The high ground of Mont de Couple between the villages of Audembert and Saint-Inglevert was an important strategic position for occupying German forces during the Second World War offering long-range views over this area to the south west of Calais.
There were four strongpoints built here, all benefitting from its lofty 160m above sea level location.
At the north west point of the mount was Stp139 Hamm, a well defended site which evolved from an observation position in 1940 to the site of an artillery HQ and batterie by 1944.
It features a ring of six Vf3 bunkers, early style concrete constructions which gave 360 degrees of machine gun fire.
These Vf3s are supported by small Vf2a personnel shelters in close proximity with Vf5b neu garage buildings for anti-tank guns positioned in between.
All these bunkers were located around a central core of concrete buildings including more Vf2a shelters and a larger R502 double group shelter which was the main building for the artillery personnel stationed here.
The other sites along the Mont de Couple ridgeline are Stp140 Osnabruck which was a Luftwaffe-run radio guidance system position, Wn141 Magdeburg, an anti-aircraft gun site with three open emplacements, and Stp140a Godesburg which featured a huge special construction Luftwaffe anti-aircraft HQ/command bunker.
The HQ bunker is now very difficult to access as the entrance has been filled in with earth and is covered by dense vegetation. You can access the roof of the concrete bunker though from the nearby agricultural field and on top you can see the foundations of the former observation/control tower which once stood at one end of the building.
This three-storey brick and concrete construction – looking similar to an airfield control tower – would have directed aircraft to the many field-based airfields which surrounded this area during the occupation and provided target information for anti-aircraft guns positioned nearby.