My last post (and only the second) in July - Longues-sur-Mer.

July hasn't been great for me, to be honest. My arthritic hand issues haven't gone away and it looks as though they are going to be a permanent part of my life from now on. This has limited my painting massively, I've only completed four figures and have another eight on the painting table.

So, I'll post something else about my holiday instead - a trip to the Atlantic Wall battery at Longues-sur-Mer.

Above is one of the four large Type M272 casemates, each of which contains a 15 cm TbtsK C/36 naval gun, originally designed to be used on Zerstörer 1936A (Mob) destroyers, Mob meaning "Mobilisation". Seven of these destroyers were built. 

In addition to these large guns, which had a maximum range of around 20km and fired a 45kg shell, the site was also equipped with machine guns, mortars and anti-aircraft guns, all surrounded by barbed wire and a minefield. You can read more about the site HERE.

The battery was controlled by a fire control bunker near the cliffs overlooking the Channel. Below is a photo showing the view from just to the left of the bunker.

Below is a shot from the bunker looking back to the guns.

The guns were capable of firing at the invasion fleet and were able to reach ships off of both Omaha Beach to the west and Gold Beach to the east. The photo below shows the cliff path down to the port of Arromanches, which was key to the landings as it would be the site of the Mulberry Harbour.

The gun below is a Russian 76.2mm M1902 which formed part of the defences of the battery.

Following the surrender of the battery to troops from C Company of the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment on 7th June, a temporary airstrip (B11) was constructed on the fields adjacent to the battery. This was used by Spitfires from the RAF 2nd Tactical Airforce. Below is a commemorative memorial to this, mentioning Free French ace Pierre Clostermann who flew for RAF 602 squadron from the airstrip. 

The whole site is fascinating and very well preserved. It is well worth a visit. 

Back from my holiday in Normandy.

I've been back from Normandy for just over a week now, so I thought I'd put something up here. 

I've posted photos of this M4A1(76)W HVSS tank before, but this is the old warhorse with a nice shiny new paint job and a fair amount of remedial work. I have to say that it was long overdue, seeing as the first time I visited Utah Beach was back in 1989.

So, I've now got a hat trick of anniversary visits to Normandy, having visited in 2004, 2014 and 2024.

I've finally also got some decent photos of Omaha Beach, due to the sun being out this time. I know that there is a lot of foreground in the first photo, but it does show how the exit from the beach was a lot steeper than on the other beaches in 1944.

I really like the modern sculpture memorial above. It certainly seems popular with visitors who often walk around it and stand touching it in contemplation. 

We visited a few other D Day sites on our travel, but I'll keep those for other posts. I'm going to post non-wargaming stuff for a week or so, because my arthritic flare up I mentioned previously hasn't gone away, and I am not painting until the pains go away.