Easy Red: Casemate Ruquet, Widerstandsnest 65 – Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, Normandy, France


Bunker Ruquet
Bunker “Ruquet” of Widerstandsnest 65 at Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, Normandy, France

Easy Red

This Atlantic Wall bunker Regelbau 667 is part of Widerstandsnest 65 which defended the valley of the Ruquet to the West. The bunker is famous for being one of the first to be captured on D-day at Omaha Beach, sector Easy Red. After it’s capture it was used as an American headquarters.

Bunker Ruquet
Another view of casemate “Ruquet” with a view towards Omaha Beach

Beach Exit E1

The R667 bunker was armed with a German 5cm anti tank gun and placed it’s fire on Omaha Beach, pinning down the Allied forces on the beach. When the bunker got bombarded by USS Destroyer Frankford and the gun inside was silenced thanks to the heroic actions of Sergeant Hyman Haas, the Germans inside were surrounded and forced to surrender.
This opened up a much needed exit off the beach, which was immediately cleared so that Allied vehicles could get through. “Beach Exit E1” forms one of the most important routes off the beach during D-day.

5cm KWK gun
The remains of the German 5cm KWK gun inside casemate “Ruquet”

Monument for the 2nd Infantry Division

On the left flank of bunker “Ruquet” stands a monument commemorating the landing of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division on June 7th 1944. The division didn’t take part in capturing Widerstandsnest 65.

Indian Head
This monument of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division

Visit

The bunker and the rest of the WN65 are free to visit. You can walk op the stairs next to bunker and look out over the beach and “Exit E1”.


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