Merville Gun Battery, World War II coastal fortification in Merville-Franceville-Plage, France
Merville Gun Battery is a World War II coastal fortification with four concrete gun casemates whose walls are about 6 feet (2 meters) thick, protecting Czech-made howitzer artillery pieces. The site is now arranged as a museum showing the layout of a typical German Atlantic Wall defensive position.
The complex was built as part of the Atlantic Wall to defend the French coast against invasion. On June 6, 1944, British paratroopers attacked and captured the battery after heavy fighting.
The site preserves military equipment, personal items, and documents showing how soldiers lived and worked in this coastal fortress daily. These remains help visitors understand what life was like for those stationed here.
Visitors can enter the bunkers and view the preserved guns and interior spaces. It is helpful to wear sturdy shoes as paths across the grounds are uneven.
Construction accelerated in 1944 after a senior German officer visited the incomplete site and ordered improvements. This led to two more gun positions being finished just before fighting broke out.
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