The Four Casemates are 300 metres inland from the Control Bunker and form a semi circle to maximise the firing arc of their guns to the East and West of the shoreline. Their cliff-top location meant limited visibility down onto the narrow beach at the foot of the cliff.
This weakness was offset by directing a 20mm gun at the beach. But what exactly what is a casemate?
A casemate is a concrete shelter typically 15m long 10m wide and 6m high, designed to house a gun which fired at enemy targets through an opening, or embrasure, 2.5m in height by 3.85m in length. This gave the gun a firing arc of 120 degrees.
Casemates were guarded by machine gun nests to repel any ground attacks. The small pits created in the concrete were filled with earth and grass to help blend the fortifications in with the surroundings. Hooks can be seen on the bunkers which were used to attach camouflage netting.
Notice the earth piled (bursting layer) up along the sides of the casemates in this picture. This used to absorb the shock of explosions and make the casemates less visible from the air and sea.
Rear entrace into the bunkers