Photograph Of The Merville Battery May 1944

[Jim]

An aerial photograph of the Merville Battery taken in May 1944. Many bomb craters can be seen littering the area but the RAF was unable to do severe damage to the casemates. The anti-tank defences can be clearly seen on the northern perimeter of the battery and the four casemates are visible with three clustered around the centre of the photograph and the largest, Casemate No. 1, just above.

a. Casemate No. 1
b. Casemate No. 2
c. Casemate No. 3
d. Casemate No. 4
e. Anti-aircraft gun
f. Magazine for a. and b.
g. Magazine for c. and d.
h. Command bunker
i. Guard bunker with 12 beds
j. Guard room
k. Main gate
kk. Anti-tank ditch
m. Right hand breach
n. Left hand breach
1. 9 Para's movement to breaches
2. Diversionary party's route