sale for €117.000. You’ll get 90m2 of bomb proof wine cellar and it’s a super rare bunker. If you find that too expensive, think of something smaller, like a Kabelbrunnenstand in Normandy: Only €500! There are several to choose from including one near St-Lô.

At the end of 1950s, the well known fire control post of Batz sur mer was for sale too. (Photo: www.grand-blockhaus.com)

At the end of 1950s, the well known fire control post of Batz sur mer was for sale too. (Photo: www.grand-blockhaus.com)

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Demolition in Lorient

The site of the former arsenal of Lorient will be transformed into a new neighborhood. Many bunkers will disappear.

During the war several big S k bunkers were built for the personnel of the arsenal. The French navy re-used the bunkers after the war but left the place in 2000. Now old barracks, bunkers and other building will be demolished to make place for new houses and companies.

For more inf o see the french Atlantikwall forum.

About the new plans in the arsenal of Lorient.

About the new plans in the arsenal of Lorient.

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Very rare armoured part ‘found’

Seen on Atlantikwall Superforum today. Le Duke visited the roof of the Keroman III U-Boot bunker in Lorient and photographed a 1P7 Eingangsüberdeckung.

This very rare armoured part was thought be built only in a Regelbau 514 in Turosl in Poland. The 20cm thick ceiling of the cover was as protective as 2m of concrete so it could be used when a low profile entrance was necessary, in this case on the roof of the U-Boot bunker of Lorient, Keroman III.

1P7 Eingangsüberdeckung on top of Keroman III. (Photo: Le Duke)

1P7 Eingangsüberdeckung on top of Keroman III. (Photo: Le Duke)

1P7 in a Regelbau 514, Galindestellung, Turośl, Poland. This one opens the other way. (Photo: Arthur van Beveren)

1P7 in a Regelbau 514, Galindestellung, Turośl, Poland. This one opens the other way. (Photo: Arthur van Beveren)

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613 with turret found in Südwall

Not an everyday find: A 613 artillery observer still with its observation turret. It happened in the Stützpunktgruppe Port de Bouc in the Südwall.

It’s located in Wn 025 and it was used by the Art.Reg. II./338 . After some debate on Axis History it looks like this is a Czech turret re-used as observation turret. More info too on the Südwall forum.

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