Battle of Douvres Radar Station


The Battle of Douvres Radar Station was a military engagement of World War II as part of the Invasion of Normandy, that took place on 17 June 1944. The attack was by British 41 Commando, Royal Marines, the station and area were defended mainly by Luftwaffe ground forces. Preceded by an artillery bombardment and supported by mine-clearing and anti-bunker tanks of 79th Armoured Division, the Royal Marines were able to secure the surrender of the garrison.

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. Minefields, tunnels, bunkers, five 5 cm anti-tank guns, a 7.5 cm field gun, a number of mortars, twenty machine guns and a ring of barbed wire in height made up the defences.
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 from Cherbourg to Le Havre. On the morning of the 6th the antennae at Douvres-la-Délivrande were destroyed by Allied naval artillery bombardment.
The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, who 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

Vollfestungsmässig Gross Suchstellung ‘Diestelfink’: Luftwaffe Night-Fighter Control Center Douvres was located at North 49.287406 Degrees / West 0.40879 Degrees, its five radars operated by 8. Kompanie / II. Abteilung / LuftNachrichten-Regiment 53.. Located south of the Juno and Sword Beaches, its Nachtjagd JaFü Night Fighter-Command Station, became operational in August 1943. Covering the Seine Bucht, operators in an L479 Anton Bunker identified aircraft course, height and speed, and with intercept data, directed intercepts for Luftwaffe night-fighters. From the Normandy villages of Douvres and la-Délivrande, its North approach, was secured by Kompanie 12./ Battalion III./ GR 736., and its WEST approach, from Tailleville, was defended by Kompanie 11./ Battalion III./ GR 736.
The Douvres Radar Station, laid out over thirty-five hectares, was attacked on numerous occasions prior to D-Day; its very strong AA defence being well occupied. 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 on D-Day ‘Wehrmacht Heeres Refugees’ were welcomed from Tailleville, Douvres, and La Deliverande to additionally man the garrison. A fully developed ‘standard’ Stellung / Suchstellung configuration, it consisted of a fortified main site: Hauptstützpunkt I and a single fortified satellite: Stützpunkt II. Mutually supporting Hauptstützpunkten I: Stp. Douvres I and Stützpunkt II: Stp. Douvres II, 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 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 a solid, reinforced company-plus sized fortified position, incorporating multiple concrete Vf 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 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.
Stützpunkten Stp. Douvres II was a well reinforced platoon-plus sized position, incorporating concrete anti-aircraft Flak gun casemates, with additional Vf observation and crewed Vf 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, having a 360Deg 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 meters wide, recorded as KV-Gruppe Riva Bella Minefield: Mf.100.
Vollfestungsmässig Gross Suchstellung Douvres due to its altitude saw it developed as a long-range early-warning radar site in late 1942. The site: Diestelfink / Distelfink came to integrate a Nachtjagd JaFü ‘Anton’ Control Centre with a Funkmeßstellung 1. Ordnung - Primary Radar Site ID F2: 55/56 consisting initially of two Freyas LZs, one Wassermann, and two Würzburg-Riese. The Freya LZ providing aircraft range and bearings, as its operational partner, the Würzburg-Riese confirmed height and range. The Wassermann, integrating Freya technology, later offered 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 raumlage: Large Spatial Position Picture and took decisions to launch interceptor forces, controlled through its subordinate Jagdfliegerführer for daylight missions or through its Nachtjagdraumführer during darkness. Distelfink then reacting as a night aircraft control centre for its assigned airspace, the decision to launch interceptors having being made. For night fighter aircraft control, Funkmeßgeräte-Auswertung: Nachtjagd JaFü DISTELFINK was integrated with Jagdfliegerführer 5 Jafü 5. Nachtjagd JaFü BRUTUS at Bernay in Eure, la Basse- Normandie, it subordinate to 5. JägerDiv Fliegerdivisionen.
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. Developed by GEMA, its Freya FuMG 39G was the first operational early-warning radar, FuMG meaning Funk-Meßgerät / Funkmeßgerät / Funkmessgerät: Anti-Aircraft Targeting Radar.
Unlike the detector warning Freya, the Würzburg were a tracking radar, the Würzburg FuSE Funk-Sende-Empfangsgerät confirming target azimuth and height. The Wurzburg first deployed as an FuMG 39, upgraded as the Wuerzburg-D was one of the most advanced radar used in guiding AA FlaK. With Luftwaffe designation FuMG 62 Würzburg, it was introduced in 1939/40.
Commanded by a First Lieutenant the Douvres Radar Station was 'defended' by Luftwaffe personnel of 8. Flugmelde-Leit-Kompanie / Luftnachrichten-Regiment 53, they much ‘reinforced’ during the day on 06.06 and the morning of 07.06 1944 by soldiers coming into The Station from Battalion III./ Grenadier-Regiment 736./ Infanterie-Division 716., and in the evening soldiers from KGr Rauch Battalion I./ Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment. 192
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 from Cherbourg to Le Havre. On the morning of the 6th the antennae at Douvres-la-Délivrande were destroyed by Allied naval artillery bombardment.
On D-Day the Canadians had paused in their movement south from the JUNO Beaches, looking for 48 Commando to move up, secure their left flank, and help to capture the Douvres Radar Site. Standing central to a rapidly filling western Canadian bridgehead, the Douvres Radar Site was to be 'captured - on orders' by a combined force of The North Shore Regiment and X Troop of 30 Assault Unit. The most strongly defended position, in the Canadian JUNO Sector, it was not taken on D-Day, its approaches well 'defended' by Kompanie 11./ Battalion III./ Grenadier-Regtiment 736., sited, astride the D219 and in La Bruyere Wood.
Early on D+1, The North Shore Regiment moved South from The Chateau de Tailleville to ‘capture’ the Douvres Radar Station, its support limited to direct-support fire from 19th Cdn Army Field Regt, The Fort Garry Horse having moved over to 9 CIB. Securing the start-line, 'A' Company having patrolled across its front the night before, quickly ran into an entrenched position, they ferreted-out capturing 38 prisoners, opening a route overlooking les Bruyeres. Exiting Tailleville, 'C' Company’ moving east of the D219, through broken woods, and hedgerows, clearing a honeycomb of trenches, tunnels, and shelters, it moved up to a hilltop overlooking the Radar Site and Les Terres Noires. Ordered up on the right flank, 'A' Company cleared the west side the D219, fighting hard to get clear of La Bruyere Wood, getting into position, above les Parquets to ‘observe’ the Radar Site.
Taking all day without ‘complete’ success, now only in position to over-watch the Radar Station, the casualty count growing, the North Shores were ordered ‘to clear’ La Bruyere Wood, move west, and bypass the Radar Station. Cleared and secure up to Voix les Moulineaux, containment of the Douvres Radar Site was entrusted to The Black Watch, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, 4th Special Service Brigade, and 79th Armoured Division, German troops retreating from the JUNO and SWORD beaches found their way into The Station, strengthening an already strong defence.
After being rested and reinforced after the initial landings, the 4th Special Service Brigade less No. 41 Commando, moved south to the Radar Station.

