The battery at
Morsalines, built as early as 1941, was the oldest one along the eastern
Cotentin coast. It comprised six French 155-mm guns dating from the
First World War, installed in the open air on concrete pads. Because of
their range, they could reach the Varreville sector, where the Americans
were planning to land.
Cunningly camouflaged, the battery escaped the
Allies’ attention for some time, though it eventually suffered a
devastating bombardment in May 1944, which destroyed or damaged half its
guns. It was subsequently moved inland.
Due
to its new position and the fact that Americans mistakenly landed two
kilometres further south than they should have on June 6th,
the Morsalines battery was quite unable to hinder the D-Day operations.
As they could no longer serve any useful purpose where they were, the
guns were transported to the fortress of Cherbourg.
