German Artillery, Coastal Defence, Belgium 1914-1918 CLICK on Photo to enlarge

Protecting WW1 MAIN GERMAN SUBMARINE BASE located at BRUGES, connected by Port Entrees Ostend and Zeebrugge

[Green] Heavy Naval Gun 5 x 38 cm, 15 inch SKL/45,
Range 55,000m, "Max"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/38_cm_SK_L/45_%22Max%22
[Red] Heavy Naval Gun 4 x 30.5 cm, 12 inch SKL/50
Range 37,500m
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30.5_cm_SK_L/50_gun
[Blue] Heavy Naval Gun 24 x 28 cm,11 inch SKL/40
Range 27,500m "Bruno"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_cm_SK_L/40_gun
[Orange] Naval Gun 8 x 21cm, 8 inch SKL/40
Range 23,000m "Peter Adalbert"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21_cm_SK_%22Peter_Adalbert%22

...........................................................................................................................

[Youtube] ***Best Documentary on the British Zeebrugge Raid
Raid to Block the Ports 22nd April 1918
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6YdwiRwI_4

[Google Map] Location of ZEEBRUGGE/OSTEND & BRUGES
www.google.com.au/maps/place/Bruges,+Belgium/@51.2655317,...

[McMasters University] WW1 Trench Maps & Arial Photography Index
digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A391...

[Website] The Zeebrudge Raid.
www.warfaremagazine.co.uk/articles/The-Zeebrugge-Raid/105

[Website] German U-Boats
www.uboat.net/wwi/

...........................................................................................................................

No.1 Battery [Bremen] 4 x 10.5 cm SKL/45
[Axis History Forum] Operation StrandFest
Post No. 21 forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=66332&...

No.2 Battery [Net Zoute] 4 x 28cm SKL/40 {Railway Guns++++++++}
[National Library of Scotland] British First WW1 Trench Map, Co-ordinates N.12.d.
maps.nls.uk/view/101464591

No.4 Battery [Kaiser Wilhelm II] 4 x 30.5cm SKL/50
[National Library of Scotland] British First WW1 Trench Map, Co-ordinates N.10.c
maps.nls.uk/view/101464591

No.11 Battery [Mittel] 4 x 10.5cm SKL/45
[IMW] Collections & Research Photos of Battery [Mittel]
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=battery+Mittel&am...

No.13 Battery [Hessen-Donkerklok] 4 x 28cm SKL/40
[Railway Guns++++++++}
[Google Map] of exact position of emplacements [4 patches]
www.google.com.au/maps/place/Lissewegestraat,+8370+Blanke...

No.16 Battery [Deutschland/Jacobinssen] 4 x 38 cm ***SKL/45*** Co-ordinates D.17.abc
[National Library of Scotland] British First WW1 Trench Map.
maps.nls.uk/view/101464594

No. 19 Battery [Hindenberg] 4 x 28 cm SKL/35 Old Guns
[Axis History Forum] Marinekorps Flandern
Post No.44# forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=24885&...

No. 20 Battery [Friedrick] 4 x 88 cm
[IMW] Collections & Research Photos of Battery Friedrick
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205283676

No. 21 Battery [Tirpitz] 4 x 28 cm SKL/45
maps.nls.uk/view/101464834

[Great War Forum] The Fortifications in Flanders
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=168626
[Google Map] of exact position Battery [ Turpitz ] emplacements
maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Irisstraat,+Oostende,+Belgium&a...

No. 26 Battery [Aachen] 4 x 15 cm SKL/40

thegreatwaratraversyde.wordpress.com/2014/11/26/battery-a...

[Axis History Forum] batterie Aachen at Raversijde
Post No.1# forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=73350

No. 27 Battery [Leugenboom] 1 x 38cm ***SKL/45***
pages14-18.mesdiscussions.net/pages1418/photos-14-18/au-f...
pages14-18.mesdiscussions.net/pages1418/Sites-et-vestiges...

More Postcard Photographs of the WW1 HEAVY Artillery Gun at LEUGENBOOM: SKL/45
www.flickr.com/photos/unclejeffers/tags/laugenboom/

...........................................................................................................................

