The WN 61 was a small fortified point, but equipped with one of the only two 88 cannons on the beach. Located at the foot of the cliffs, he was on the WN72, which, at Vierville at the other end of the beach, had another 88mm anti-tank gun.
These 2 88mm PAKs were protected from naval artillery and were oriented to take the flank beach. These guns, designed to destroy the tanks, ended up being destroyed by them, it seems quite quickly, even for the WN61, which had only a few nearby American tanks in front of it.
There was also a 50mm gun, a tank turret and machine guns on this WN. He was not to be armed by more than 15 to 20 soldiers.
Legends - green: barbed wire fence, blue: flooded anti-tank ditch,
1 - Concrete bunker with PAK43 anti-tank gun 88mm
2 - Concrete platform with PAK38 anti-tank gun 50mm
3 - Tobrouck with Renault R35 tank turret and 37mm gun
4 - 2 "Tobrouck" or machine gun fire stations
5 - Crossing through the anti-tank ditch, allowing access to the beach
Photos of the WN 61 by the Allies
(details) 1 - Colleville-Plage WN61 in the centre May 10 44
(details) 2 - Colleville Cabourg 10 May 44
Voici le texte descriptif de Fox Green: "Fox Green 1135 yards - The right flank of Fox Green Beach is 300 yards to the right of the valley which carries exit E3. This is 60 yards to the right of the point where Exit E3 cuts the beach. Exit E3 (which is a continuation of the shore road) bears inland just to the right of a stream which flow down the valley and follows the stream bank winding 300 yards to the left. It circles a lone white house at the base of the bluff and leads to the valley of Colleville. The left bank of the beach is at the point where the cliff rises from shore level and just to the left of where Exit F1 leaves the beach. This is the left limit of the Omaha Beach Area. The 200-foot bluff behind the beach is rough, wooded and broken. It leads inland on the right to form the left side of the valley of Exit E3. Ther is one other house visible behind Fox Green beach, which stands at the foot of the bluff slightly to the left of the beach center. The white ruins of houses should be conspicuous between this house and Exit F1. The church spire in COLLEVILLE may be visible above the bluff. The beach is backed by a grassy bank 4-6 feet high for its entire length.
The WN 61 plans, drawn up by the Allies before the landing, very approximate
Topographical plan prepared with current data
The period photos of the WN61
