WN62 Omaha Beach Map 1412OT
Almost at the very eastern end of Omaha beach, just below the American Cemetery
is Wn62 a German strong point.
These strong points were located all along the Atlantic Wall as a first line of
defence against
an attack by the Allies.
No two strong points were the same, each one being designed for the location and
also with
what equipment was available.
WN62 had as its major armament two 75 mm cannon housed in H669 casemates. These
are bizarre as it would seem that the camouflage is on the interior of the
casemate and not the outside. One of the guns had been moved away from the site
by D-day.
They were aimed along the beach to the west
and had large concrete walls protruding to the seaward side at the front to
protect then from an
attack directly from the front.
Although the Germans manning the guns were billeted in the village a house
nearby was used to feed the troops and allowed them to rest
whilst on guard here.
There were two small bunkers used to house ammunition .
Two larger bunkers, served to house ammunition, and in times of bombardments
personnel, which the nearer D-day approached the more bombardments were
received.
Various machine gun posts were also installed and it is typical of the
Atlantik
Wall defences that various calibre's were thought to be in use here.
There was also an anti tank gun and an 50
mm mortar
mounted in a Tobruk.
In common with most strong points there was a small fire control post or
observation bunker
to keep watch over the sea.
Before the casemates were completed the cannons were mounted on concrete
platforms. The last picture is of Franz Gockel who as an eighteen year old
served as a machine gunner here on D-day
Wn62 Vf69 - Vf61a x 2 - R669 x 2 - Ringstand MG - SK x 2 - Measuring Post - 75mm
FK235 x 2 - 50mm KwK L/60