Translated FRENCH WEBSITE www.clham.org/050426.htm

THE GERMAN DEFENSES AT THE BELGIAN COAST DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR

The Germans do doubted nothing of the importance of Zeebrugge which was the largest naval base offensive, supplemented by Bruges and Ostend. To ensure the protection of this nest of submarines, spacecraft that the Germans were waiting the victorious solution of the global conflict, the dunes of the Belgian coast were transformed into a powerful database of lights. On less than 50 Km, were accumulated some sixty batteries including 5 parts of 380 that can pull up to 50 Km, 4 to 305, 20 to 280, of the canons of medium and small arms, works of infantry, machine-gun nests deck being run on paved, of aircraft batteries, networks of iron wire established sometimes up to the left of high seas, stations of seaplanes, etc. The shelters, many, were pressed in the sands, under the dikes and the boulevards of the resorts. The seawall promenade of Ostend in particular had become a long bunker, flanked by batteries cuirassees or plastered presenting up to 4 meters of protection of reinforced concrete to heaven.

PRINCIPLE OF THE ORGANIZATION GERMAN DEFENSIVE

1. The batteries of side should respond by the number and caliber of the parts to a commitment with the naval forces important.

2. Against the raids and landings. The defenses had to understand of the artillery of small arms, the guns of 105, 88 and cannons of edge of 60, 52 and 37; of the feared with observation posts, barriers, machine guns bow steering; nests of 3 or 4 machine guns located in the tactical points important; the trenches surrounding the batteries located in the dunes or linking these batteries with other books; of the mine fields and networks of iron wire along the beach of Westende - Estate at Raversijde.

3. Increase the density of these elements of artillery and small arms near the sensitive points of the coast and carry out in each of the points occupied a very strong local defense.

POSITION OF RESISTANCE:

The responsibility of coastal defense rested primarily with the artillery of side. The latter, acting in very close cooperation with the forces of land and sea, were to attack by fire any enemy to effective range.

The batteries were distributed to power steer all passes to access the coast; a large number of them could concentrate their lights on the front of the entries of Zeebrugge and Ostend.

The prohibition of the mouth of the Western Scheldt was fully guaranteed by the firing of many batteries.

Since Raversijde Park - up to the Dutch border (40 Km on a side), 36 batteries have been created. They were divided in the following main areas:

1. DEFENCE AGAINST A BOMBING AT LONG RANGE

This defense was entrusted to the batteries placed in general in rear of dunes which could only act by indirect pointing. The table below gives the nomenclature of these batteries classified according to their scope extreme.

Order No, Name batteries, Types and number of parts, Scope extreme

1 Deutschland/Jacobinessen 4 x 38 cm SKL/45 (6 ) ± 39 Km
2 (4 ) Pommern/Leugenboom 1 x 38 cm SKL/45 ± 48 Km
3 Kaiser-Wilhelm II 4 x 30 cm SKL /50 ± 37 Km
4 Tirpitz 4 x 28 cxm SKL/45 ± 35 Km
5 (1 )(5) Het Zoute/Braunschweig 4 x 28 cm SKL/40 ± 28 Km
6 (1 ) Hessen/Donkerklok 4 x 28 cm SKL/40 ± 28 Km
7 (2)(5) Hannover/De Haan 4 x 28 cm SKL/40 E ± 28 Km
8 (2 ) Preussen/Turkeyn 4 x 28 cm SKL/40 E ± 28 Km
9 (3) Oldenburg 4 x 17 cm SKL/40 ± 24 Km
10 Schlesien 4 x 17 cm SKL/40 ± 24 Km
11 Sachsen/St-Jean 4 x 17 cm SKL/40 ± 24 Km

1. The batteries het Zoute and Donkerklok seemed to be also of Eisenbahnbatterie (see (2) below).
2. These canons which were the parts on rails (E = Eisenbahnbatterie) could also be deposited on platforms plastered to horse on the rails.
3. These batteries were firing also shrapnel up to 27 km of distance.
4. The battery of the Pommern/Leugenboom, who was supposed to be equipped for the shot toward the sea, would generally performs firing toward land targets.
5. The locations Hannover and het Zoute were likely used as locations of alternatives for the same battery.
6. SKL/45 = Shiff Kanone Lange/45 - Canon of navy including the tube measure 45 calibers.

2. DEFENCE AGAINST THE RAIDS AND THE ATTEMPTS OF BOTTLING OF PORTS

It was carried out by batteries to direct pointing, except Groden and Hindenbourg, installed along the edge of the dunes and grouped primarily on either side of Zeebrugge and Ostend. These batteries included various calibers from 88 mm up to 280.

