H.K.A.A.1255

[Manuferey]

On my "Michelin" road atlas, I've found a "Douville-en-Auge" south of Houlgate/Villers-sur-mer and a "Perrières" southwest of St-Pierre-sur-Dives" (southeast of Caen) thus, more inland. But I could not find any "Douville" or "Perriere-en-Auge" in the same area.

On July 27, 1944, this area east of the Orne River was still in German hand but not for long as Operation Cobra further east, in the American sector, was changing the situation.

Also the 15,5 cm K420(f) had a maximum range of about 21 km.

Separately, the Richelieu battleship class was composed of two ships omly: the Richelieu and the Jean-Bart. Both never approached France in 1944. So, if the Germans really "saw" a French warship, it could only have been the cruiser Montcalm or the light cruiser Georges Leygues. In any case, it would not be the first time along the Normandy coast that the Germans reported ships bigger than they actually were: some destroyers targeted by German shore batteries off Utah Beach on June 6, 1944 and afterwards were reported as cruisers. Therefore, I wouldn't take the identification of the ship by the Germans as the actual ship size and class.

Emmanuel

[jopaerya]

Found a document with a explanation were the 6./1255 came from .

Regards Jos

[Manuferey]

Great find, Jos !

A new piece of the puzzle found.

Emmanuel

[schwarzermai]

[schwarzermai]

June 1st 1944 -


note: we need to distinguish between "etatisierten" batteries (1.-4./1255) and on the command path created batteries (all others) which didnt shown in gliederungen and reports

Uwe

[jopaerya]

Thanks Uwe

I am just thinking loud , maybe the 1./1255 , 2./1255 and 3./1255 were split in half
and the 6./1255 , 7./1255 and 8./1255 were created with each 3 x 15.5 cm guns ??????

Regards Jos

[schwarzermai]

hello Jos



i think 1st and 2nd only were split into half-batteries because their casemates were still under construction and so the guns were not proteced. so they use the rearward and more safe positions.

Why do you think 3rd split too?
in your document is reported that the 6th battery use the rearward position of the 3rd battery (3rd is a full casemate battery) - so
in my opinion :
5th and 6th - are each 1/2 of 1st battery
7th and 8th - are each 1/2 of 2nd battery

uwe

[jopaerya]

Off course Uwe

That is also possible

Regards Jos

[jopaerya]

I have a other question on the battery's of the H.K.A.A. 1255 , who knows how many 679
received a direct hit and exploded inside the gun chamber of the Regelbau 679 ?

Photo = Ebay

Regards Jos

[bunker14]

I have a other question on the battery's of the H.K.A.A. 1255 , who knows how many 679
received a direct hit and exploded inside the gun chamber of the Regelbau 679 ?

Photo = Ebay

Regards Jos

hello Jos


it's a picture of th 3./1255 Houlgate . the both 679 of this batterie received direct hit by british ship

One has was pierced by a shell which exploded back



and the other 679 the shell explosed just in front


ben

[jopaerya]

Merci Ben

Do you know if there was any big damage on the 679 at 2./1255 ?

Regards Jos

[bunker14]

Merci Ben

Do you know if there was any big damage on the 679 at 2./1255 ?

Regards Jos

i don't think

ben

[jopaerya]

Any idea on this document a 679 at Villerville ?? Regards Jos

[Manuferey]

hello Jos

i think 1st and 2nd only were split into half-batteries because their casemates were still under construction and so the guns were not proteced. so they use the rearward and more safe positions.

Why do you think 3rd split too?
in your document is reported that the 6th battery use the rearward position of the 3rd battery (3rd is a full casemate battery) - so
in my opinion :
5th and 6th - are each 1/2 of 1st battery
7th and 8th - are each 1/2 of 2nd battery

uwe

According to a 19 June 1944 entry of the Kriegstagebuch of the Naval German Staff, Operations Division:

“One gun of Battery 2/1255 and two guns of Battery 1/1255 were combined in the rear area under the name of Army Coastal Battery 6/1255”.

That complicates our reasoning !

Several mentions of the 6./1255, 7./1255 and 8./1255 appear in the June 44 KTB but none give any detail on how 7./1255 and 8./1255 were formed.

Emmanuel

[Sam Wren]

I just noticed a few days ago that in Didier Lodieu's book 45 Tiger en Normandie, he has a map of the German situation during Goodwood showing "18 12, 2 cm guns of s.Heeres Küsten Art. Abt. 1255" south of Le Poirier and between Soliers & Frenouville, which seems very odd. I would think any mention of a coastal artillery unit employed so far inland from the coast would have stood out, but I do not recall ever seeing any mention of this in any accounts of Goodwood. Strange, but who knows...Any thoughts? Pure BS?