 The R630 bunker of Stp Martha along this beautiful stretch of French coastline close to |
|
Reserve Naturelle du Platier d'Oye Coordinates: 51.006062, 2.061204 Stp Martha has two bunkers on the beach and more inland located in the dunes. Because of my limited time on this particular visit this page will only cover the R630 and R120 bunkers. We will cover the other remaining bunkers on another visit. This location is easy to find and offers stunning views of the English channel, beach and dunes. There is parking available though I would probably recommend getting here early. I actually was staying in Grand-Fort-Phillipe and walked up through the dunes to the beach one late evening when I took the following photographs. So you can set your GPS to the coordinates located above and park in the designated parking area as marked on the map located on this page, walk across the dunes and enjoy the beautiful remains of Stp Martha. |  Click to enlarge map  > The R120 artillery observation bunker to the left and the R630 bunker to the right. |
I used two different cameras on the 2016 visit. The Nikon Coolpix 35mm and the Apple iPhone Six Plus. |
|
 A sideways glance of the R120 bunker and the flanking wall. |  The R120 Observation bunker at Stp Martha. It has a rare and intact observation cupola on the top. |
 A close up of the close defense combat position of the R120. |  The escape hatch of the R120 bunker at Stp Martha. |
 A nice solid rear end to the R120 with artillery observation cupola in view on the top. |  A nice close-up of the artillery observation cupola. On our next visit we will photograph the internal mechanism. |
 All in the family, the R630 bunker sits to the left of the R120. |  Such a beauty still here after 70 plus years. Here the close defense combat position, to the left the tobruk. |
 In this shot we show the metal plate still intact for the firing chamber for the machine gun position, close combat to it's right. |  A nice close-up of the plate for the machine gun position. |
 The metal plate is still intact, many were removed for scrap metal after the war. |  Back to the R120 showing the close combat area, the roof with metal beam and support struts. |
 Showing the close combat area behind this would have been the air lock. To it's right the entrance. |  The entrance. We did not go in on this trip as the sun was going down but will on the next visit. To the left the air lock, behind that the crew room and then the plotting and map room. |
 A nice close-up of the close combat defense position, you would have had a nasty surprise approaching this bunker. |  A close-up shot of the cross beam work and the concrete corner joint. |
 A glance back as we leave this beautiful beach. I must have been the only one here this night, just myself and an iconic piece of history from WWII. |  And one last photograph as we leave the beach and head up the dunes, I shall return... |
