Hochdruckpumpe ("HDP") or V3
There is only one V3 site on France, it is near the little village of
Mimoyecques.
Mimoyecques is between Calais and Bologne-sur-Mer, near the main road E402.
In the beginning of 1942, the German Rochling factory developed a multi
chambered long range gun, with the code name "Hochdruckpumpe" ("HDP").
At the end of 1943, a working scale model was demonstrated to Hitler. Hitler
ordered that 50 of these guns should be built.
Furthermore he wanted a large gun site in de Pas de Calais in France, in order
to shell London (England).
The building started at the end of 1943.
The "Hochdruckpumpe" gun was built at the German test site at Misery, Poland.
By igniting the charges in the chambers sequential, the
15 cm (8 ins) shell was given a speed of 1100 meter/second.
The Germans calculated that maximum shooting distance would be 160 km. Enough
for shelling London.
On July 16th, 1944, Allied bombers bombed the installation with Tallboy bombs.
One of the bombs went through the barrel shaft and penetrated the complex and
exploded on the bottom floor.
The bomb exploded and caused a flood of the bottom floor, drowning most of the
workers.
They thought they were safe in the lowest part of the complex.
After this bombardment the Germans gave up the complex, the project was
abandoned.
After the war, British forces blew up the entrances to the complex.
In the early eighties, one of the entrances was dug open again.
A part of the huge complex is currently a very interesting museum.
On the complex are several monument built for the victims who died during the
bombardment.
One of the monuments is dedicated to Joseph Kennedy, a brother of the later
president of the United States, John. F. Kennedy.
Joseph Kennedy and his crew died during a bombing raid on the Mimoyecques
complex.
