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  • St-Nazaire
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    • The protected lock
    • Photo gallery
  • La Rochelle
    • History
    • Description
    • Protected lock
    • Other facilities
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  • Bordeaux
    • History
    • Description
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  • U-boat types
    • Type II U-boat
    • Type VII U-boats
    • Type IX U-boats
    • Type XXI U-boats

History

In the early months of 1943, the Germans have laid the groundwork for a new site just in from of the uboat base. The attack of March 27, 1942 was the event which decided the Germans to improve their defense system. They planed to protect more efficiently the entrance and exit of submarines by a covered lock. So far, the movement of U-boats of the 6th and 7th fleets were conducted outdoor and the uboats were very vulnerable to an air threat.

Work begins with the year 1943. The dimensions of the building are impressive (see table below), her draft is over 7 meters. The roof supports 4 20 mm anti air guns and at the eastern angle is a heavy machine gun in a shielded dome. Although completed later in the year 1944, the protected lock seems to have never been used by the Germans for uboat operations.

 

Characteristics

Length 150 m
Width 25 m
Height 15 m
Draft 7 m

 

Photos

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n the early months of 1943, the Germans have laid the groundwork for a new site just across from the submarine base. The attack of March 27, 1942 was the incentive to improve their defense system. Together, they plan to effectively protect the entrance and exit of submarines by a covered entrance. It must be said that so far, the movement of U-boats of the 6th and 7th fleets were made openly. On the other hand, the entrance of the basin is made not only by the locks. Immobilization open submersibles during switchover operations presented a significant risk in case of air attack. It is envisaged the creation of a hatch cover to the right of the Old Entrance.

Work begins therefore with the year 1943. The dimensions of the building are impressive (see table below), her draft is over 7 meters. The massive concrete block is filled with loopholes to beat the median locks. The roof supports 4 tanks for gun Flak of20 mm and the angle is a dome shielded heavy machine guns. Although completed later in the year 1944, the lock fortified seems never to have been used by the occupants.

n the early months of 1943, the Germans have laid the groundwork for a new site just across from the submarine base. The attack of March 27, 1942 was the incentive to improve their defense system. Together, they plan to effectively protect the entrance and exit of submarines by a covered entrance. It must be said that so far, the movement of U-boats of the 6th and 7th fleets were made openly. On the other hand, the entrance of the basin is made not only by the locks. Immobilization open submersibles during switchover operations presented a significant risk in case of air attack. It is envisaged the creation of a hatch cover to the right of the Old Entrance.

 

Work begins therefore with the year 1943. The dimensions of the building are impressive (see table below), her draft is over 7 meters. The massive concrete block is filled with loopholes to beat the median locks. The roof supports 4 tanks for gun Flak of20 mm and the angle is a dome shielded heavy machine guns. Although completed later in the year 1944, the lock fortified seems never to have been used by the occupants.

The St-Nazaire U-boat base was built between 1941 and 1942 by more than 4600 workers of the "Todt Organization". The construction of the base required more than 313,000 cubic meters of concrete. The bunker could accommodate giant XXI submersible with its 14 cells (8 dry docks).

The area of the base had been neglected for a long time since the end of the WWII. Therefore, in 1994, the municipality of Saint-Nazaire decided to launch the City-Port project aimed at regenerating the area of the base which was a vast industrial wasteland. The base is now profoundly transformed : the workshops were destroyed, many basin filled in, and a bridge was built to access the roof of the building.

La base de u-boote de St-Nazaire vue de face.

Contents

  • Description of the base

  • Map

  • The protected lock

  • Photo gallery

 

Location

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Front view

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The roof

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