This article presents the history of the German H.K.A.A. ( Heer Küste Artillerie Abteilung—Army Coastal Artillery Group) 1161 during the WWII in the Finistère (FR). The emplacements Stps Av 34 or Av 55, Av 64, Av 66a, Av 67 of its four companies 1./H.K.A.A. 1161, 2./H.K.A.A. 1161, 3./H.K.A.A. 1161 and 4./H.K.A.A. 1161 have been visited and the preservation state of the remaining components, at about 77 years from the end of the WWII, ascertained. The problem of inhomogeneities between the information from different historical sources has been addressed by not altering the information from a source also in case of partial agreement with information from other sources and to discuss the information from different sources in case of relevant discrepancies in order to obtain the correct information. The preservation of the emplacements in the future is not assured, in fact, no classification as monuments or architectural heritage is foreseen and they are menaced by the expansion of the urbanization of the nearby cities.
The fortuitous encounter in the Finistère department (FR), along the departmental road D32, with an isolated group of bunkers at the locality of Ranorgat (Rann Enezi) en Plouguerneau, stimulated my interest for studying the history and the emplacements of the batteries of the H.K.A.A. (Heer Küste Artillerie Abteilung—Army Coastal Artillery Group) 1161.
The problem of inhomogeneities between the information from different sources has been addressed by not to alter the information from one source also in case of partial agreement with the information provided by other sources and to discuss the information from different sources in case of relevant discrepancies in order to obtain the correct information.
In the Finistère, Plouguerneau was the first municipality affected by the WWII. The German invasion troops arrived in the department on 19th June 1940. But on 18th June 1940, at around 1 p.m., a reconnaissance aircraft Ju 88A of the Lehrgeschwader 1, touched by the Brest anti-aircraft defence, made an emergency landing at the place named Leuré Lann ar Floc’h. The four crew members, two of which injured, would have been apprehended with a certain harshness by persons who arrived on the place. On 22nd June, the German troops arrested five persons, who were judged by a German military tribunal in Brest. Three of them were released, but Jean-Marie Kerandel, 57-year-old, sentenced of death, was shot on 28th June and Jean Balcon, having his sentence commuted to eight years of forced labour, was deported to Germany from where he returned on 1945.
The Stab of H.K.A.A. (Heer Küste Artillerie Abteilung—Army Coastal Artillery Group) 756 (Unit 44 818A) comprising 5 officers, 6 non-commissioned officers ad 21 gunners, arrived at Brest on 14th August 1942. From 16th August, it quartered at Lannilis, in shacks in Saint Sebastien district. The H.K.A.A. 756 changed its name in H.K.A.A. 1161 at the end of December 1943.
From 1st March 1942, the future 1./H.K.A.A. 1161 (Unit 44 818B) is signalled at Landeda (likely at the Stp Stützpunkt—Support Point Av Aber Wrac’h 34— author’s note). The 2./H.K.A.A. 1161 (Unit 44 818C), former 9./H.K.A.A. 746 (Unit 30 287) was at Ranorgat (Rann Enezi) en Plouguerneau at the Stp Av 64. The 3./H.K.A.A. 1161 (Unit 44 818D), former 10./H.K.A.A. 746, comprising 3 officers, 9 non-commissioned officers and 69 gunners, was at Flescou en Lannilis at the Stp Av 66a, with 4 × 150 mm guns. The 4./H.K.A.A. 1161 (Unit 44 818E), former 3./H.K.A.A. 347, comprising 3 officers, 21 non-commissioned officers and 107 gunners was at Cleus Fos en Landeda at the Stp Av 67 with 6 × 155 mm guns (Floch, 2009, 2012) (
An Organisation Todt (O.T.) camp was at Plouguerneau from 1942. On 1944 its workforce comprised 207 workers. The O.T. built nine defensive structures at Vougo (Stp Av 24) (Tomezzoli, 2017b), Enez Terc’h (Stp Av 32), Mogueran (Stp Av 26) and Anse de Koréjou (Stp Av 27).
The 4./RAD-Gruppe VI (Reicharbeitsdienst—paramilitary engineering organization serving the German Wehrmacht) comprising 46 workers was in Plouguerneau from 4th January 1943 doubtless on the worksite of the 2./H.K.A.A. 1161, as well as the Kabelschalt-Kompanie (wiring company) Festungs-Nachrichten (Fortress-Communications) 9 (Unit 01 603) (Floch, 2009, 2012).