Order No, Name batteries, Types and number of parts, Scope extreme

12 Bremen 4 x 5,2 cm & 4 x 10,5 cm SKL/45 ± 12 Km
13 Lekkerbek/Köln 3 x 8,8 cm & 1 x 10,5 cm SKL/45 ± 12 Km
14 Hamburg 4 x 10,5 SKL/45 & 1 x 10,5 ± 12 Km
15 Augusta 3 x 15 cm SKL/40 ± 12 Km
16 Freya 4 x 21 cm SKL/40 ± 23 Km
17 Kanal 4 x 8,8 cm
18 Friedrichsart 4 x 17 cm S KL/40 ± 23 Km
19 (1) Môle 1 X 8,8 cm
Zeebrugge/Blankenberghe 5 x 10,5 cm SKL/45 ± 12 Km
Zeebrugge/Blankenberghe 2 x 15 cm SKL/40 ± 19 Km
20 Lübeck 2 x 15 cm SKL/40 ± 19 Km
21 Wurtemberg/Zeppelin 4 x 10,5 cm SKL/45 ± 12 Km
22 Groden 4 x 28 cm Haubitze ± 11 Km
23 Mittel 4 x 10,5 cm SKL/45 & 1 x 15 cm Haubitze ± 12 Km
24 Kaiserin 4 x 15 cm SKL/40 ± 19 Km
25 Hafen 4 x 8,8 cm & 1 x 10,5 cm
26 Herta 4 x 21 cm SKL/40 ± 22 Km
27 Ludendorff/Petite Irène 2 x 15 cm SKL/40
ou encore Kurland 4 x 21 cm SKL/40
28 Irène 3 x 15 cm SKL/35 ± 13 Km
29 Hindenburg 4 x 28 cm SKL/35 ± 8 Km
30 Friedrich 4 x 8,8 cm & 1 x 15 cm Bombenwerfer
31 Eylau/Poudrière haute 4 x 8,8 cm & 2 x 5,2 cm & 1 x 10,5 cm SKL/45 ± 12 Km
32 Palace-Hotel/ Gneisenau 4 x 17 cm SKL/40 ± 19 Km
33 Cecilie 4 x 15 cm SKL/45 ± 15 Km
34 Beseler 4 x 15 cm SKL/40 ± 19 Km
35 Antwerpen 4 x 10,5 cm SKL/45 ± 13 Km
36 Aachen 4 x 15 cm SKL/40 ± 19 Km

1. It turns out that the exact number of cannons deposited on the Mole is unknown.
2. Wuerttemberg had only 3 guns of 10.5 cm but Zeppelin, 4 to 8.8 cm A. A.
3. The battery Co would never been army. The batteries Hamburg, Mittel, Hafen, Irene and Friedrich were equipped with a gun, howitzer or mortar intended to the firing of projectiles enlightening.

We also found trace of the following batteries:
Schützennest 6 x 5 cm
Schleswig Holstein 2 x 17 cm
Leopoldkanal 2 x 5.2 cm
Gneisenau II 2 x 17 cm
Blücher 4 x 15 cm
Seekamp 2 x 17 cm

In addition it existed immediately to the east of Blankenberge a battery called "Block Battery" which had 4 old cannons. Similarly to estate at Raversijde, 300 m to the west of the battery Aachen, there was also another battery of 4 old cannons. These two batteries, equipped with 150 Belgian dating from 1865, only served to lures. All of these batteries, surrounded by barbed wire, were defended by networks of trenches for fusiliers, machine guns, rocket-bombs and aircraft

Membership of batteries

Detachment of artillery is ·
Group of long-range artillery of Duinbergen batteries Braunschweig, Freya, Herta, Hessen and Kaiser. · Combat Group advance of Knocke: batteries Augusta, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein . · Group of harbor defense of Zeebrugge batteries Friedrichsart, Lübeck and Mole. · Group of harbor defense of Blankenberge batteries Groden, Kaiserin, Mittel and Sachsen

Detachment of artillery West ·
Group of long-range artillery of Ostende-Ouest: batteries Deutschland, Hannover, Pommern, Preussen and Tirpitz. · Combat Group advance of Mariakerke batteries Aachen, Antwerpen, Hans-friedrich Beseler, Cecilie, Gneisenau and Oldenburg. · Group of harbor defense of Ostende-Est batteries Blücher, Eylau, Irene, Hindenburg, Lüdendorff and Schlesien.

