28cm K5 Rail guns - Hydrequent, France

[Mons 1914]

I'm looking for any information or pictures of the two K5 Rail guns at Hydrequent north France off the cost of Boulogne in operation between 1940 -1944, these two guns along with others around the northern coast could fire on shipping traffic in the channel.
Anything like fortifications, bunkers, the structure that housed this massive gun etc

Many Thanks
Scott

[Johnny R]

I'm looking for any information or pictures of the two K5 Rail guns at Hydrequent north France off the cost of Boulogne in operation between 1940 -1944, these two guns along with others around the northern coast could fire on shipping traffic in the channel.
Anything like fortifications, bunkers, the structure that housed this massive gun etc

Many Thanks
Scott

Do you know the batterie or battalion numbers?

[Mons 1914]

The one at Hydrequent was batterie 713.
Many Thanks

[Larry deZeng]

IIRC, these guns and their emplacements have been magnificently covered in both text and before and after photos in the magazines and books published by the After the Battle people, Winston G. Ramsey, owner and editor.

--Larry

[Mons 1914]

Thank you Larry, I've just ordered the back issue of the Calais equivalent.

[Alan Smith]

Could these guns reach targets in England? I've got a friend from Maidstone, Kent and, during the war, his town was hit by long-range German guns located in France (as well as being hit by German aircraft and bombs, Italian bombers, V1 & V2 rockets).

Just wondering if these might be the guns that fired on Maidstone.

[Larry deZeng]

I can't speak for Maidstone, but Dover was hit by 2,226 shells fired from German long-range guns located in the Pas de Calais area. Maidstone would have been way too far inland I should think to have suffered from artillery fire.

--Larry

[Alan Smith]

Larry,

Thanks for the response. The information about Maidstone being hit by artillery shells fired from France came from a book published in Maidstone circa 1949. The book was part of a celebration of something like the 1000 year anniversary of the town's founding. Anyway, the book has a few pages about Maidstone's role in WWII and that is where the artillery shelling information is located.

I should point out, however, that my friend who lived in Maidstone as a teenager during the war has stated several times that he believes this history book has some inaccuracies re: WWII, so it could very well be that the book is wrong. Like you pointed out, Maidstone sure looks to be a long way inland to be hit by artillery fire from France.

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Alan,

I think this is the weapon the book may be referring to:

V3, the third vengeance weapon, consisted of barrages of small rocket projectiles fired from an underground cannon and capable of reaching London from the north French coast at a speed of 1500 metres a second.

Waves of 300 rockets an hour could have been fired, but the V3 was also abandoned unfinished as Allied troops captured it after D-Day.

This weapon could have hit Maidstone but it wasn't completed in time to be used. Here is a source describing what was used:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-C...cond_World_War

None of these could reach Maidstone.

Cheers,

--Larry

[Mons 1914]

They were very large guns see below, this is a picture of one of the two guns at battery 713 I believe.

I'm still looking for any information or pictures of this battery.

[Johnny R]

They were very large guns see below, this is a picture of one of the two guns at battery 713 I believe.

I'm still looking for any information or pictures of this battery.

I have pictures of 28s firing etc. but from AB 694.

[Gran Sasso]

Like you pointed out, Maidstone sure looks to be a long way inland to be hit by artillery fire from France.

The K5 has also used the so called "Peenemünder Pfeilgeschoss", a spezial very long grenade that rezeizes to half of the caliber once it have left the barrel. Some modern long-range artillerie does the same, the grenade throws off surronding parts.

Those grenades had a range of 150km, but no aimed shots were possible, as the grenades hit the ground in an area of 5 square-kilometers.

They were very expensive, and only used for moral reasons - "Dont feel safe inland - we reach you" - was the message.

As Calais and Maidstone are "only" 90 km apart, there is the possebilety that some of those grenades hit Maidstone. Also grenades shot from Hydrequent could have reached maidstone (100km), or even London (150km)