The Battle of Douvres Radar Station was a military engagement of the invasion of Normandy, that took place on 17 June 1944. The radar had been destroyed on the first day and Allied troops had bypassed the site moving further inland.
British No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando attacked a German radar station operated by and mostly defended by Luftwaffe ground forces. Supported by an artillery and detachments of specialist mine-clearing and assault tanks of 79th Armoured Division, the defences were breached and the site taken with few casualties on the Allied side.
Background
The Normandy landings, the Allied invasion of German-occupied France had commenced on 6 June 1944. The radar at Douvres-la-Délivrande was the primary Luftwaffe radar station in the area—a fortified position of twenty acres—having been built by the Todt Organisation comprising five radars with thirty concrete works. It had been attacked on numerous occasions prior to the landings.
At 11:00 p.m. on the night of 5/6 June 1944, the Allies launched intensive jamming of radar frequencies which blinded the German radar network along the "Atlantikwall" from Cherbourg to Le Havre. On the morning of 6 June (D-Day) the antennae at Douvres-la-Délivrande were destroyed by Allied naval artillery bombardment.
The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, which had landed nearby on Juno Beach, isolated the station but the Germans defended it for twelve days, awaiting a counter-attack by 21st Panzer Division; on one occasion it was supplied with food by a nocturnal paradrop mission from Mont-de-Marsan.
The objective
The Douvres site was large, covering about 20 acres (8.1 ha) in two parts, a main site (Hauptstützpunkt I Stp. Douvres I ) and to the north, separated by a road, a secondary site (Stützpunkt II Stp. Douvres II). Both parts were well protected by 20 ft (6.1 m) high barbed wire and minefields with multiple machine guns and anti-tank and anti-aircraft defences with a 7.5 cm field gun and mortars, The majority of the site was underground in concrete bunkers up to four storeys deep.
Vollfestungsmässig Gross Suchstellung 'Diestelfink': ("Luftwaffe night-fighter control centre Douvres") had five radars operated by 8. Kompanie / II. Abteilung / LuftNachrichten-Regiment 53. Located south of both the Juno (Canadian) and Sword (UK) landing beaches, its nightfighter command station (Nachtjagd JaFü), became operational in August 1943. Covering the Seine Bucht, operators identified aircraft (bomber stream) course, height and speed, and directed Luftwaffe nightfighters to intercept. From the Normandy villages of Douvres and la-Délivrande (Gold Beach), its north approach, was secured by Kompanie 12., Battalion III. of GR 736, and its western approach, from Canadian landings at Tailleville, was defended by Kompanie 11./ Battalion III./ GR 736.
At its primary site were four radars, two Freya FuMG and two Würzburg FuSE, and at its ancillary a single Wasserman sFuMG. About 238 Luftwaffe personnel operated the site, led by Oberleutenant Kurt Egle but it took in German Army soldiers retreating from Tailleville, Douvres, and La Deliverande expanding the garrison. A fully developed standard Stellung / Suchstellung configuration, it consisted of a fortified main site: and a single fortified satellite, operated under a single authority and command, having grown in personnel to battalion strength. The site consisted of standardized technical electronic equipment and operational buildings, combined and laid out following specified distance criteria. The power for the site radar and associated equipment came from diesel generators, housed in underground bunkers. As a Coastal Zone site it was fortified with heavy bunkers (Verstärkt Feltmessig Type 2) for the protection of vital radar functions and personnel, to include a very strong anti-aircraft defence capability, set-out respecting the terrain and potential defence of the site.
- Hauptstützpunkten Stp. Douvres I was located at North 49Deg 17Min 11Sec / West 00Deg 24Min 14Sec, .
- Hauptstützpunkten Stp. Douvres I integrated an Annex, South of 'la Route de Beny controlling the East/West Road access to the Station, and defending its south approach.
- Stützpunkten Stp. Douvres II was located at 49°17′38″N 0°24′17″W / 49.29389°N 0.40472°W defending the north approach to the station.
