Rethoville
N49 42.274 W001 21.411 Map 1310O
W127
Situated just to the west of the picturesque gun emplacement at
Neville Blankensee is a late and curious group of bunkers.
The site was principally used as an anti aircraft battery and only two of the
four or possible six open emplacements remain. The others having succumbed to
sixty years of erosion and tides.
The site would have protected the eastern approaches to the port of Cherbourg
and also the Erika radio guidance station at St Pierre Eglise.
There is also a non standard searchlight bunker which is of a non standard
design.
To the rear of the bunker are obvious cable ties to enable the searchlight to be
moved up and down the ramp. Most searchlight bunkers have a garage beneath where
the lamp could be serviced and garaged during the day, but at Rethoville no
trace of a garage can be found.
The site has many ammunition bunkers and several non standard personnel bunkers.
There is also a most delightful non standard Fire Control Post, which is about
to be taken by the sea.
This suggests that it was constructed in late 1943 or early 1944.
The main curiosity of the site is the stone built hut near to the old French
Fort a little to the east.
The building was used to house a wind generator, this supplied power to the
site.
