Regelbau M 270,
bunker with embrasure for 17 cm gun.

Coastal Battery, “Hanstholm I”

 

The coastal battery “Hanstholm I” located at the northern end of the Hanstholm nature reserve is one of the best-preserved bunker installations in Denmark. The area is completely untouched by post-war development.

The German Navy began building the structures for a coastal battery here as early as 12 April 1940. The battery guns were to protect a channel through the extensively mined stretch of sea between Hanstholm and Kristiansand in Norway, intended to keep the British fleet out of the waters of Skagerrak. The guns were reported ready for operation on 4 May 1940.

The battery was armed with four old 17 cm naval guns (1901 model) with a range of approximately 20 km. They were seated on concrete foundations on the dune tops, and the crews that manned them were billeted in a wooden barracks camp around 500 metres north-east of the guns.

Work to build solid bunkers with walls and ceilings 2 metres thick commenced in the summer of 1942. The first of these bunkers was complete in August 1942, the last in April 1944. The final bunkers to be built were four giant installations with firing slits for the guns and walls thick enough to protect them from heavy shelling.

In all, approximately 50 concrete installations were constructed for this fortified position, including 19 bunkers with 2 metre-thick walls and roofs.

The battery was served by a crew of around 200 men.

In the early 1950s, the Danish armed forces conducted blasting experiments at the site to test the resilience of the bunkers – the experience gained was to be applied to the construction of new Danish forts on the islands of Langeland and Stevn. In addition, the bunkers were used for controlled detonation of dangerous munitions until the mid-1990s, which is why some of the battery bunkers are so badly damaged today.

Regelbau M 270,
bunker with embrasure for 17 cm gun.

Regelbau M 270,
bunker with embrasure for 17 cm gun.

Regelbau M 270,
bunker with embrasure for 17 cm gun.

Regelbau 502,
crew bunker for 20 men.

Regelbau 502,
crew bunker for 20 men.

Regelbau 502,
crew bunker for 20 men.

Regelbau 502,
crew bunker for 20 men.
(blown up)

Regelbau M 162a,
fire control bunker.

Regelbau 502,
crew bunker for 20 men.
(blown up)

Regelbau M 145,
ammunition bunker.

Regelbau M 145,
ammunition bunker.

Regelbau 622,
crew bunker for 20 men.
(blown up)

Regelbau 622,
crew bunker for 20 men.

Regelbau Fl 242,
bunker with emplacemen for 2 cm anti-aircraft gun.

Regelbau Fl 242,
bunker with emplacemen for 2 cm anti-aircraft gun.

Regelbau 501,
crew bunker for 10 men.

Open emplacement for 17 cm gun.
(1940)

Bunker for generator.

Open emplacement for 17 cm gun.
(1940)

Open emplacement for 17 cm gun.
(1940)

Open emplacement for a Danish 8.7 cm ship gun.

"Siegfried" bunker,
shelter for 6 men.

"Siegfried" bunker,
shelter for 6 men.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c,
ring position for machine gun.

Concrete foundation for small wooden hut, 
probably direction finding post.

Well from concrete rings.

Cellar under wooden hut.