Hauptstützpunkten Stp. Douvres I was a solid, reinforced company-plus sized fortified position, incorporating multiple concrete Verstärkt Feltmessig LwF Type 2 anti-aircraft Flak gun casemates, with additional Vf observation and Vf crewed fighting positions, it was built to protect the primary radar complex. A well prepared position, sited to the SW of Douvres, with open and clear fields of fire, a 360Deg arc, it was defended by Kompanie 8. /Luftnachrichten-Regiment (Ln.Rgt.) 53. Set out in a fully circular design, the site was additionally 'protected' by a tactical minefield, 13 meters wide, recorded as KV-Gruppe Riva Bella Minefield: Mf.52.
- Stp. Douvres I AA defences
- Type R622 Doppelunterstand Bunker: Twin Group Bunker 1x 2 cm Flak 38 (Open)
- x3 Ringstand: 1 x 2 cm Flak 30
- Luftwaffe Type L414 Schartenstand für 2 cm Flak. (Casemate for 2 cm AA)
- Stp. Douvres I ground defences
- Schartenstand für 7.5 cm PAK 40 - Ringstand: 1 x 75mm PaK anti-tank gun
- x3 PAK-Unterstellraum.Ringstand OBW 50mm KwK: 1 x 50mm Kwk L/42 Gun
- x3 PAK-Unterstellraum.Ringstand: 1 x 50mm PaK L38 Gun
- Panzerstellung Tobrouk: 37 mm Renault FT 331(f) Turret (H604)
- x2 Ringstand Tobrouk: Vf.Rs58c heavy machine gun
- Multiple Understand: Vf Light machine guns (x16)
- Stp. Douvres I had two H622 Understand personnel bunker accommodating 20 men, with another for medical use
- R661 Unterstand für Verwundetensammelstelle (Sanitätsstände for casualty assembly)
- Luftwaffe Type L415 FA Wasse Wasservorrats-Unterstand (water reserve storage)
- Air-Defence Weapons and Support Bunkers located at Stp. Douvres I (South)
- Type (Lwf) L410A Geschutzstand mit Zugbefehlsstelle Command-Bunker: 2x 37mm Flak guns (open roof)
- x2 Type (Lwf) L409A Geschutzstand Emplacement: 2x 3.7 cm Flak guns
- Type (Lwf) L413 Understand Bunker: Ammunition Flak Battery 37mm
- Type (Lwf) FA Unterstand für Munition: Gebaude (Munitionstand für leichte Flakzug)
Stützpunkten Stp. Douvres II was a well reinforced platoon-plus sized position, incorporating concrete Verstärkt Feltmessig Type 2 anti-aircraft gun casemates, with additional observation and fighting positions, it was built to protect the ancillary radar complex, enclosing one radar. A well prepared position on open ground, sited to the west of Douvres, with clear fields of fire over 360 degrees of arc, it was defended by Kompanie 8./Luftnachrichten-Regiment 53. North of its larger command position, it and was set-out in a fully circular design, the site was protected by a tactical minefield, 13 metres wide, recorded as KV-Gruppe Riva Bella Minefield: Mf.100.
- Crew Served Weapons and Support Bunkers at II/ Stp. Douvres
- x2 Type L409A Geschutzstand Emplacement: 2x 3.7cm FlaK 43 Guns Open Roof
- Type L410A Geschutzstand mit Zugbefehlsstelle Command-Bunker: 2x 3.7 cm FlaK 43 Guns
- x4 Ringstand Tobrouk: Vf.Rs58c Heavy MG (schweren Maschinengewehre)
- L486 Understand Bunker (Permanent Radar Station): FA Generator
- L486 Permanent Radar Station - Type FA Generator
The radars
Due to its elevation Douvres was developed as a long-range early-warning radar site in late 1942. It had a Nachtjagd JaFü 'Anton' control centre with a Funkmeßstellung 1. Ordnung consisting initially of two Freyas LZs, one Wassermann, and two Würzburg-Riese. The Freya LZ gave aircraft range and bearings and the Würzburg-Riese confirmed height and range. The later Wassermann, integrating Freya technology, had greater range and increased accuracy in azimuth and elevation. Initially Distelfink operators used their radar data to construct a local Hauptlage ("primary situation picture"), and from February 1944 using additional Flugwachkommando data it produced a composite Luftlage: Aircraft Situation Picture, that it passed to its Jagddivision. Working in a Type L479 Unterstand für Fu.M.G. Auswertung Jafü: Anton, operators used the Anton's 'Seeburg' Plotting Room, centered on a large glass table, with a grid-superimposed map, to create its three dimensional airspace model; an average shift requiring thirty-six staff. The Jagddivision produced a comprehensive (Gross)raumlage: Large Spatial Position Picture and took decisions to launch interceptor forces, controlled through its subordinate Jagdfliegerführer (Jafü) for daylight missions or through its Nachtjagdraumführer (Nachtjagd JaFü) during darkness. Distelfink then reacting as a night aircraft control centre (Nachtjagdraumführer) for its assigned airspace, the decision to launch interceptors having been made. For night fighter aircraft control, Funkmeßgeräte-Auswertung: Nachtjagd JaFü DISTELFINK was integrated with Jagdfliegerführer 5 at Bernay in Eure, la Basse- Normandie, itself subordinate to 5. JägerDiv Fliegerdivisionen (headquartered at Paris: Jouy-en-Josas).
