There are numerous beachfront strongpoints between Saint-Valery-en-Caux in the west and Dieppe to the east, with the designation ‘Marg’ attributed to them due to their proximity to the largest site at Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer.
Marg03 is possibly the most visited of them all due to the remarkable R622 group shelter which stands on its edge on the beach after being washed off the cliffs by fire hoses after it began to dangerously overhang the beach area below.
On inspection, Marg01, with its remaining two small personnel shelters looks to be insignificant by comparison but it was actually the site of a large gun position known as the Hess Batterie and the location of a daring British Commando raid.
On August 19, 1942, 250 soldiers of British 4 Commando led by Lt Colonel Lovatt carried out a seaborne landing at a location codenamed as ‘Orange Beach’ at Vasterival, near to the fallen bunker at Sainte-Marguerite today.
It was part of Operation Jubilee, remembered by most as the raid on Dieppe. The commandos’ mission was to knock out the six 15cm guns which stood in open emplacements on the high ground east of the village, a mission which they achieved.
Today the remains of just two personnel shelters can be seen while the batterie has long since disappeared under woodland and houses.