MKB Mirus

The high ground over L'Eree provided a commanding view over the West Coast of the island, and was well suited to the construction of a large naval battery. Originally planned to be part of a trio of 38cm batteries (with two on the continent) in order to block the Gulf of St Malo, however the only barrels that could be sourced were 30.5cm and the other batteries were never constructed. The barrels themselves originated from the Russian battleship Imperator Aleksandr III, captured aboard the Norwegian freighter Nina at Narvik. After a review of the plans by German high command, and under the instruction of Fritz Todt, construction began in November 1941, and the battery was operational in a limited capacity by April 1942, with the first firing taking place on the 13th of that month from Gun No.2. By June 29th all guns were operational. August 1942, a ceremony was held to rename the battery from Nina to Mirus. Construction would continue up until June 1944, when excavations for a type 118b hospital bunker were abandoned due to a lack of resources. 

Following the liberation of the islands, a recommendation was put forward to the States of Guernsey that one of the emplacements be retained and preserved. This was ignored, and by 1953 all scrap metal was removed from the sites, including the gun turrets. See below for details on the condition of individual emplacements.