Stp Schlieffen in
Adinkerke
This
site has been nicely hidden in the area
of Cabourg at Adinkerke.
The
constructions lie close to the “Cabourgweg” opposite the "Woestijn
hoeve".
The
first battery that stood here was an army coastal battery consisting of six 15.5 cm K 418 (f) guns sited on open
brick emplacements named battery 2 of
Battalion 826 of HKAR 940. In 1944 the
battery name changed and became Battery 2 of Battalion II of HKAR 1240. Generally known as HKB La Panne.
However,
during the course of the war the battery moved
to the coast to be in
line with the Navy coastal batteries.
In
February 1943 the secondary armament
consisted of one 2 cm FlaK, one 2 cm gun, 6 MG’s and one mortar. Later on, in December 1943, they received in
addition one 3.7 cm FlaK, one 60 cm and one 150 cm searchlight, a 2 cm gun in a
tank turret and a 2.5 cm gun. (Mind
that the battery was at that moment already at the coast)
After
the army coastal battery has been moved to the coast line the site was manned
by the 4th battery of Artillery Regiment 252 of the 171st Infantry Division. This battery was equipped with 15.5 cm guns, but in line with
classic divisional batteries practice had only four guns.
For
this purpose the Germans built four large gun casemates, Regelbau 611
with a crew room and two ammunition rooms and one command bunker, Regelbau
610.
After
the war demolition of the bunkers began but
luckily was stopped. One 611 is
gone; the only thing you can still see
is the basement, and from another just
a piece of the crew room remains. Of the other two remaining 611’s one is open to the public. It still has its original wooden door and
some ventilation tubes. On the wall there is the name of the
strongpoint “Schlieffen”.
Outside view of the huge 611 casemate. The original wooden door and right, the
entrance to the ammunition rooms.
Inside seen from the embrasure to the entrance. Notice the well preserved ventilation pipe, the text to the left of it and the pipes to dump the empty cartridges.
The
command bunker, type 610, also still exists.
It is also cleaned and open to the public. Inside you can see several technical texts on the wall and
outside you can still see some
camouflage paint.
The entrance of the 610, command bunker with the “Nahkampfscharte”. Notice the remains of camouflage paint.
The
association is also planning to restore one of the open emplacements and to set
up a museum about the battery and the battle in the region in one of the
barracks near to the water museum.
The
battery was given protected status as an historical monument on June, the 10th
1999.
To visit, make an appointment with
IWVA, Doornpanne 1, 8670 Koksijde, phone : (00)32 (0)58/52.15.55. Entrance : Moeresteenweg 139,
8660 Adinkerke.
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