Grand Gouin
In 1693, Vauban began to organise the defences of Brest with batteries and fortifications all along the Camaret bay, from the pointe du Gouin to the Quélern lines (Louis XIV of France had been warned of an Anglo-Dutch attack in the area, but did not know its precise landing point). In 1695 a mortar battery was set up on the Grand Gouin, though its location is now unknown. These mortar batteries could be directed towards the Cameret inlet and crossed their field of fire with those at Tremet, as well as covering the goulet de Brest to harry an approaching enemy.
The Germans built a platform for four 220mm Schneider guns on a new site here between 1942 and 1943, known as Camaret battery and manned by the 1/1274 HKAA (Heeres-Küsten-Artillerie-Abteilung). This had a range of 22 km and formed the most important coastal defence for the Crozon peninsula. It was made up of four batteries (one gun each), each accompanied by four bunkers, as well as a fire-direction point and many anti-aircraft guns.
Read more about this topic: Pointe Du Grand Gouin
Famous quotes containing the word grand:
“This we take it is the grand characteristic of our age. By our skill in Mechanism, it has come to pass, that in the management of external things we excel all other ages; while in whatever respects the pure moral nature, in true dignity of soul and character, we are perhaps inferior to most civilised ages.”
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)