German coastal artillery in the uttermost north

[Bjørn from Norway]

Hello!
Always eager to improve my 6 years listing of German Coastal Defence in the north, I have these informations on the "Finland" group.

If anyone could provide corrections and/or amandments, I would be happy! Please state source if so. And an allowance of incorporating it into my database

Unit numbers in ( ) are former numbers, the last "Heeres-Küsten-Batterie, HKB" ones before being organised into:


ARTILLERIEGRUPPE UNTERABSCHNITT FINLAND

Art.gr.Unterabschnitt Finland, MAA 517
It was formed in Kirkenes, Noway in July 1943. HQ: Nurmensätti.

HKB 1/ 773 Ristiniemmi ( 885 )
Equipped with 4 x 15,5 cm K418(f) guns, range 19 000 m. Reported as Combat ready (later called "C/R") in July 41. Attacked by Soviet forces, and blown up by its own crew in Oct 44.

HKB 2/ 773 Liinahamari ( 454 )
Equipped with 2 x 21 cm K39/40, range 30 000 m. C/R in Aug 43. Attacked by Soviet forces, and blown up by its own crew in Oct 44.

MKB 1/ 517 Kap Romanov (6/ 513 ) (MKB Brommy, Memel-Ostsee)
Equipped with 4 x 15 cm SKC/28 guns in twin mounts, range 22 000 m. Ready in Dec 41 as a part of ”Nordverstärkung”. Usually called ”Batterie Sensenhauser” after its commander, oberleutnant Sensenhauser. This unit was, like the others in this area, frequently engaged in artillery duels with Soviet Coastal artillery units. Attacked by Soviet ground forces in Oct 44, blown up by own crew.

MKB 2/ 517 Petsamo (5/ 513 )
Equipped with 4 x 15 cm SKL/40 C/97, range 16 000 m, and 2 x 15 cm SKC/28 in a twin turret, range 23 000 m. Ready in Oct 41. Frequently used for shooting at the Soviet airfield Pumanki. Attacked by Soviet forces, and blown up by own crew. The turreted guns were tried evacuated by ship, but this was sunk.

North-west of Liinahamari the Germans planned to build a 30,5 cm battery called ”Suomi”. It never got operational.

Torpedobatterie Siebruniemi
All fortifications ready, weapons never arrived.

Coastal artillery being formed into land warfare.

Some of the original "Heeres-Küsten-Batterien" never were used for coastal warfare, but were instead assigned to "Gebirgs-Korps-Norwegen", and used as regular field artillery instead.
These were: HKB 546, 580, 869, 562 and 543. There are others, but no unit designation is known at the moment.

Guns were whatever available, that at least fulfilled German standards. So for instance:

HKB 869 - was equipped with 15.5 cm Polish howitzers.
HKB 562 - was equipped with 10.5 cm K331.(f)

Any help appreciated!
Bjørn
(http://www.nuav.net)

[Bair]

Hi,

I have several interviews of men who served in the 113th Detached Red Banner Artillery Battalion - and were exchnging fie with the German batteries that you mention for at least two years.

They had a funny name for the 21 cm guns - Dura, which stands for "stupid girl" in Russian, but can also mean "a very big and stupid thing"

regards,

Bair[/url]

[Juha Hujanen]

Bjorn,sorry no new info.Only this pic.It's from "Viisi Sodan Vuotta" book.Caption says"German costal gun in Ismeer coast".Do you know gun type and unit?

Chears Juha

[Bjørn from Norway]

Thanks for the replies!
I will check about the picture, I believe I know what and where it is, but I will have to check my sources before posting it.

Best wishes,
Bjørn

[Madsen]

Hi Bjørn. just a Q. do you have any informations of the coastal battery in Bodø area?
Im thinking of Saltstraumen for the most.


Norwegian: Hei Bjørn. Har du noen opplysninger anngående fortifikasjonene rundt Bodø. Tenker spesielt på Saltstraumen. Bor ikke langt unna der nemlig
Bjørn

[Erik E]

Any spesific fortification Lillebror?

Were you thinking of coastal artillery or others?

Erik

[Madsen]

The old ones at home was talking of a firing exersize when a coastal battery sited on Straum øy was firing at a cape (Saurnesodden) at home.
and one of my theachers was raised in Straumøy and told about when he breake a leg and his mother went to the germans to get help.
I think it was 15cm guns but i know very little about that battery.
I know more about the battery at Arnøy southwest of Bodø. been there seceral times. some say the guns are still working. Runors say that some small parts is al thats needed to fire them. and there is people who say they know were to find them

But i was wondering about the coastal battery at Straumøy

[Erik E]

Some general information here:

http://www.nuav.net/coastgr4.html#Art.gr.%20Bodø

EE

[Madsen]

i've been to NUAV and its a great site but i thinking mor of pictures and plans for the battery. how it was sited in the nature.

[Juha Tompuri]

Hi!

LILLEBROR, nice avatar!
About the pic Juha H posted. I think it is a so called "Nina" gun: ex-Imperial Russian, ex French, ex Finnish one.
A 130mm/55 piece. Designed in co-operation between Vickers and Putilov. Probably built by the later.
More info: http://www.thirdreichforum.com/phpBB2/v ... 21&start=0

Regards, Juha

[Juha Hujanen]

Thanks the "other" Juha

Cheers/Juha

[Erik E]

This photo reminds me of another, but it is not the same..........

Any idea where this is?
(Caption says "Marineartillerie an der polarküste"

[Juha Tompuri]

Erik

8) pic.
Quite shallow (early war, when the use of shovels was not so important?) and roughly made position.
Do you know the type of the gun?

Regards, Juha

[Erik E]

Most of the artillery used up north was of French origin.
I think the gun on the photo looks ex- naval. under the barrel, you see two
"bars" which might have had a shield attached.....?
The size of the grenades is larger than 105mm`s.
The photo comes from a propaganda series, so I`m pretty sure it is a German gun.

So my guess is a German ex-naval gun larger than 105 mm ,but not as large as 170mm.....
If all my suggestions here are true, and we comare it to "Bjørn from Norway`s" list it should probably be a 15 cm Uto c/16 L/45......
But I don`t think this photo fits with 15 cm Uto c/16 L/45

"Polarküste" could be a huge area though..... I guess everything north of the polar circle is polar coast, so it doesn`t have to be in the uttermost north!

Erik

[Jack Nisley]

9.4 cm FlaK Vickers M 39(e), captured British 3.7" Mk 1 antiaircraft gun.
The barrel, recoil cylinder on top, the shape of the casting of the lower slide that reaches up to the recoil cylinder and the two gallows arms at the front of the carriage match.

Jack Nisley