The Freya LZ detected aircraft range and bearing, at long distances, but it could not determine height. Freya devices were vulnerable to chaff, along with other countermeasures, limiting them to early warning, not controlling intercepts. It was the first operational early-warning radar.
- StP. Douvres I - Freya (Pole) LZ: FuMG 401A (with an increased range up to 200 km). The mass-produced Freya FuSE was replaced by the Freya FuMG (1943) at more permanent stations, those not seeing frequent relocations. The Freya-LZ FuMG 401A differs from other LZ versions in being mounted on a concrete foundation was located and targeted at Lambert Conical (MR 1944) Grid 005802.
- StP. Douvres I - Freya (Pole) LZ FuMG 450 A/N (with increased Range to 120 km). The Freya-LZ FuMG 450 A/N Early Warning: Anti-Aircraft Targeting. Targeted at Lambert Conical (MR 1944) Grid 005802.
- StP. Douvres II - Multiple Freya antenna arrays integrated onto single or twined columns, as a Wassermann. This not only offered greater range, up to 300 km, but also more accurate azimuth (bearing), elevation (height) and range (distance). Towards the end of the war, the FuMG.42 Wassermann WS integrated eight Freya antenna arrays onto two columns, each with four antennae. At StP. Douvres II, a Wassermann Siemens M IV Range: 300 km, (380 km over water) was located and targeted at Lambert Conical (MR 1944) Grid 006809. FuMG 402 Schwer Wassermann Anti-Aircraft Targeting Radar (Chimney: Cylinder 3), with a LwF Type L480 Understand MIV Bunker - Wassermann S FuMG 402 Radar.
Unlike the detector warning Freya, the Würzburg were a tracking radar, the Würzburg FuSE confirming target azimuth and height. The Wurzburg first deployed as an FuMG 39, upgraded as the Wuerzburg-D (FuMG 39 T/D) was one of the most advanced radar used in guiding anti-aircraft artillery. As Luftwaffe designation FuMG 62 Würzburg, it was introduced in 1939/40.
- StP. Douvres I – from the outset housed two Würzburg-Riese FuSE 65. The Wuerzburg-Riese guided interceptors to an incoming/outgoing aircraft stream, the interceptor located the stream either visually or with its Lichtenstein radar. The Würzburg-Riese would operate jointly with a Freya: the Freya picking up targets needed the Würzburg-Riese for exact measurements of location, course and height. The two Würzburg-Riese FuSE65 were mounted on a Type Regelbau V229 Würzburg-Riese Stand / FuM Riese Radar, sited in close proximity; were targeted at Lambert Conical (MR 1944) Grid 008801.
Defending forces
Commanded by an Oberleutnant (senior lieutenant) the station was defended by Luftwaffe personnel of 8. Flugmelde-Leit-Kompanie / Luftnachrichten-Regiment 53 ("air surveillance regiment 53"). They were reinforced during the day of 6 June and the morning of 7 June by soldiers of Battalion III. Grenadier-Regiment 736 part of the Infanterie-Division 716 and, in the evening, soldiers from KGr Rauch Battalion I./ Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment. 192 (mot.)
Luft-Nachrichten-Regiment 53., formed in April.1942, consisted of multiple battalions, whose companies manned and operated medium-range detection Freya and short-range interceptor Wurtzburg-Riese.