Bunkerpictures - Datasheet Ars en Re

Ars-en-Ré.
AOK 1, KVA D, KVU Süd, Kv.Gr. Süd Ile de Ré, Marine Flak Battery Käthe, Ro 424.

Follow the main road leading out of Ars-en-Ré towards the lighthouse. After 1km there is a small road to the left at the beginning of a large forest. Follow that road to the sea, there are some camping's along the road. The Flak battery is located in de dunes on the right side, when you are facing the sea.

The battery had four 7,5cm guns in Vf emplacements and had supporting bunkers for various purposes. Today there are only some pieces of concrete and smaller works left. The battery was finished in 1943 and belonged to the air-defence for the nearby batteries Kora and Karola. At the other side of the beach is a hardly visible emplacement for a "See Riese radar". We didn't have time to come closer. Notice the remains of the gun inside the Tobruk65a.

Types:
3x Emplacement for a 7,5cm Flak.
1x Tobruk65a 5cm gun.
1x See Riese radar.
1x Vf building.
1x Remains.

Ars-en-Ré.
AOK 1, KVA D, KVU Süd, Kv.Gr. Süd Ile de Ré, M.K.B. Karola, Ro 429.

Follow the main road leading out of Ars-en-Ré towards the lighthouse. After 2km there is a exit to the left to the 'Dechetterie'. Following sand path into the forest. Be aware that you are now on military property. Walking here is at your own risk, so be careful. First there is the large observation/measuring tower S497 when you follow the path to the left. The actual battery is located near the sea. Follow the path to the right when you enter the forest and then walk all the way, trough Ro 425 Kora, to Ro 429 Karola, it's a 15minute walk.

The battery contains two huge bunkers S472-S483, for double re-used ships-guns of 20,3cm, supporting bunkers and a 502 personnel bunker. It is the major battery on the island and in the whole region, together with batt. Kora. The two emplacements are closed. We could peek, through a small hole in the roof, at the entrance of Turm Anton. The observations and measurements came from the Leitstand S497. This Leitstand is located at the beginning of the path, in the middle of the forest, but it belongs to Ro 429. The tower is closed, we tried to remove some sand, but the entrance is also closed with concrete blocks. So entering the tower is impossible. The tower is 20m high and with the range-finder with a steel cover, it was 24m high. There are 7 floors. Outside the tower some steel bars are still visible. These were used to hang camouflage nets from. All together this tower makes a gigantic bunker. It has a beautiful shape and it is definitely one of the finest bunkers that is built.
In front of Turm Dora there are three more bunkers. A closed 502 with a periscope tube, an unknown building and a large emplacement for a 15cm gun.
We have some doubts about some other bunker. The sources were not clear about a ammunition bunker type S498. We couldn't find out if the bunker had been built, or that the construction was planned. At the designated position of the bunker we found some concrete parts and there was a suspicious hill. Could that be the S498 ?

Types:
1x S497 Tower-shaped fire control post.
2x S473-S484 Emplacement for a 20,3cm gun.
1x S498 Ammunition bunker.
1x 502 Twin group bunker.
1x Gun emplacement for a 15cm gun.
1x Unknown building.
1x Water well.
1x Platform Ars-en-Ré.

Ars-en-Ré.
AOK 1, KVA D, KVU Süd, Kv.Gr. Süd Ile de Ré, H.K.B. Kora, Ro 425.

Follow the main road leading out of Ars-en-Ré towards the lighthouse. After 2km there is an exit to the left to the 'Dechetterie'. Follow a sand path that is going into the forest, but be aware that you are now on military property. Walking here is at your own risk, so be careful.

The battery was finished in 1943 with four 22cm K532 Schneider cannons. Together with several St personnel bunkers and lots of supporting bunkers and Flak positions, the battery was complete then. In 1944 plans were made to construct four ammunition bunkers type 641, but they were never built.
The battery was part of a bigger plan together with Battery Karola and the Flak battery Kathe. The Leitstand S497 of Battery Karola also served as the fire-control tower for the cannons of Battery Kora.

What makes this battery so special is that most of the supporting bunkers are still there and that makes it a lot more human. There is a kitchen, infirmary, 'church', theatre, Gestapo and a stable, so not only big concrete blocks. And most of the bunkers are open and in an excellent condition, with lots of details and steel parts. Around the battery are several flak positions with Wellblech's for the crew next to it. Some of the Wellblech's have nice decorations on the wall.
The west side of the battery is covered by a 5cm KwK in a Tobruk65a. The bunker still has some firing instructions on the edge. Lots of Tobruk's are covering the other sides of the battery. Next to the S497 Leitstand is a building that is re-used after the war, but it shows some original parts that makes it look like a officers mess or canteen

The four emplacements for the 22cm cannons are still in a excellent condition. Unfortunately one of them is flooded. The others show some nice instructions, lining on the wall and prints of the grenades in the niches. The guns, 22cm K532 Schneider, had a range of 22km and the grenades weighed about 100kg. Each emplacement has a 501 personnel bunker nearby for the crew. The inside of the personnel bunkers is very nice, all the doors, emergency doors, numbers, covering plates and lots of pipes and other parts are still present in perfect condition.

Types:
1x S497 Tower-shaped fire control post.
4x Gun emplacement for a 22cm gun.
6x 501 Group bunker, numbers (01)02/03/04/10/11
1x 502 Twin group bunker, number /05

1x Tobruk65a 5cm gun
2x Flak 28 2cm emplacement.
1x Flak 30 2cm emplacement.
3x Tobruk58c.

1x Infirmary, `Krankenstube`.
1x Kitchen building.
1x Stable.
1x Theatre.
1x Wellblech for chaplain.
3x Wellblech shelter.
1x Barrack+Wellblech.
2x Barrack.
1x Vf shelter.
1x Vf garage.
1x Building for officer.
5x Remains.