The Stp Av 34 comprised 150 mm × 4 guns each under R 650 bunker (Appendix, FigureA1), 75 mm × 2 guns each on an open gun emplacement Fl 243a bunker and light Flak weapon emplacements. It allowed the firing from the shores north of Ploudalmézeau to the Aber Benoît and then to oppose an allied landing at Sainte Marguerite peninsula or especially, to oppose the progression
of allied troops toward the land interior. Its commander had the whole Sainte Marguerite peninsula defence system at his orders (Lécuillier, 2010) .
The Stp Av 64 comprised 15 cm. s.F.H.25 × 4 guns each under R 669 bunker (Appendix, FigureA2), the two extremes of which carried a superimposed 20 mm Flak emplacement. It allowed firing the shores of Saint Michel and Vougo as far as Guissény; the field of fire was limited approximately from North to 60˚. The construction started in January 1943 and was still in progress in 1944. It comprised some 80 gunners (Lécuillier, 2010).
The Stp Av 66a comprised 10.5 cm K.331 × 4 guns each under R 650 bunker, the two extremes of which carried a superimposed 20 mm Flak emplacement (Lécuillier, 2010).
The Stp Av 67 comprised 15 cm s.F.H.25 × 4 guns, one under R 669 bunker, the other in open gun emplacements, several Flak emplacements, numerous R 134 ammunition bunkers and personnel bunkers. At the end of the WWII, it was still under construction (Lécuillier, 2010).
In the night from 4th to 5th August 1944 the manor of Trébabu (Kerbabu) near Plouguerneau was attacked by French resistants, but they collided with a German heavily armed garrison. Ten resistants were injured or killed, of these five killed by the explosion of their own grenades. The German sergeant, Luitpold Weidiger, 41-year-old, remained killed.
The corporal major (Obergefreiter) Erich Simon, 34-years-old, fell on 5th August 1944 at Groannec near Plouguerneau (Floch, 2012).
On 9th August 1944 the Stp Av 34 reacted to the American artillery which bombarded Plouguerneau where a few cripples and stragglers were firing weakly the American vanguards and the FFI (French Forces of the Interior). On 10th August 1944 around 3 p.m., it was cannoned and bombarded; the two open gun emplacements and other gun emplacements were quickly reduced to silence; its 300 Germans gunners withdrew during the night. Its components were completely destroyed by the Americans troops upon their arrival (Lécuillier, 2010).
On 10th August 1944, five gunners of the Marine-Flak-Abteilung 231, who retreated from the Île de Batz to Brest, were killed by American troops at the workshop of Traon en Plouguerneau.
The Stp Av 64 was evacuated on 18th August, 1944.
Lannilis was liberated on 11th August 1944 and Plouguerneau on 13th August 1944.
The sergeant Paul Berger, 43-years-old, died in Plouguerneau on 29 September 1945, doubtless during a demining operation. The grenadier Karl Eder, 18-year-old, died in Plouguerneau on October 1944. The German soldier Ludwig Kriegl, 43-years-old, died on 11th December 1944 at the manor of Kerbabu (Floch, 2009, 2012).
At about 77 years from the end of the WWII it was interesting to visit the Stps Av 34, Av 55, Av 64, Av 66a, Av 67 for studying their organisation and the preservation state of their components.
The Stp Av 34 (48˚35'20.36"N, 4˚35'18.47"W, height 43 m) about 1.5 km northwest from Landeda, on the left side of the departmental road D128A toward Sainte Marguerite Peninsula, comprised: a Leitstand, R 650 × 4 (en cours), Geschützstellung (gun emplacement) × 7, Fl 243b × 2 Flackstellung (Flak position), Ls. bunker (Luftschutz bunker—air raid protection bunker), Vf/MG × 2, 2 cm Flak 30, 2 cm Flak 38 Vierl, 7.5 cm Flak M22 × 2, 15.2 cm K.390/1 (r) × 6, 15.5 cm s.F.H.414 (f) (Chazette, 2008). Nowadays, it is located part on a public and part on private terrains. Another source (Peeters, 2015) provided evidence that actually the Stp Av 34 guns were instead each under an M 170 bunker (Appendix, FigureA3).
