Editing Courseulles-sur-Mer (section)

====Widerstandnesten WN 29====
StP.Courseulles (Osten) was located at North 49.3358 Deg  / West 00.45136 Deg and in June 1944, for targeting purposes, at: LZ1 vT MR Grid 972856 (Ref. GSGS 4250 1:50K: Creully Sheet 7E/5). The (WN) Resistance Nest at Courseulles (East) was a very large ‘platoon-sized’ position, attempting to protect entry into the town port and to deny exits off the beach, into the town.<ref>Marc Laurenceau, D-Day Overlord: Encyclopédie du débarquement et de la bataille de Normandie: WN 29 en Normandie. See: http://www.dday-overlord.com/wn-29-en-normandie-encyclopedie-d-day/ Accessed 24.05.2016</ref> East of the river, its strength was dominated by an 88mm gun, protected to its front (to fire in enfilade), and a 50&nbsp;mm gun, supported by machine gun and [[Defensive fighting position#Tobruks|Tobruks]]. Opposite the harbour was a second 50mm gun (with Tobruk) and towards the centre a 75mm field gun, and 37mm tank turret, they supported by machine gun and Tobruks.<ref>Richard Drew, Atlantikwall: WW2 Defences from 1941-1944, France: AOK 7 Normandie. See: http://www.atlantikwall.org.uk/courseulles_wn29.htm Accessed 18.05.2016</ref> The right front (NE) sea approach was protected by the large K.V. Gruppe Courseulles Beach Minefield: Mf 58.  On its right was a 75mm field gun, protected by a substantial anti-tank ditch inland, and its right flank (SE approach) by the K.V. Gruppe Courseulles tactical minefield: Mf 43.<ref>AOK 7 Mapping: Strongpoints KVA ‘H1’ Caen 716 & KVA ‘H2’Bayeau 352 . Accessed 03.02.2K18</ref> The position's ''Züg Führer'' (acting commander) defence was enabled by an 'underground' network of tunnels and covered trenches, permitting unobserved movement.<ref>Operation Overlord/ Neptune, JUNO BEACH: Bombardment Force ‘E’,  Page 19. See: http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/juno/tables.pdf Accessed 02.02.2K18</ref>

Courseulles (Osten) was fronted by an area of [[coastal erosion]] with various works to prevent, control or delay its effects. There were [[groyne]]s built out into the sea to try and stop the movement of sand. On D-Day the presence of the groynes together with the strong current along the beach and the beach obstacles made landings and lateral movement along the beach, tricky. To test an attacker, most of the buildings of Courseulles were further protected by sea walls.<ref>Operation Overlord/ Neptune, JUNO BEACH: Bombardment Force ‘E’,  Page 18. See: http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/juno/tables.pdf Accessed 02-02-2018</ref> Here it was shelled for effect by the embarked 105&nbsp;mm guns of 13th Field Regiment, RCA from H-30 to H+5 and began taking direct fire from the DD Tanks of 'B' Squadron, 1st Hussars towards 07h55 (BST), who landed correctly and on time as planned.  Fourteen DD tanks of the 1st Hussars made it ashore, and quickly came to engage the strongpoint’s guns. An 88&nbsp;mm gun, beside the harbour exit, a 50&nbsp;mm behind it, and a 75&nbsp;mm on the right flank, fired continuously until their protective shields could be pierced. No tanks were lost in the spirited duel.<ref>{{citation |work=Juno Beach |title= First Hussars |url=http://www.junobeach.info/juno-4-8.htm |access-date= 4 April 2018}}</ref>

Landing to its centre at 08h05, in a gap between its two 75mm guns, making a left flanking approach, came [[The Royal Regina Rifles|‘A’ Company, The Regina Rifle Regiment]], (OC Major F. E. Hodge). Successful in getting off the beach, engaged in heavy fighting, working in tandem, with ‘B’ Squadron, it ‘neutralized’ the strong-point.<ref>War Diary: The Regina Rifle Regiment, Courseulles-sur-Mer: Page 2, 6 Jun 44. See: http://lmharchive.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Regina-Rifle-Regiment.pdf  Accessed 29.01.2K18</ref> Pushing into Courseulles, 'A' Company, as set out in the plan, cleared Town Blocks 5, 6, and 7 but had to return to the beachfront (Block No.1) where the Germans had returned, by tunnels and trenches, to reoccupy their guns. The Regina’s began the disheartening task of clearing the beachfront again, it only came to be ‘captured’ after this second fight.<ref>{{citation |work=Juno Beach |title= Regina Rifles |url=http://www.junobeach.info/juno-4-4.htm |date= 4 February 2018}}</ref>

‘B’ Company landed at 08h15, further to the east; and quickly engaged the crew served weapon pillboxes positioned along the strong-point beachfront.  The seawall offering little cover, but with good support from ‘B’ Squadron, they got off the beach and dashed into the strongpoint’s fortifications.<ref>{{citation |title=War Diary: The Regina Rifle Regiment, Courseulles-sur-Mer: Page 2, 6 Jun 44 |url=http://lmharchive.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Regina-Rifle-Regiment.pdf  |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref>

German Crew Served Weapons at StP.Courseulles (Osten) <ref>Richard Drew, Atlantikwall: WW2 Defences from 1941-1944, France: AOK 7 Normandie. See: http://www.atlantikwall.org.uk/courseulles_wn29.htm Accessed 18.05.2016</ref><ref>Anderson, Richard C., Cracking Hitler's Atlantic Wall: The 1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers on D-Day, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA., 2010, {{ISBN|9780811742719}}, Chapter 4 German Planning and Preparation: The German Defences - Page 73</ref>

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Regelbau Type
! Ringstand (Casement)
! Weapon / Gun
! Details
|- 
| OB Gr.West Heer H677	
| Jagpanzerabwehrkanone 
| [[8.8 cm Pak 43|88 mm PaK 43/41]]
| At Entrance with MG Posts
|-
| OB Gr.West Heer H669
| Vf Field Gun Emplacement
| [[7.5 cm FK 16 nA|75mm FK 16 n.Art]] (German)
| On Right (East) Flank
|-
| OB Gr.West Heer H612 
| Vf Field Gun Emplacement
| [[Canon de 75 modèle 1897|75 mm FK 231 (French)]]
| In Centre Position
|-
| OB Gr.West Heer H669
| KwK SK-L Open Pedestal 
| 50mm Pak 38 L/42 
| On Left Flank Seawall
|-
| Regelbau Type Vf600
| KwK SK-L Open Pedestal 
| 50mm Pak 39 L/60   
| Inside Harbour Entrance
|- 
| OB Gr.West Heer 604	
| Panzerstellung Tobrouk (80&nbsp;cm)
| 37&nbsp;mm Renault FT 331(f)
| Tank Turret – Coaxial MG
|-
| OB Gr.West Heer Vf58c  
| 80&nbsp;cm Thick Tobrouk x4
| Heavy MG  
| Crew Position: One to Rear
|-
| OB Gr.W Type 34 (Vf69)	
| Tobrouk sGranatwerfer
| 8.14&nbsp;cm Heavy Mortar
| Gruppen Crew and Observer
|-
| Weapon Crew Posts x5
| Reinforced Vf Embrasure (Open)  
| Light Maschinengewehr  MG 
| Half Steel Ring Traverse 
|-
| Company Mortar Pits x2
| Nest fur Ko-Granatenwerfer 
| [[5 cm Granatwerfer 36|50 mm Light Mortar]]
| Type 36 (Vf58c)
|-
|}