La Marefontaine Batterie

Located 2 ½ km inland from Gold Beach, La Marefontaine Batterie named Widerstandsnest 32 (Wn32) by the Germans had four concrete casemates housing 100-millimetre Czechoslovakian howitzers with a range of 9 km.

Despite being bombed on the morning of D-Day and then heavily bombarded by the British cruiser HMS Belfast the battery was still active on D-Day.

The battery did not have a direct view of the coast so relied on a telephone link with a fire command post to direct fire onto the beaches.

The garrison surrendered to the 7 Green Howards who were supported by 2 Crocodiles from 13 Troop of the 141st RAC (Royal Armoured Corps),the tanks were not required to use flame as the garrison surrendered after 2 rounds of 75mm and some BESA fire.

Marefontaine Battery is located on a lane forbidden to cars but is only a short walk from the adjoining road.

The capture of the battery is mentioned in both the 7 Green Howards war diary and the 141st Royal Armoured Corps war diary which are available on the site.

Help to improve this listing

Found an error with this listing or know something we don't? report it here!

Listing: La Marefontaine Batterie

Location

Just off Rue Marefontaine
La Marefontaine
Calvados
France
Longitude:-0.528962
Latitude:49.323048

Nearby

Image coming soon

Advanced Landing Ground B3 Memorial, Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer

0.54 miles away

A memorial 700 meters to the North West of Sainte-Croix sure Mer commemorating advanced landing ground B3 and the operations by Allied Air Forces in the liberation of Europe

Read more
Ver sur Mer Warship Anchor

Ver sur Mer Warship Anchor

0.94 miles away

An anchor belonging to one of the warships that fought during the Normandy invasion.

Read more
Musee America - Gold Beach

Musee America - Gold Beach

0.95 miles away

The Gold Beach Museum (Musée America – Gold Beach) covers the German defences along the beach prior to D-Day aswell as D-Day and the intelligence operations behind it with a particular focus on the 50th Northumberland division and the creation of RAF airfields in the area.

Read more