The visit took place on 27th May 2022. Thanks to a post WWII French air reconnaissance image (Mission C0816-0031_1952_F0216-0816_0102, No. 102, 1/26600, Argentique, 21/05/1952) (
A possible Flak emplacement (1) (48˚35'23.35"N, 4˚35'17.41"W, h 40.78 m). No ruins have been identified.
An unknown emplacement (2) (48˚35'23.68"N, 4˚35'12.45"W, h 45.23 m). No ruins have been identified.
An Fl 243b (3) (48˚35'23.56"N, 4˚35'14.29"W, h 44.1 m) partially covered by vegetation so that the embrasure of its close combat room was not visible. Its concrete structure was in a good preservation state without damages due to combats. It preserved the Flak gun emplacement disfigured by modern graffiti, a labyrinth entrance on one side having a rectangular niche, ammunitions niches on each other side and at the centre a 21 screws ring for fixing the support of the Flak gun. The traces of the formwork boards typical of the German masonry and the pebbles of the Ero Vili (Tomezzoli & Marzin 2015) were clearly visible on the concrete structure.
A M 170 emplacement (4) (48˚35’22.07"N, 4˚35'18.3"W, h 41.72 m). No ruins have been identified.
A M 170 emplacement (5) (48˚35'21.61"N, 4˚35'19.21"W, h 42.17 m). No ruins have been identified.
The ruins of M 170 (6) (48˚35'21.45"N, 4˚35'20.66"W, h 40.56 m) on a private terrain. The remaining visible concrete fragments let the original concrete structure unrecognizable.
A pentagonal watch post (7) (48˚35'21.7"N, 4˚35'22.32"W, h 38.92 m). Its concrete structure was in a good preservation state without damages due to combats. Its entrance was on the longer side and an embrasure was on each of the shorter sides. The traces of the formwork boards and the pebbles of the Ero Vili were clearly visible on the concrete structure.
A M 170 emplacement (8) (48˚35'20.84"N, 4˚35'21.68"W, h 41.07 m). No ruins have been identified.
An Fl 243b emplacement (9) (48˚35'18.55"N, 4˚35'22.64"W, h 43.04 m). No ruins have been identified.
A shack emplacement (10) (48˚35'18.45"N, 4˚35'16.13"W, h 48.2 m).
Cap Fréhel (Tomezzoli & Moser, 2021) and Qu 500 and Qu 13 at the Pointe du Raz (Tomezzoli, 2021). No ruins have been identified.
A shack emplacement (11) (48˚35'17.6"N, 4˚35'15.55"W, h 48.49 m).
A possible shack emplacement (12) (48˚35'14.56"N, 4˚35'21.89"W, h 43.23 m) not protected in a ditch, or a farm. No ruins have been identified.
An unknown emplacement (13) (48˚35'14.76"N, 4˚35'19.32"W, h 47.96 m). No ruins have been identified.
A one room bunker (14) (48˚35'17.06"N, 4˚35'16.5"W, h 47.93 m) on a side of a country road. Buried in the terrain and covered by vegetation, the preservation state of its concrete structure remained unknown. Its entrance was unobstructed allowing the inspection of the interior. All the original furniture disappeared. The floor was covered by scraps and debris of various kinds. The internal walls built by stones and the concrete ceiling had no damages due to combats.
Some peasants questioned about the presence of other bunkers informed of another bunker of unknown type, buried in the terrain, near the one room bunker (14), on the opposite side of the country road and a further bunker (15) (48˚35'14.48"N, 4˚35'18.06"W, h 48.01 m) of unknown type on which a house was built.
An upside-down M 170 fragment (16) (48˚35'22.67"N, 4˚35'19.88"W, h 39.52 m) comprising the M 170 (5) rounded coverage and Todt front with four re-entrant semi-circular steps.
The Stp Av 64 (48˚36'1.02"N, 4˚29'42.42"W, h 60.15 m), about 1 km south-east from Plouguerneau, on the right side of the departmental road D32 toward Plouguerneau, comprised: R 669 × 4, 10.5 cm s.F.H.25 × 4, Flakstellung × 2, 7.62 cm F.K. 39 (r) (Chazette, 2008). Nowadays it is located on a private terrain. The visit took place on 25th May 2022.
