Wn62 cont
The Big Red monument erected to the 1st Division, stands on top of a bunker
used to house a
searchlight, possibly 50 cm.
There were anti tank ditch and the mine fields around the site.
The site has by zig zag trenches which enabled the defenders to move
from one position to another with some cover from incoming fire.
Like most of the Atlantic wall this strong point was not completed by D-day.
WN62 and its sister strong point WN61, just to the east played an devastating
roll on D-day causing many of the American casualties on this sector of the
beach.
Because of the failure to get the swimming tanks ashore (Duplex Drive) there was
no
armour to support the Infantry for several hours.
The 75 mm guns could pick off the landing craft and cause devastation to the
troops
trying to get a foothold on the beach.
Around lunchtime a British Frigate sailed along the beach and managed to put 3
inch
shells into the two casemates.
Several did not explode and in the lower of the casemates you can still see the
shells
imbedded in the internal walls of the bunker.
The guns were finally silenced by a Sherman tank supported by Infantry.
