Festung IJmuiden

The city of IJmuiden, positionned at the entrance of the Noordzeekanaal, obtained the status of Festung and was therefore heavilly fortified. The erea in which the Festung layed belonged to the K.V.A. Amsterdam and was manned by the 167. I.D. The Festung IJmuiden possessed three coastal batteries and a number of AA batteries. The navy-artillery was represented by the M.A.A. 201 with it's HQ in Wijk aan Zee (1 x M 152, 3 x M 151). The Navy A.A. batteries were manned by the M.Fl.A. 816 with it's HQ (bunkers: 1 x Fl 250, 3 x M 151) near Wijk aan Zee.

Navy Coastal-Batteries

Navy A.A.-Batteries

M.K.B. Wijk an See

South of the village of Wijk aan Zee the coastal-battery Wijk aan Zee was built on constructionposition (Baupunkt) 66.
The bunkers built were: 1 x M 120, 6 x 671 S.K., 1 x 612, 1 x 134, 1 x M 151, 1 x 668
You can still find the remains of this battery anno 1999, only three gunbunkers (type Regelbau 671 S.K.) and the command post (type M 120, Leitstand für eine 17cm Batterie) are visible. (The fourth gunbunker probably lays under the sand). The Leitstand is still equiped with a steel double-cupola and is under renovation by a enthousiastic bunkerarchiologist. It's a real miracle that the cupola's are still there because the largest steel-melting of The Netherlands plant is just 100m away).

The Leitstand (type M 120) of the M.K.B. Wijk an See

One of the gunbunkers (type 671 S.K.) of the battery Wijk an See

The Forteiland

The Forteiland, positioned in the middle of the entrance to the harbour, was given the status of Kernwerk and was accordingly to it's status heavilly fortified with St. bunkers. The M.K.B. Kernwerk was situated on this island and had three 15.2 cm guns placed in gunbunkers (type M 170) connected tot quarters for 15 men (Regelbau 656). Note the fact that this is a combination of a Navy -design and an Army-design. The fire-directionpost was a Regelbau 636 S.K. and was recemntly demolished.
The defence of the battery consisted of four bunkers equiped with Sechschartentürme, two bunkers each housing a M19  grenadelauncher (Regelbau 633) and some bunkers for 4,7 cm festungspak (3 times Regelbau 631, 3 times Regelbau 631B). Unfortunately, only a corner of the island survived and all that is left are two gunbunker-combinations, a Regelbau 671 S.K., a Regelbau 668 (with two stories) and a  Regelbau 644, Stand mit 6-Schartenturm in Baustärke A.. Another bunker is still present and lays under 3-4 meters of sand and debree of the demolished bunkers. On the west side of the island the remains of a line of Höckerhindernisse are still present.

Schnellbootbunker

At the Haringhaven, the only remaining Schnellbootbunker can be found. The bunker was never completed and nowadays it's used by a factory. About 100-200m of this bunker a large Torpedobunker can be found, where the Germans stored their Torpedo's for use by the Schnellboote.

M.K.B. Heerenduin

South of the harbour, the remains of M.K.B. Heerenduin can be found in the dunes. The following bunkers are still present: a comand post (Regelbau M 178, Leitstand), four gun bunkers (Regelbau M 272, Geschützschartenstand) , two ammunition bunkers (Regelbau 134) and a Regelbau Fl 246?. Only the gun bunkers of the type M 272 are easily accessible. The entrance of the Leitstand is closed, but it can be entered through the observation chambers. Finally, the ammunition bunkers are largely covered with sand.

M.K.B. Heerenduin, with two M 272 and a M 178 (Leitstand)

M.Fl.B. Olmen

Some bunkers belonging to the AA-battery Schwere-Flakstellung Olmen are located south of the M.K.B. Heerenduin. The site, which is largely covered under sand, consists of two ammunition bunkers (type Fl 246), two A.A.-bunkers (type Fl 243), two A.A.-bunkers (type Fl 249) and a Flakleitstand (type Fl 244, Schwere Flak I- und II-Leitstand). The observation platform of this last bunker resembles the one of a Regelbau Fl 311.

The Leitstand (Fl 244) of AA-Battery "Olmen"

The observationplatform of the Regelbau Fl 244

A covered tobruk used as observationpost

One of the two ammunitionbunkers (type Fl 246) of the A.A.-Battery Olmen

Landfront

Further south the remains of the landfront can still be found, consisting of a Panzermauer connected to a Höckerhindernisse. Even a Walzkörpersperre can be found, this entrance to the Festung was defenced by a Regelbau 676 for a 4,7cm anti-tankgun (4,7cm festungspak 36 (t)) and some bunkers for infantry-groups. A large part of the landfront of IJmuiden consisted of Steilhang, i.e. extra steep dunes.

A row of Höckerhindernisse in the Dunes. You can see the transition into the Anti-tank wall

A tobruk for a Renault tank-cupola

A Regelbau 621 at Westerveld

 
Thanks to Eric van Dijk for translating this page.

 

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