The Stp Av 64 identified components (Figures 5-8) were the following.
A watch post (1) (48˚35'55.95"N, 4˚29'43.49"W, h: 58.26 m) on the right side of the access road (7). Completely covered by vegetation, the preservation state of its external structure remained unknown. Its entrance was unobstructed allowing the inspection of the interior. All the original furniture disappeared. The floor was covered by wooden planks and scraps. The internal walls had no damages due to combats, preserving the original white painting faded by the time without traces of the formwork boards. An observation window on a wall permitted the surveillance of the east side of Stp Av 64.
A non-concrete gun platform (2) (48˚36'2.5"N, 4˚29'47.61"W, h: 59.25 m) (Pinczon de Sel, 1947-1948). Located on a cultivated terrain and completely covered by vegetation, it was inaccessible and its preservation state remained unknown.
A R 669 (3) (48˚36'1.93"N, 4˚29'45.21"W, h: 60.21 m). Located on a cultivated terrain and completely covered by vegetation, it was inaccessible and the preservation state of its structure remained unknown. On its coverage, a Flak emplacement covered by vegetation was clearly visible.
A R 669 (4) (48˚36'2.45"N, 4˚29'42.57"W, h: 60.65 m) presenting a well-preserved external concrete structure, without damages due to combats. The traces of the formwork boards and the pebbles of the Ero Vili were clearly visible on the concrete structure. The combat room rear opening was closed by a modern heavenly painted double door and obstructed by wooden pallets and vegetation; the combat room front opening was closed by a modern brick wall with an elevated rectangular window. Therefore, the interior inspection was not possible and its preservation state remained unknown. A well-preserved rusted grid of the exhausted combat gas pipe (Tomezzoli & Pottier, 2016) was clearly visible on the rear side of R 669 (4).
A R 669 (5) (48˚36'1.59 N, 4˚29'40.87"W, h: 60.94 m) partially covered by vegetation, presenting a well-preserved concrete structure in the exposed portions without damages due to combats. The traces of the formwork boards and the pebbles of the Ero Vili were clearly visible on the exposed portions. The combat room rear opening allowed the interior inspection. All the original furniture
disappeared. Various materials and scraps were stacked on the floor masking all its features (Tomezzoli & Pottier, 2016). The walls preserved the original white painting with no traces of a thermal insulation system. The rusted ceiling preserved two gun lifting joints and two elongate gates of the combat gas extraction system deprived of their original grids. Materials stacked against the walls prevented the inspection of the ammunition rooms. The rear side, covered by vegetation masked the grid of the exhausted combat gas pipe and a possible niche hosting it (Tomezzoli & Pottier, 2016). The combat room front opening was partially closed by bricks and obstructed by vegetation.
A R 669 (6) (48˚36'0.3"N, 4˚29'40.1"W, h: 60.51 m) covered by vegetation, presenting a well-preserved concrete structure in the exposed portions without damages due to combats. On its coverage a well-preserved Flak emplacement was clearly visible. The combat room rear opening and front opening were obstructed by vegetation so that the interior inspection was not possible and its preservation state remained unknown. Covered by vegetation the access stair to the pentagonal Flak emplacement was inaccessible. However, post WWII French air reconnaissance images shown that its concrete structure and labyrinth entrance were well-preserved without damages due to combats. Covered by vegetation, the grid of the exhausted combat gas pipe was not visible. The vegetation covered a rectangular, annexed construction on the west side of R 669 (6). Its entrance was unobstructed allowing the interior inspection. All the original furniture disappeared. The floor was covered by stones and scraps. A wooden plank was secured on one of the internal walls. The walls preserved the original white painting faded by the time without traces of the formwork boards.
The search on the site for possible gunner lodgements shacks, a canteen, a kitchen and latrines, revealed no ruins as confirmed also by the post WWII French aerial reconnaissance images: C3639-0421_1948_MISSIONBRETAGNE8_0137, n˚137, 1/24651, Argentique 16/04/1948 and C0816-0031_1952_F0216-0816_0105, n˚105, 1/26477, Argentique 21/05/1952.
