The V2 Bunker Eperlecques in France (photo report)

During my trip to Dieppe I visited the bunker V2 Eperlecques in France

But first I visited a Dombunker, these were built by the Germans and used to protect their rail guns against air attacks.

(Bron)

1941-2013


Then I visited the V2 bunker.

The owner makes sufficient publicity for his museum.



In front of the door a Pak 43


Here a Pak 43 on the Eastern Front in 1943


In March 1943 began the construction of the bunker, the intention was that V2 rockets from France to England would be shot.



During construction 1943/44 the Allies bomb the building 25 times, but the complex will eventually be ready for third because
September 1944 Canadians took it.

The damage from the bombing is clearly visible.





Some bombs penetrated the concrete.



Bombing traces in the site visible.



On June 19 and July 27, 1944, the complex was bombarded with Tallboy’s



As it looked in 1944 (exact date unknown)


In the museum much remains of the building and archaeological finds.



Furthermore, a V1 launcher.





And the remains of an original V1


The museum is well equipped with information boards and outside German material is also allied to see.



Outside the museum is a monument to the workers who died during the bombing, it employed 3,000 laborers but also volunteers from the area.


2 kilometers away is the river l 'Aa on this river were the materials supplied.
Of the unloading area is a bit to find.



A heavily overgrown loading & unloading place.


And pieces of rails, between the river and the construction site was a railway line that is now gone.


The Germans progressed many houses in the area such as the headquarters for their construction company.

 

good afternoon koos24,yesterday.05:06pm.re:the v1,bunker eperlecgues.in france.a very good set of photos,an amazing amount of concrete,it seemed to have stood up to the allied bombing,i have seen the v1 in flight over London.maybe some came from there,a very informative post.regards bernard85

 

Super Item.
Thanks for this.

 

Excellent Report and photographs.

Many thanks for sharing.

Interesting to note that last summer I stayed in Brittany and visited the U-Boat bunkers. There I saw two Dom or Cathedral bunkers built originally to house two U-Boats for servicing and protected from bombing.

The same plan for the rockets until the big bunkers were constructed?

Regards
Tom

 

The two V2 bunkers were eventually abandoned because the shock-waves from Tallboy bombs made it too dangerous to operate the gas compressors and other high-speed equipment needed to prepare the rockets. Interesting vindication of Barnes Wallis' concept of a bomb that did not have to be a hit or particularly near-miss in order to be effective.

The second bunker known as La Coupole is interesting - bombing stripped away the entire hillside in which the bunker coplex (with its spectacular concrete dome) was supposed to be concealed.

 

I agree: Blockhaus and La Coupole are both well worth a visit. Did that in March. Arnhem/Eindhoven next week!

Roxy

 

Great photos.

I was lucky enough to visit the Blockhaus at Éperlecques a couple of times last year. The sheer size of the place is staggering, as was the destructive force of Barnes Wallis' Tallboy Bomb and it's ability to crack the thickest of Concrete. There's a nice replica of Tallboy inside just after you pass the mock up of a V2 itself, which is something akin to a scene from a James Bond film.