American evacuation and take 11-12 juin 1944 (≈ 12)
German replica, captured by the 9th Division.
1942
Construction begins
Construction begins 1942 (≈ 1942)
Launch of work by Todt.
6 juin 1944, 5 h 52
First shots of the Disembarkation
First shots of the Disembarkation 6 juin 1944, 5 h 52 (≈ 1944)
Fire opens on Utah Beach.
2004
Restoration and creation of the museum
Restoration and creation of the museum 2004 (≈ 2004)
Repurchase and rehabilitation by private individuals.
22 octobre 2024
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 22 octobre 2024 (≈ 2024)
Official site protection.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The works of the Crisbecq coastal battery, vestiges of the Second World War, in full, and the land plates where they are preserved, including archaeological remains buried or in known elevations or to be discovered, on Parcels No. 91, No. 92, No. 97, No. 98, No. 99, No. 100, No. 101, No. 104, No. 223, No. 234, No. 235, No. 236, in cadastre section D; and on Parcel No. 389, in cadastre section A, as represented on the plan annexed to the decree: inscription by order of 22 October 2024
Key figures
Walter Ohmsen - Battery Commander
Directed the resistance until June 11, 1944.
Organisation Todt - Builder of fortifications
Responsible for work between 1942 and 1944.
Origin and history
The Crisbecq battery, also known as the Saint-Marcouf battery, is a German military installation built between 1942 and 1944 on the Cotentin peninsula, within the framework of the Atlantic Wall. Located 2 km from the sea, it dominated a vast coastal area, from Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue to Grandcamp. Originally equipped with six 155 mm guns, it was then equipped with four 210 mm Skoda guns, capable of firing more than 30 km away. Its construction, entrusted to the Todt organization, was delayed by the Allied bombings from April 1944.
On June 6, 1944, at 0552 hours, Crisbecq's battery was the first to open fire on Allied forces during the Normandy landing, targeting vessels off Utah Beach. Despite massive bombardments (598 tons of bombs the previous night), two of its guns remained operational and drove the destroyer USS Corry. The battery resisted several days of American ground attacks, including those of the paratroopers of the 502nd regiment and the 4th Infantry Division, before being evacuated on 11 June 1944 by its commander, the Oberleutnant Walter Ohmsen.
The battery was protected by a complex network of defences: 70 tobrouk machine guns, minefields, anti-aircraft guns, and bunkers connected by trenches. His command post, equipped with an armoured dome and calculation rooms, also coordinated the firing of the nearby battery of Azeville. After its capture on June 12, the site served as a test ground for American engineering testing bunker resistance, causing some of the damage visible today.
Abandoned after the war, the battery was bought in 2004 by private individuals who restored some 20 blockhouses and created a private museum. Since 2016, the command post, completely rehabilitated, traces the history of Walter Ohmsen and the battery. In December 2024, the site was listed among 18 remains of the Second World War in Normandy. Today, the museum offers guided tours with period objects and reconstructions of the 1944 fighting.
Crisbecq's battery symbolizes German resistance during the Disembarkation. Its key role in the early hours of Operation Overlord, its advanced technology for the period (210 mm canons, reinforced concrete casemates), and its preservation make it a major memorial site. The site also illustrates the military engineering of the Third Reich, with structures designed to withstand bombardments, such as the Regelbau R683 casemates, requiring 2,000 m3 of concrete each.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review