"That "Wing" on German Bunkers..." Topic

The Germans built a wide variety of bunkers along the Atlantic wall, including some that were, for lack of a better term, "lefties" or "righties". Just like the one in the Baueda photo on the home page, some casemates or bunkers, have a wall in front that goes off diagonally to the left or the right of the aperture. I know there was a reason for this, but I cannot remember. Just looking at the things link one would think that it just blocks the gun crew's line of sight.

Wyatt

Your web site explains it, the plans show the wing is on the sideways shooting. Iyt is so that it cannot recive fire on the embrasure from the front as the wing is on the front. facing the beach

Yep, what he said; the "front" of the bunker is actually the side; the gun is pointing down the length of the beach to enfilade things coming ashore, with the "wing" protecting the embrasure from fire from the beach and supporting ships.

Dom.

Presumably the direct approach to the bunker is covered from another position – interlocking fields of fire being the German norm.

I'd assume they usually came in matched pairs facing down the beach towards each other, and there'd doubtless be a Tobruk or two on the "blind" side.

As others have indicated, these bunkers were orientated sideways. But the main pupose of that wing was not to protect from incoming fire (although that was part of it, too). The main purpose was to hide the muzzle flash of the guns from the sea to prevent naval gunners from spotting it and finding the bunkers.

Cheers,

Burkhard

D'oh! Seems obvious now that you've said it….

and stop the rain getting in

I'd assume they usually came in matched pairs facing down the beach towards each other, and there'd doubtless be a Tobruk or two on the "blind" side.

Actually… usually most of these were firing in the same direction. As strange as it sounds… mainly to prevent them form accidnetly shooting through each others embrasures.

Tobruks actually varry from position to postion. In most places they were actually mean to engage the beaches and not defend the other bunkers. That usually fell to normal trenches.
But in some positions they actually were arranged to protect the bunkers. Some bunkers actually had MG Tobruks inside themselves (there are version connected to the bunker itself and ones that have a seperate entrance) or turrets from obsolete French or British tanks.

This actually is a very interesting topic since there were dozens of different official bunker types. Those could actually be modified to a certain degree. And if something was needed that could not be done with an official type or a modification of it (rare guns, need for bigger magazine, would not fit the geography) one offs were build. This could lead to very interesting bunkers.

If anyone is interested in the topic… Heimdal has a were good series of hardcover books covering the Normandy beaches with blueprints of many bunkers or maps of most WN´s and Strongpoints in Normandy. The books are named "Omaha", "Utah" and "Gold, Queen and Sword" and IIRC written by George Bernage (I can check it up if anyone wants).

Cheers,

Burkhard

Thanks guys. I'm glad I found this out before trying to set up the two bunkers and one tobruk a friend just sent me.

Burkhard, has anyone translated George Bernage's books into English? I think my son will be visiting Normandy (he'll be stopping at the Ardennes).

Wyatt

Queen? Wouldn't that be Juno?

Some of George Bernage's books are available in English (including the three mentioned books on the landing beaches…)

James

Hardly any bunkers were alligned so as to be facing out to sea, a la Saving Private Ryan. The vast majority were alligned so as to fire along the beach and to enfilade the base of any sea wall, dune system, etc. The bunkers of the type shown in SPR were actually artillery OP bunkers – not fighting positions.

That's true. There's one a bit like those on the cliff top at Longues-sur-Mer. It's an OP for the big guns in the bunkers that are set back from the cliff, out of sight from the sea.

They used it in "The Longest Day" as I recall.

On many beaches the bunkers are actaully dug onto hills/cliffs on either flank and are completely defiladed from the sea. On the south coast of Brittany near the Quiberon peninsular is a beautiful defensive position built into the reverse side of a small island approachable at low tide with artillery positions covering the beaches back up the coast for miles.

Another nice feature is it keeps PFC Rodney Q Tentpeg from slinking along the face of the bunker, coming around the corner, and not getting shot while he hand delivers a nice grenade or satchel charge into your firing slit. He's got to move out around the wing and get shot at before he can do it.

Clay

All the Bernage books are available in English only as well. That is the way I have them.

And Don you are right… it should be Juno… must have been too tired! Sorry about that!!!

Cheers,

Burkhard

does that not mean the door was to a certain degree exposed to the enemy?

Not really… the doors were not always facing the back of the bunker and if they were they were usually protected by the topography (being build into cliffs or with the cliff or a hill directly behind the entrence) or by another concrete wall.

Cheers,

Burkhard

I wouldn't really agree with that. There are a great many bunkers along Gold, Juno and Sword, where there is just a flat expanse of dunes or coastal plain to the rear. The rear doors were usually covered by a pair of 'wings' and a Tobruk or two (or even a tank turret). The heavy weapons bunkers are mostly designed to be 'drive-in' (as they mostly contained towed guns, rather than fixed guns), which prevents the use of blast walls to cover the doors. The excellent St Ouen Bunker Museum on Jersey is an excellent (largely intact) example of this and still has one of its two S35/Char B turrets.

Fascinating discussion and great information.

What's a tobruk?

These bunkers with wings, were they used elsewhere, besides on the beaches?

Never mind, I read the website posted by Wyatt, so I understand what the Tobruk is. But what about the wings used beside the beaches?

I wouldn't really agree with that. There are a great many bunkers along Gold, Juno and Sword, where there is just a flat expanse of dunes or coastal plain to the rear.

Not saying that this was not the case, but I can not remember their doors being in a position that could be seen from the sea, which meant they were not exposed to the enemy (at least his primary direction of attack) which was what anevilgiraffe was asking about.

Cheers,

Burkhard