Les Caplains battery – Stp 245
German batteries of the Atlantic Wall in Normandy
Unit: 1st Battalion of the 260th Marine Artillery Regiment (1/MAA260)
Codename: Stp 245 – H.K.B. Les Caplains
Artilley guns: 4x 150 mm SK C/28
Outcome: sous contrôle américain le 25 juin 1944
The Caplains battery, coded “Stp 245” by the Germans, belongs to the eastern defense belt protecting the city of Cherbourg (“Festung Cherbourg“) and its precious deep water port (logistical key for the belligerents). It is located near the town of Tourlaville.
This site is built close to a French fort (Fort des Caplains) dating from the 18th century built in order to protect Cherbourg from possible British attacks. The Germans installed a few hundred meters north-west of the fort four casemates of different types, which is rather rare in the installations of the Atlantic Wall: they built two Regelbau M176 models, one M195 and one M272.
The weaponry equipping the casemates is homogeneous: it consists of four 150 mm SK C / 28 guns manufactured by the German firm Rheinmetal according to plans drawn up by Krupp.
Two shooting command posts are built: one of them is a former post of the renovated French fort. The site also features six 75 mm M17 / 34 anti-aircraft guns and a SK headlamp.
The servants of the battery of Caplains come into action when the American infantrymen approach the city of Cherbourg. They fight as well as gunners and as soldiers, defending their position with the automatic weapon.
The battery falls into the hands of the Americans on June 25, 1944, after suffering heavy bombardments from the aviation and the allied navy, cruising off Cherbourg.
