NAVAL RANGE-FINDING TOWER (MP3)

MP 3 Plan.JPG (483256 bytes)

All artillery batteries had their guns mounted in open emplacements so that they could fire over the Island at targets out of sight of the gunners. To overcome this problem a series of multi-storey Marinepeilstanded und Messstellen (Naval direction and range-finding positions) known as MP towers were planned ready for the proposed Naval batteries, each observation level would provide information for one of the batteries.

Tower Plan

Pleinmonttower.jpg (31682 bytes)

 This tower was built in 1942, the navy using the top three levels for their batteries. The two lower levels were taken over by the army for their two batteries of 22cm guns.

Approach to tower

Towerbarrack.jpg (36395 bytes)

The adjoining personnel shelter was built in 1943, probably for the Army crew - a date is scratched into the concrete of the NCO's room window sill - 13-7-43.

Crew room

MP3 1.jpg (25228 bytes)

After the war all doors and internal fittings were removed for scrap and the tower left open to the elements for many years. It was acquired by the Occupation Museum in recent years and has been extensively restored and refitted with its optical and communication equipment.

Original optics

MP3 2.jpg (33624 bytes)

Stove and telephones

MP3 5.jpg (21731 bytes)

MG table for defence

MP3 7.jpg (30782 bytes)

Fortress telephones

westberg.jpg (214682 bytes)

'Festung' map of location