Wn. Hafen

Overview

The Germans established Wn. Hafen to protect the inner harbour and mole, alongside strongpoints at Fort Grosnez (Josephsburg) to protect the breakwater and The Arsenal (Schirrhof), to cover Braye. The principle armament of Wn. Hafen was a 7.5cm Pak 40, which was housed in a type 680 on the inland side of the coast road. A 4.7cm Pak K36(t) was housed in a Vf casemate in the dunes. Both the 7.5cm and 4.7cm Pak guns worked in conjunction with those at Schirrhof to help blockade Braye beach. The site was supported by several machine gun positions, three of these in Tobruks and one in a substantial complex below what is now the harbourmasters office. This complex comprised a 2cm Flak emplacement, heavy MG casemate, communications bunker, observation turret and a small shelter. These positions were linked by a narrow covered trench.

Most of the works here survive, and with the exception of two shelters and a tank turret beneath the pier, and some small Vf positions, all of the remains are visible in some form.  A tank turret Tobruk remains on Douglas Quay, with the 680 at the inland end of the pier (part of the blast wall was demolished post war to allow access along the road). The 4.7cm Pak Vf casemate lies on the beach, with an interesting Wellblech MG position collapsing into the dunes beside it. A small bunker was built where Jean's Stores now is, probably surviving beneath. An electricity generating bunker was built to Vf in the yard infront of York Hill Quarry, with a water tank nearby. Crabby Harbour was protected by another tank turret Tobruk, with an 8.8cm Flak barrel being added post war as a mooring! The large complex mentioned above survives below the harbourmasters, with a barely visible Tobruk buried near the entrance. A small tunnel was built along one of the quays in Crabby Harbour, but the state of this is unknown.