Mont Canisy battery
| Mont Canisy battery | |
|---|---|
| Part of Atlantic Wall | |
| Normandy, France | |
Casemate for 155mm artillery at Mont Canisy | |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 49°20′27″N 0°02′24″E / 49.34083°N 0.04000°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| Built by | Organisation Todt |
| In use | 1944 |
| Materials | Concrete and steel |
| Battles/wars | Invasion of Normandy |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 1255 Heeres-Küsten-Artillerie-Abteilung (HKAA) |
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The Mont Canisy battery was a World War II German artillery battery constructed close to the French village of Benerville-sur-Mer in the Calvados department in the Lower Normandy region. Located on the highest ground in Normandy (110 m (360 ft) high), the vantage point overlooks the Côte Fleurie. The bunker complex was constructed between 1941 and 1944 to protect the River Seine estuary and the port of Le Havre. It was a large artillery bunker complex between Cherbourg and Le Havre (the largest being the Maisy Battery complex with its 6 x 155mm French guns at Le Perruques); 4 x 105's at La Martiniere; 4 x 150mm's at Foucher's farm). The battery is 8 km (5.0 mi) east of the Houlgate battery.
A French naval coastal battery was on the site from 1935 to 1940. In 1940 the guns were put out of action before the site was captured by advancing German troops in 1940.
Much of the site is now a nature reserve and the bunker complex is open to the public and guided tours take place throughout the summer.