Stp119 Preussen
Extensive bunker complexes to the north of Wissant
Stp119 Preussen site overview
What to see
Strongpoint Preussen, along with its near neighbours Wn118 Krefeld, Wn117 Ludenscheid, and Stp115 Wuppertal, are located in the high sand dune system to the north of the town of Wissant.
Access to all four of the sites is now strongly discouraged in order to protect the delicate sand dune ecosystems and natural sea defences that have been created – if you’re visiting then please show respect.
Stp119 Preussen can be seen from the car park and sailing club area at the end of Rue Arlette Davids and features an R631 type casemate which faced to the west along what is now the Wissant promenade area and wide beachfront.
It was supported by an open emplacement for a field gun which also had its own small storage garage, a small observation post, R501 and R502 single and double personnel shelters, an open mortar position and a small machine gun bunker which covered the rear of the site to the north. A small shelter with an observation post on top completes the remaining structures at the site.
Of the three other bunker sites, Ludenscheid was similar to Preussen in scale with an R612 casemate, open emplacement for a PAK cannon, and open emplacement and a personnel/storage building.
Krefeld and Wuppertal were more extensive with Krefeld boasting four large Kriegsmarine M270 casemates and a huge M120 command and fire control post.
The most northerly of the site was Wuppertal which was a well spread-out strongpoint featuring two R612 casemates near the edge of the beach – one facing southwest and the other covering the site to the northeast.
There were more than twenty other buildings inland of these including six ammunition storage bunkers, four open emplacements, personnel shelters, and a small observation and defensive bunker.