Longues-sur-Mer Gun Battery (Normandy, France)

This World War II gun battery was part of the German Atlantic Wall coastal fortifications. It gets its name from the nearby French village. The battery is located on a 200 ft. cliff, looking over the English Channel. This site is between the Omaha and Gold landing beaches, and shelled both areas on D-Day (June 6th, 1944). The installation was captured by the British on June 7.

The battery is comprised of 4 gun emplacements, and it is the only one in Normandy that has all its original guns still in place. Construction began in September of 1943, and completion was in April 1944. Each reinforced casemate has a 150mm gun in it, made by the famous Skoda Works of Czechoslovakia. The guns can pivot in place, and had a range of around 12 miles. Typically 6-8 shots per minute could be accomplished. The walls and roof of the casemates are over 6 1/2 feet thick.

The battery was manned by some 184 troops, and was equipped with 20mm anti-aircraft guns, minefields, machine guns and mortars for its own defense. Allied naval gunfire knocked out one casemate, and two others were damaged. The battery fired over 100 shells on D-Day, but had no effect on the events. As described by our Overlord Tour guides, the observation bunker to the front of the guns was not completed by D-Day. The guns were firing blind. Had they been effective, there could have been even more carnage on the beaches.

The site is in excellent original condition. It is possible to visit each casemate, walk around the guns, and climb onto the roof of the placements. The view on a clear day is wonderful. There are many bunkers, casemates, and batteries in Normandy, but this one is stunning in its completeness. A must see stop if you are in the area. Check back for the next posting, coming soon!