WN 59

WN59 did not directly take part in the fighting on D-Day.  It is located on the cliffs west of the village of Plage de Saint-Honorine-des Pertes (locally called "les Bateaux" (the boats)).  It lies on the far eastern edge of what would be Sector Fox Red of Omaha Beach.  The strongpoint is on high ground and is a very steep climb from the village.  This was the command post of Major Werner Pluskat, who commanded 1-3 batteries of I./Art.Rgt.352.  Major Pluskat, made famous by the movie, "The Longest Day" was the first German to see the Allied armada approaching.  Local legend has it that Pluskat was sleeping with his mistress in the castle Etreham about 3 km to the south at the time the Allied armada was spotted by an Unteroffizier between 0330 and 0400.  The Unteroffizier called up Pluskat because he thought that no one at headquarters would take his report seriously.

Composition of WN59:

 - 1x R35 Tobruk tank turret 

 - 1x 75 mm FK235(b) guns

 - 1x 20 cm anti-aircraft gun

 - 2x 50 mm GrW 211(f) mortars in Tobruks

 - Several flamethrowers

Major Werner Pluskat (left) and an Aerial photo of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes, 1944. (Photo: US National Archives)