Photographic Reconnaissance Objective On Belgian Coast

MikeW · 8 July 2005, 01:01 PM

I have two Photographic Reconnaissance objectives - the "Dunkerlok battery" and the "Turkijen battery"

I assume these were somewhere near Zeebrugge but can find no mention of their location. Anyone heard of them before?

Mike

CNOCK · 8 July 2005, 01:36 PM

Hallo,

The first one could be the Battery Hessen (4 x 28 cm) at the Donkerklok farm near Blankenberge.

The second one could be the Battery Preussen ( 4 x 28 cm) near the farm Turkeyenhof at Bredene (near Ostend)

Greetings,

CNOCK.

CNOCK · 8 July 2005, 01:53 PM

P.S.
Blankenberge (hamlet Uitkerke) is near Zeebrugge.
Preussen was a railway battery, and thus of the few that got away before the Liberation of the coast.

Greetings,

CNOCK

MikeW · 8 July 2005, 01:57 PM

Thanks CNOCK,

they certainly look like good possibilities - its always a problem when the British reports can't even get the local spelling correct!

Mike

Regulus · 8 July 2005, 02:34 PM

Hi,

Donkerklok was the way the battery was known by the Allied. The emplacement dates from early 1917. I have a number of photo's on both. The guns of the Preussen were standing in concrete emplacements, but were as said, railwayguns.

Best from Johan

MikeW · 8 July 2005, 03:17 PM

Hi Johan,

just checked the report again, definitely spelt "Dunkerloc".

Just to make sure I have this correct, the railway guns (Preussen battery) were dismounted from their wagons and installed in fabricated emplacements?

As you know, this is all new to me!

Mike

Regulus · 8 July 2005, 03:27 PM

Mike,

In fact they never really left the railwaymounting. The concrete emplacement just enabled them to turn anyway they wanted on this mounting. I'll check photo's during the weekend (that is on Sunday), as I have one somewhere on the emplacement in 1919 and one of one of the guns also in action taken during the war, the Schwere Bruno's as they were called. I may also have some drawings which explain the whole thing.
If needed I also have a complete file on these guns and on the batteries, from my book on the Marinekorps, although it was rudementary at the time if I look at my files now...

Best from Johan

Regulus · 10 July 2005, 11:06 AM

Mike,

Photo's are on the way !
If you need more info on the history of the batteries let me know.

Best from Johan

MikeW · 10 July 2005, 12:18 PM

Thank you Johan,

the photographs are great - for those railway buffs amongst our ranks, the Preussen battery emplacement was what we (in the UK) would call a turntable. The wagon (which is the most incredible railway truck I've ever seen) was driven onto the turntable, decoupled, and the turntable oriented so that the gun could fire at its designated target - presumably ships of the British Fleet!

Mike