The citizens from Montebourg thought on June 6th, that the Americans would be in their town within tow days. But all that came to their town after two days, were heavy shells fired from warships out of shore of Utah Beach. Some people took refuge in the bocage, others were hiding in the cellars of the city hall, post office etc. Some citizens stayed below ground for twelve days, before they came out, and what they saw would never leave their memories again.

The last Germans left Montebourg on June 19. But the price was a high one,… 90% of the town was destroyed. The Americans were stunned when some 150 citizens came out of the cellars of the ruined buildings.

The retreating Germans, mostly from 243 Division, were not counter attacking, but tried to delay the offensive Americans. Just to the north of Valognes, in the chateau Chiffrevast, was the Headquarters of General Von Schlieben, who had the command of the 243- en 709 Divisions. Von Schlieben had the order to defend Cherbourg. A defencive line was created between St. Vaast-la-Hougue in the east, and Vauville in the west. But there were only 21.000 Germans to hold that thin and wide line. Beside the divisions under command of Von Schlieben, the Germans could also use the 77- en 91 Divisions under command of Hellmich, who was operating west of the Cotentin. These four divisions were the remnants of the German 84st Corps.

Montebourg was rebuilt completely. The town plan did not change much, but the houses were modernized. The statue on the Place Jeanne d’Arc was moved north, in a small park. If you look close enough, the church Saint-Jacques still bears the scars of hits from shells.

We leave Montebourg via the D 42, and head for Quinéville. After 5.5km go left onto the D 14, towards Quettehou and St. Vaast-la-Hougue. After 10 kilometer go right to St. Vaast-la-Hougue.

The D 1 leads you into St. Vaast-la-Hougue. Drive towards the coast. At the end you can go right, to visit Fort de la Hougue which is positions at the end of stretch of land protruding into sea. On top of the wall of the citadel, you will notice a German pillbox. Return on the same road and go north and follow this piece of Atlantic Wall with two integrated small round pillboxes for machineguns. Follow the D 1 north, the coastal road towards Réville.

At the end of the bay, in Réville, turn left onto the D 328 towards La Pernelle. On top of the hill in front of you, you may notice the church which stands against the sky. This is your next target. To reach it, stay on the D 328, all the way to the top. When you are close to the top, you see a parkingspace on your right. You may park here, and use the steps which leads you along the replica of a grotto of Lourdes, to the top. But if you are not up to it, drive along to the top, and park behind the restaurant.

At this top, above La Pernelle, was an important fire control observation built by the Germans. As you may see for yourself, from this height the whole of the eastside of the Cotentin can be observed. Two batteries were to be led from this position. La Pernelle Batterie 1, Wn 144 FCP, also known as La Pinoterie by the Germans, was somewhat to the north of this position, at the stone quarry. It consisted of six 10,5cm guns, placed into two types of casemates, the H 650 and the H 671. The guns were lined towards the northeast, towards Barfleur, and were useless against the Allied landings on Utah Beach, to the south.

On top of this viewpoint, the church stands out. In front of it, a steel observation turret can be found. There is a small path which leads onto an little platform as viewpoint. This lookout is placed on top of the former observation/firecontrole bunker. Most people wont notice this, but if you look over the edge of the wall at the front, and look down, you will see the concrete from the war and the shape of the bunker.

The other guns which were controlled by this post, was Wn 149, or La Pernelle Batterie II, which the Germans called also Essen. This one consisted of three 17cm guns in open emplacements. There would by H 679 casemates being built for these guns, but the invasion in June 1944 prevented this. Yhe guns were in action on June 6th, but their fire was inaccurate. To direct the fire, it had to be done from La Pernelle or a forward field post, because the battery had no control of their own. One of the guns was under repair in Cherbourg, after it was damaged during a bombardment by the Allies. The other guns were made unusable when the American troops were approaching their positions. When the Americans came closer, guns, original from Russia, were brought over from Carteret, to La Pernelle, to slow down the American advance.

Little is left from the former observation post at Le Pernelle. But I like to mention one interesting object that once stood here, a radar post. It was placed in a field behind the height of Le Pernelle. The radar, a Funk-Sende-Anlage (FuSan), type 724/725 Bernhard was placed on four chassis’s of railway carriages, which were running on round rail track with a diameter of 30 meters. The 100 ton radar, stood 27 meters high, and was running around its tracks an was used for example as a navigation help for the Ju88 bombers and the nightfighters like the Do335. These planes had the FuG 120a Bernadine on board to receive the signals sent by Bernhard.

Barfleur is one of the nicest harbour towns in this area. One of its mainfeatures is the somewhat plump church at the end of the harbour. Painter Paul Signac worked here, in the street behind the church is the house to be found where he once lived.

From Barfleur it's just a couple of kilometers to Gatteville-le-Phare, in the north, the most eastern point of the Cotentin. This point is dominated by a magnificent lighthouse.

As may be expected, a lot of casemates and bunkers are to be found here. This place is called Stp152, Battery Gatteville. In four H 679 casemates were once 15,5cm K420(f) guns placed. Also there were six open emplacements with also 15,5cm K420(f) guns. Furthermore there were a couple of personal and ammunition bunkers at this place.

Stp152 had personal of the German unit 7./Heeresküstenartillerie-Regiment1261. On June 21, 1944, the place was run over by the 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, a unit of the 4th Cavalry Group. The complete complex is situated on private grounds, but can be viewed from all sides.

Gatteville-le-Phareis located at Pointe de Barfleur. Here is one of the tallest lighthouses of France, and it's called the Raz de Barfleur. You can’t miss it, it dominates the skyline from all angles. The lighthouse stands 75 meters tall, and to reach the top, you have to climb 365 steps. The climb goes along 52 windows and through 12 stories (yes, the days, weeks and months of a year). The lighthouse was built between 1829 and 1835. Nowadays, the beam of light stretches at least 56 kilometers out over sea and guide the ships towards Le Havre. A lighthouse in this area is a necessity, many ships were lost on the beautiful, but deadly cost.