Bricquebec N49 35.573 W001 33.468 Map 1211E & 1211E
The site here at Bricquebec was the last installation to be built to handle the
V1 flying bomb in the area. By early 1944 two major factors had influenced the
handling and launching of the V1. Firstly, the Allies had discovered and bombed
most of the early launch sites. These sites were called "Ski Sites" by the
Allies because the main storage buildings (of which each site had three) looked
like skis placed on their sides when viewed from the air. Secondly the Gestapo
had by then taken control of the "Vengeance Weapons" and had realised that these
weapons needed to be more mobile if they were to have any chance of success.
This site, like its sister site at Valognes, was composed of many buildings made
from red concrete blocks, faced with plaster dispersed over a large area. Also,
like the site at Valognes, it was situated next to a railway line enabling large
numbers of V1's to be brought in at once. The train bringing the V1 flying bombs
would have had thirty three wagons, each containing three almost completed
missiles, the wings being carried alongside the missile. The final assembly was
intended to be carried out on both these places and the completed weapon sent on
to the launching ramps. At the V1 depot at Bricquebec you can still see the road
infrastructure built by the Germans, and although most of the site has reverted
to farm usage, a scrap yard and rubbish collection site still occupies two areas
that the Germans concreted over to form large reception areas. It is thought
that these two areas could have also been used to launch the V2. The most
interesting building remaining is the little T-Stoff storage bunker just inside
the site. Although stripped of its fittings you can still see the two reception
areas where the trolley would be filled. Around thirty gallons would have been
needed for each launch. HTP or T-Stoff, in reality Hydrogen Peroxide, was a
nasty chemical and needed careful handling. At the rear of this small building
you can see the control gear needed to fill the two small carts and as a safety
measure the connection would have been made from outside. After the liberation,
the depot continued to play an important role, handling American supplies
brought in by both road and rail.
