Armoured Adventure
The most southerly Widerstandsnest in the Utah Beach area
Wn01 Le Grand Vey
What to see
Wn01 Le Grand Vey is the most southerly Widerstandsnet in the Utah Beach area and boasts a commanding view over the Baie de Vey marshlands and the eastern side of the entrance to the Canal de Carentan.
Easy to access, there are a mix of light gun positions, personnel shelters, a construction for a tank turret, and a section of anti-tank wall.
Starting at the most southern end of the location...
R35 turret - a section of anti-tank wall with position for captured Renault 35 French tank turret
Vf2a - this is a single room Group Shelter for six soldiers built to a 1942 design and able to withstand shrapnel damage. Located in front of the Chez Roger restaurant.
Vf4a - a machine gun casemate with gun room and crew room. Almost completely buried and located in a private garden.
R501 and R607 - these two constructions are next to each other in the field at the most northerly end of the site, on the outskirts of the village. The R501 is a single group shelter which features a gas lock room and a crew room.
Next to it, the R607 is an ammunition storage bunker featuring two entrances leading to two ammo rooms. This is where the munitions for the strongpoint would be kept and would include bullets for small arms and machine guns, grenades, and larger rounds for the 5cm KwK guns positioned in the two 1694-type Ringstands and the 37mm shells for the R35 tank turret.
Both these structures are now completely overgrown and inaccessible.
Tobruks - along the length of the sea wall you can see two Tobruk type constructions built in where Mg34 machine guns would be positioned - these would have a protected line of fire out into the bay.
Ic116 Ringstand - there are two of these open ringstands along the main road into the village. Built for a single machine gun they gave the site rear protection.
Vf4a - the most northerly construction at the Wn01 site, this was a machine gun casemate with gun room and crew room. Almost completely covered over by brambles and shrubs.
TOP TIPS
Park in the layby alongside the sea wall past the Chez Roger restaurant. Avoid going into the marsh.
Directions to bunker sites in this area...