The Stp Av 66a (48˚36'21.9"N, 4˚32'10.72"W, h 49.31 m), about 1 km west from Lannilis, on the left side of the departmental road D128 toward Aber Wrach, nowadays is located part on a public and part on private terrains. The visits took place on 26th May 2022 and 9th July 2022.
The Stp Av 66a identified components (
The ruins of a R 650 (1) (48˚34'24.1"N, 4˚32'9.58"W, h 52.57 m) for 150 mm gun K. 331 (Pinczon de Sel, 1947-1948) near the entrance of a water tower enclosure. Completely covered by terrain and vegetation, the concrete fragments let the original structure unrecognizable. The traces of the formwork boards and the pebbles of the Ero Vili on the fragments were clearly visible.
A disappeared R 650 (2) (48˚34'22.85"N, 4˚32'10.84"W, h 48.19 m) for 150 mm gun K. 331 inside the water tower enclosure. Only fragments covered by terrain and vegetation were visible.
A R 650 (3) (48˚34'21.55"N, 4˚32'12.19"W, h 51.97 m) for 150 mm gun K. 331 on a private terrain, partially covered by terrain. Post WWII French air reconnaissance images shown a well-preserved concrete structure in the exposed portions without damages due to combats.
A R 650 (4) (48˚34'20.21"N, 4˚29'12.94"W, h 47.85 m) for 150 mm gun K. 331 on a private terrain, partially covered by vegetation. Post WWII French air reconnaissance images shown a well-preserved concrete structure in the exposed portions without damages due to combats and a superimposed pentagonal Flak emplacement having a well-preserved concrete structure with labyrinth entrance without damages due to combats.
The emplacement of a disappeared unburied shelter or hold (5) (48˚34'20.96"N, 4˚32'10.44"W, h 48.13 m).
The emplacement of a disappeared non-concrete gun platform (6) (48˚34' 22.57"N, 4˚32'9.2"W, h 50.68 m).
The emplacement of a disappeared non-concrete gun platform (7) (48˚34' 21.68"N, 4˚32'9.01"W, h 48.7 m).
A tobruck (8) (48˚34'18.94"N, 4˚32'10.31"W, h 47.32 m) partially covered by terrain and vegetation, presenting a well-preserved external concrete structure in the exposed portions, without damages due to combats. The traces of the formwork boards and the pebbles of the Ero Vili were clearly visible on the concrete structure. The aperture of its combat room and its entrance were obstructed by terrain and vegetation; therefore, the interior inspection was not possible and its preservation state remained unknown.
The Stp Av 67 (48˚35'1.54"N, 4˚33'1.19"W, h 45.41 m) at Cleus Foz en Landéda, about 2.5 km from Landéda on the right side of the departmental road D128A toward Landeda, comprised: R 669 × 1, Geschutzstellung × 4, R 134 bunker, Wasser bunker, Unterstand, Flakstellung × 2, 15 cm sF.H.25 (t) × 4 (Chazette, 2008). Nowadays, it is located on private terrains. The visit took place on 06th September 2016.
The Stp Av 67 identified components (
The Stps Av 34, Av 64, Av 66a each aligning four artillery bunkers, manifest the same organization of Stp Av 55 (Tomezzoli, 2016), Stp Re 77 at Kérigoarn-Kerizauen, Stp Re 79 at Kergounan, Stp Re 80 at La Villeneuve-Suernevez (Tomezzoli, 2018), Stp Ra 110 at Saint Coulomb (Tomezzoli & Pottier, 2016). In the first three ones, however, the anti-aircraft protection was increased by a Flak emplacement superimposed on two or more bunkers. In all the mentioned cases, however, the absence of a fire observation bunker, like the R 120a at Stp Ra 109
at Pointe de la Varde (Tomezzoli & Pottier, 2016), let to suppose that they directed the fire on the basis of information from their Stabs.
The supply in electricity to the Stps is not well known. However, the lack of power supply bunkers let presume that they received electricity from the French public net.
My requests to the city halls of Plouguerneau and Lannilis for consulting the municipal archives for more information about Stps Av 34, Av 64, Av 66a, Av 67 received no reply.
To the same request, the city hall of Landeda replied that the city hall burned down in 1983, so that the municipal archive has no documents preceding that date.
