Nestled amongst an ever expanding industrial park at Loon Plage on the western side of the port of Dunkirk you can find a once powerful batterie site with a wide variety of buildings concentrated into a small area.
Like most batteries, this one developed over time and began with four open emplacements for huge 15.5cm artillery guns – captured French weapons – which were set up to cover the western port and shore areas.
Over time the batterie evolved to contain casemates which offered better protection for the guns from Allied bombing raids. Today you can see three R669 casemates in close proximity to where the guns originally stood.
Unlike most gun casemates, these three all have the addition of added camouflage in the form of apex style, thick concrete roofs which not only gave extra protection but made them look like large dwellings or farm buildings.
Supporting the casemates - and mostly overgrown now - were R622 and R502 personnel shelters, two R134 ammunition stores, a R134 kitchen bunker, several smaller shelters, and a defensive Tobruk.
Be careful if you do plan to visit as this site is used for bird shoots and should not be accessed when shooting is in progress.