Assault

After securing the perimeter, 46, 47 and 48 Commandos were sent to support the Canadians and 6th Airborne division while 41 Commando stayed behind. For the next week, the commandos harassed the strongpoint with occasional mortar fire, RAF rocket firing Hawker Typhoon strikes and volleys from two attached Royal Marine Armoured Support Group Centaur tanks. Although the site did not threaten Allied movements in the area, it provided radar-ranging information for Luftwaffe night fighters and constantly reported on British movements.
On 17 June at 4:30 p.m. the assault began with a bombardment from Royal Artillery BL 7.2-inch howitzer| howitzers and Royal Navy ships just offshore. Under their new commander, Lieutenant Colonel Eric Palmer, 41 Commando and forty-four armoured engineering vehicles attacked from the north, while other tanks created a diversion from the south-west. After half an hour of continuous bombardment, the armour advanced with 28 Sherman Crabs of the 22nd Dragoons, that cleared the way through the minefields. The 26th Assault Squadron's 17 Churchill tank AVREs with their spigot mortar demolition guns followed behind. At the same time the remainder of the squadron gave covering fire in particular against the supposed targets of the five anti-tank guns. While the Crabs were successful in clearing the minefields, AVRES with their "Flying Dustbin" high explosive bombs caused severe destruction; one hit a 50 mm gun and another an open emplacement at range. The effect of such fire was devastating to the German defenders.
At 5:40 p.m. the 160 men of 41 commando rushed the bombarded positions and soon after swept over the outer defences. Not long after that they entered the casemates, tunnels and bunkers, opening fire and they found many shocked and dazed Germans. Having taken nearly all the strongpoints, for the Germans it was clear that the station could no longer be defended. With their protective concrete breached the Germans surrendered. The assault was similarly successful on the small station on the Northern site that was found to contain thirty eight Germans but almost immediately they gave up; like the others they had been dazed, shocked and exhausted by the bombardment.

Aftermath

The two hundred and twenty seven remaining Luftwaffe personnel, including five officers, surrendered and the last of the 4th Special Service Brigade’s D-Day objectives was finally achieved. 41 Commando had suffered six casualties including one killed, whilst the tank crews from the 79th Armoured Division suffered three killed and seven wounded. The Crabs in their successful mine clearing had four tanks disabled by mines, one AVRE was destroyed and another three were disabled during their close-range exchange with the German defenders. With all these variable degrees of damage all but one tank was repairable.
By middle of June, with the last German stronghold near the beaches taken, the Allied stronghold in turn was secure in every way. The front-line was still beyond the beaches and that meant that Allied naval gunfire could break up any German attacks. Allied air forces, particularly the Typhoons dominating the sky could also break German troop concentrations.
The radar site at Douvres-la-Délivrande is now home to a museum, with two of the bunkers housing displays about the evolution and role of radar. The museum also maintains a rare preserved example of the Würzburg radar antenna.

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