A search at Bundesarchiv Abt. Militärarchiv (BAMA) in Freiburg (DE) concerning H.K.A.A. 1161 provided no relevant documents.
The presence of 1/H.K.A.A 1161 at Stp Av 34 in Croaz Huella en Landéda is controverse. A first source (Floch, 2009) signals 1/H.K.A.A 1161 at Landeda without providing evidences. A second source (Floch, 2012) reports that the 1./H.K.A.A. was at La Métairie/Le Veleury en Pluider at Stp Av 55 (
The post WWII French air reconnaissance image Mission C0816-0031_1952_ F0216-0816_0102, n˚102, 1/26600, Argentique, 21/05/1952 (
The M 170 Todt front and rounded coverage optimized the opening of the M 170. In fact, a reduced combat room front opening would reduce the gun firing range, and an enlarged opening would enlarge the gun firing range, but would increase the risk of penetration of enemy’s shells and splinters. The Todt front with its re-entrant semi-circular steps closed the upper portion of the opening against shells and splinters and allowed the gun to reach its maximum elevation. The upside-down M 170 (5) Todt front and rounded coverage (16) heavy of some tens of tons, at about 40 m from the M 170 (5) emplacement, testified the violence of the explosions that destroyed M 170 (5) and the other components of Stp Av 34.
The visit of Stp Av 55 took place on 22nd May 2016. The Stp Av 55 identified components (
The components of Stp Av 64 appear well preserved but the site was in a pity state occupied by a car graveyard and vegetation. The absence of gunner lodgements shacks, a canteen, a kitchen and latrines indicate that the bunkers were
supervised by sentinels and the gunners lodged in Plouguerneau or nearby farms and reached the R 669s in case of alarm.
The Stp Av 66a partially survived the destruction. The post WWII French air reconnaissance images C3639-0421_1948_MISSIONBRETAGNE8_0163, n˚163, 1/26476, Argentique 16/04/1948 and C0816-0031_1952_F0216-0816_0104, n˚104, 1/26521, Argentique, 21/05/1952 permitted to recognize that R 650 (1) remained destroyed at the end of the WWII, therefore it was not possible to ascertain whether it hosted a superimposed Flak emplacement. The post WWII French air reconnaissance image CIPLI-0081_1982_IPLI8_0137, n˚137, 1/20169, Argentique, 02/08/1982 permitted to ascertain that R 650 (2) was demolished after the construction of the water tower in the years eighty of the last century.
The presence of the bunkers R 650 (3), R 650 (4) on private terrains ensures, due to the care of their owners, their survival in the near future.
The organization of Stp Av 67 is rather different from the previous discussed Stps. Only one gun was located in a bunker R 669 with superimposed Flak emplacement; the other three guns were placed in open emplacements. This permitted the guns to fire on 360˚, but exposed them unprotected to possible air attacks. The R 669 and the gun emplacements were not aligned along a line or semi-circle as in the previously discussed Stps. The presence of many other bunkers suggests a logistic role of Stp Av 67.
The searches in literature, the post WWII French air reconnaissance images and the visit on the field clarified many historical aspects of H.K.A.A. 1161: its situation during the WWII in the Finistère, the emplacements of its companies and in particular that of 1./H.K.A.A. 1161, the organization of the battery components and their preservation state. Stps Av 55, Av 64, Av 67 survive up to now practically intact, Av 66a survives in a degraded state, Stp Av 34 did not survive a complete destruction. The preservation of the surviving batteries in the future is not assured, in fact, no classification as monuments or architectural heritage is foreseen and they are menaced by demolition because of the urbanization expansion of the nearby cities. Moreover, no information or tourist board informs of their existence. In any case, I hope that this article will attract the attention of archaeologists, scholars and a large public about the German unities operating in France during the WWII and the defence structures of the Atlantic Wall.
The author is grateful to Mr. Fleuridas P. for the useful discussions and explanations and his kind permission to insert in the Appendix the plans of the bunkers R 650, R 669, M 170 and to Mr Haas B. for the search at BAMA for relevant documents concerning H.K.A.A. 1161.
The author declares no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.
Tomezzoli, G. T. (2022). The Heer Küste Artillerie Abteilung 1161. Archaeological Discovery, 10, 193-214. https://doi.org/10.4236/ad.2022.104007