Germany’s Massive Gun Built to Intimidate England
The Todt Battery in Northern France
Happy New Year 🥳
A couple years ago, my wife, son, and I did a trip across northern France from Normandy to Dunkirk and then over to Bastogne. There was so much to see and not enough time to do it all but it was a wonderful trip through WWII history.
One of the stops that we made was at the Musée du Mur de l’Atlantique. It was located not too far off our drive from Rouen to Dunkirk.
As you approach this area along the coastline, you’ll start to see these massive bunkers made of thick concrete. They were part of the Atlantic Wall of defenses built by Nazi Germany to protect against Allied invasion.
However, these particular bunkers weren’t built for defensive purposes.
What Was The Todt Battery?
The Todt Battery is one of the most famous gun emplacements along the Atlantic Wall. The battery was named after Fritz Todt, the engineer who oversaw much of Germany's military construction efforts.
Built between 1940 and 1942, the battery housed four large-caliber guns known as "38 cm SK C/34 naval guns," capable of firing shells weighing about a ton. These powerful guns had a range of up to 55 kilometers (about 34 miles), theoretically allowing them to reach the southern coast of England, particularly the area around Dover.
The Todt Battery was part of Hitler's plan to fortify the French coast and prevent an Allied invasion from the sea. Each gun was housed in massive, reinforced concrete casemates designed to withstand bombardment and protect the guns from attack.
The battery was manned by German naval personnel and equipped with sophisticated fire control systems to aim the guns accurately across the English Channel. Its strategic location at Cap Gris-Nez, one of the closest points between France and England, made it a formidable threat to any ships in the area.
Despite its imposing presence, the Todt Battery saw relatively limited action. While the guns could reach England, their strategic impact was more psychological than practical.
The battery was targeted by Allied bombers but minimal damage was done due to their thick concrete walls. During the Normandy invasion in June 1944, the area was bypassed entirely and later captured in September.
Visiting the Museum
We visited the museum on a chilly, windy day in April. This was fine as most of the museum is indoors.
Outside the museum are a few military vehicles and a unique piece of history that you can’t miss. Next to the Todt Battery is a huge railroad gun (Kanone 5 in Eisenbahnlafette).
The railroad gun wasn’t as big as the gun fired from the bunker but it was still very imposing. Like the Todt Battery, it was built to fire across the English Channel.
To cover this distance, the gun had to be fired at such extreme velocities that it would quickly wear down the barrel. Because of this, each shell had to be made slightly larger in diameter than the one fired before it. A barrel would last about 65 rounds before it needed to be replaced.
When you enter the museum, you're taken back to the 1940s. The bunker is kept much like it was during the war, giving you a feel for what it was like at that time.
The exhibits display many military items, such as uniforms, weapons, communication tools, and personal belongings of the soldiers stationed there.
A major part of the museum includes photos and documents that explain how the Atlantic Wall was built and used. These exhibits help to understand the military plans and construction efforts needed for such a massive project. They also tell the story about laborers, many of whom were prisoners of war, who were forced to work under tough conditions.
The barrel from the bunker is no longer in place but seeing the size of the bunker you can only image how massive this barrel would have been. Even still, the range of the gun was barely enough to reach England. It did some damage in and around Dover leading to about 216 civilian deaths (Wikipedia).
On September 29, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division captured the area putting an end to this threat.
Museum Information
Website: https://www.batterietodt.com/
Cost: Adults €8,90 Children €5,90 and Family €25
Check times before going. The times and days they are open changes throughout the year.
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Never been there, but I'm sure seeing these places in real life does make the hairs on your neck rise. Thanks for sharing this. - A piece of history in a digestible nugget.
I marked this down in my map, thanks! This summer we visited bunkers a bit 'down the wall', in Belgium, Atlantikwall Raversyde, also a great museum.