3. DEFENCE AGAINST A LANDING ARTILLERY INTERVENED BY:
guns revolvers of 37 or 52 mm,
cannons of edge 60 mm,
spare batteries to direct shot of 88 or 105 mm,
batteries of 8 launched-bombs to Ostend.

The canons, or isolated groups by 2, 3 or 4, were established on all the sea front and occupied many locations along the beach. They were of course pointing to direct. It should be pointed out that the groups of batteries occasions respectively under the classifications 1, 2 and 3 above could and should be mutually supportive.

In a general way, the artillery of the defense of the side consisted only of cannons (a single battery of howitzers: Groden) and 2/3 of these outlets to fire were parts of marine long range.

For the shot against the major buildings of high seas, it should address the superstructures, against small vessels we should treat any the purpose. Therefore it was expected that the guns of the coastal defense would be effective against all types of ship of war.

4. AIR DEFENCE
artillery grouped near the coastline a couple of batteries, which, with few exceptions, could all contribute possibly to repel a landing. These batteries included 2, 3, or 4 locations of parts and e t a l in t in general armed with 2 guns of 88 mm, 150 or even 170.

There were batteries against aircraft to:

1 battery à Het Zoute,
1 battery à Molenhoeck (Heist),
1 battery sur le môle de Zeebrugge,
1 battery à la darse du canal de Zeebrugge,
1 battery à l'ouest du môle de Zeebrugge,
1 battery "Caesar" à l'est de Blankenberge,
1 battery "Breunhilde" à Uytkerke,
1 battery à l'est de Wenduyne,
1 battery "Zeppelin" à Vlisseghem,
1 battery "Gross-Herzog",
1 battery à la borne 20.500 de la route d'Ostende à Bruges,
2 battery au sud de l'Arsenal maritime d'Ostende,
1 battery à Mariakerke,
1 battery "Mar-Flak" au sud de Mariakerke
1 battery "Kaster"

In Bruges and in .its immediate environs, a couple of other batteries against aircraft ensured the protection of the marine facilities of this city and shelters for submarines which were established. Positions of projectors, very many, complemented the organization of the air defenses. In total, for the defense of the sea front, Bruges, including some sixty batteries of any species had been installed along the coastline, in other words 3 batteries for 2 kilometres.

A large number of these batteries have displaced, after marking by the aviation, such Zeppelin or Grossherzog, while others have simply disappeared. Documents english or german attest to the existence of other batteries. In effect, the course of Belgian fortification are mainly based on a series of cards printed for the 4th German Army on 1 September 1918. Therefore it is more than likely that the Allies will have done the same

As these positions were in no way similar to land fortifications permanent, by their design, we can only describe these findings that of momentary.

According to the reports of the Home-Fleet , the latter must necessarily address the Belgian coast by the West because the Netherlands and their waters were neutral, therefore descend toward Calais to be out of range of the battery Pommern and veer from cape to Ostend or Zeebrugge.

The British monitors skirted, coverage under smoke, sand banks of Binnen with Ratel, Bree Bank and buiten de with Ratel to arrive at the Kwinte Bank but, as of this moment, they had to wipe the fire of batteries of 170 or 280 unknown, origin South-east , located between Westende and Estate at Raversijde, causing many empty.

Purpose of this article is to remind the complexity of German positions during the Great War but also to search for all information, such as master plans Germans from the coast, the orders of battle or of newspapers held by the combatants, ... to complete this part of the story.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Course of Fortification - Military School Belgian (Center of Historical Documentation of the Army - Evere). Course of Fortification - French Military School (documents of Mr. Michel Truttmann - St-Denis / France).

Iconography Historical Documentation Center of the Army - Evere. Royal Museum of the Army / Section iconographic - Fiftieth Anniversary.

...........................................................................................................................

Taken on: February 18, 2014

Tags:

German

Artillery

WW1

Belgium

Coast

1914-1918

Heavy

Zeebrugge

Ostend

Bruges

Canal

U-Boat

Submarine

Shelters

Base

Battery

Deutschland

Leugenboom

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Tirpitz

Het Zoute

Hessen

Hannover

Preussen

Oldenberg

Schlesien

Sachsen « less

Sets appears in: • MAX 38 SKL/45 • German Coastal Artillery

Camera: Canon CanoScan LiDE 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon CanoScan LiDE 100
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Digital Photo Professional
Show full info

Stats: 18,165 views / 2 comments

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: