Rantum Nord

[jopaerya]

Hello All

Found this name of a battery in a report Rantum Nord from 1941 with 3 x 8.8. cm Flak C/13,
AFAIK the battery name Rantum was used in Sylt , who has heard of this battery in Den Helder ??

Regards Jos

[nordfriese]

Hi Jos!

The battery Ranrum-Nord was the first heavy battery on the island of Sylt.
In April 1940, the battery moved to Esbjerg (DK)*. After a short time, an
equal battery came to Rantum, but because the Seefliegerhorst Rantum
lost its importance, this battery moved to Westerland and the position
was abandoned by Flak.

* KTB KüBef NF 30.4.1940:
"Flak-battery Wenningstedt and Rantum-Nord in Esbjerg are at 29.4.
"zero in on target" (is this proper english?) and ready for combat"
(Source: Harald Voigt "Die Festung Sylt")

Maybe the battery, who moved to Esbjerg with its "name", moved later
to Den Helder.

Best wishes
Rolf

[jopaerya]

Thanks Rolf

It's the question if this battery was ever placed in Den Helder , maybe it was just a plan .

Regards jos

[der bunkermann]

Hi Jos, i have never stumbled across this name for Den Helder..
Als 3 X 8.8 flak does not ring a bell.

[Jens Andersen]

Hello Jos

If your dating of the document to 1941 is correct, I am sure, that the battery was actually emplaced in Den Helder.

KTB K.i.A. dän. Westküste 29.06.1940
"0925 Uhr Inmarschsetzung der Batterie Gammelby mit 3/8,8, cm, 2/2 cm, 1 Scheinwerfer 150 cm und 3 Feldwebel, 6 Unteroffizieren und 115 Mann mit Eisenbahn nach Den Helder."

The guns and the crew of this battery came from Rantum Nord and it was armed with 3 - 8,8 cm C/13, so it fits perfectly!

I supposed that it was actually moved to Den Helder, but had no proof so far.

Jens

[jopaerya]

Thanks Jens

Interesting information , I am not 100% sure about the date must be end 1940 or early 1941 .

Regards Jos

[Jens Andersen]

I found a few more references to the moving of the battery:

Kriegstagebuch des Küstenbefehlshabers Nordfriesland
23.06.1940 (s. 207) Mit Nord G 18 447 A II vom 22.6. wurde befohlen, die schwere Flakbatterie Esbjerg "Gammelby" abzubauen und mit Bedienung und vollständiger Ausrüstung (leichter Flak, Scheinwerfer) zum Flakschutz nach Den Helder in Marsch zu setzten.

28.06.1940 (s. 215) Veränderungen im Einsatz:
Batterie "Gammelby" abgebaut.

29.06.1940 (s. 216) 0925 Uhr Batterie Gammelby mit 3-8,8 cm, 2-2 cm, 1 scheinwerfer 150 cm und Batterie Besatzung mit Eisenbahntransport nach Den Helder in Marsch gesetzt.

Kriegstagebuch des Kommandanten der Marinestation der Nordsee
16.07.1940 (s. 290) Marinebefehlshaber Niederlande meldet:
Seit 14.7.40 ist bisherige Flakbatterie Gammelby in den Helder voll gefechtsbereit.

So, I will leave it to you to find out, exactly where it was at Den Helder.


Jens

[jopaerya]

Perfect Jens

[der bunkermann]

I've passed the ball to Jan van Tongeren.
He hosted a very nice website about VB Den Helder wich is sadly offline now..

Isn't 3 guns a bit strange for a FlaK batterie?

[jopaerya]

Hello All

Thanks to Hans Sakkers this part of the KTB Marinebefehlhaber in den Niederlanden ,
so it could be renamed in the M.Fl.B. Dirks Admiral ????????????

Regards Jos

[der bunkermann]

good possibillity Jos!
only thing i found was 4X 8.8 cm on Dirksz. Admiraal, but that is probably in a later stadium..

[der bunkermann]

Jos,what year is the KTB?

[tristan-gereon]

Hi,

early, especially pre-war marineflakbatteries have sometimes only three guns ! So it is okay, that the Flak Rantum nord has only 3 guns.

Regards
oliver

[jopaerya]

KTB is from 1940 , found in the same KTB that in 1941 a fourth gun was place in Dirks Admiral .

Regards Jos

[der bunkermann]

mystery solved