“Marine Corps Flanders: Between dunes and trenches”
A few days ago I came across an interesting article in my favourite historical magazine. It dealt with something I hadn´t known before, and it is from WW I. I want to share this with you. Everyone of us history enthusiasts knows about the Atlantic Wall from WW II. However, did you know there was also an Atlantic Wall in WW I?
According to the article it was situated in Belgium.
Its purpose was to protect the German naval bases in Belgium and to fend off amphibious landings by the British. An invasion there would have been a threat to positions behind the German front and the German high command wanted to avoid this.
The text of the next picture says: “On Flander´s coast” “Our war journal”
There is one picture in the article showing soldiers at a shooting practice right on the shore. They are standing behind a parapet consisting of sandbags and wooden stabilising wall, about breast high. In front of them are barbed wire entanglements. Another picture has trenches, small bunkers and sandbag positions that remind of a typical trench system on the Western front.
Behind the trench system on the shore there were artillery batteries and huge naval artillery pieces, the latter to target ships and landing craft. One of the artillery batteries was called “Tirpitz”.
The harbour protection group “Blankenberge” had 28cm howitzers to their disposal. Those are really big. The gun on the picture is from Oostende, presumably protecting the port.
The Marine Corps Flanders was the infantry force manning the defences. They pushed back British invasions, but not only this. They also fought defending the front against British attacks on the Somme in July 1916, and some more elsewhere. It was formed in 1914. Their leader was Admiral Ludwig von Schröder, nick-named the Lion of Flanders.
It consisted of three Marine Disions, each made up of several infantry brigades and including field batteries. Some special platoons were also part of the divisions, like for instance mortar batteries, telephone groups, pioneer companies. They were also, later in the war, trained in the newly-developed infantry tactics.
From 1914 to 1915 their attire was typical Marine, later on they wore the field grey uniforms and had the 1916 helmet. Before they had had Marine caps or kepis, making them look like ordinary sailors. Some of the men were experienced soldiers from the German colonial wars, some were from the sea Bataillons Wilhelmshaven and Kiel.
So, if you want to try something different for your WW I wargames, you could simulate a British invasion on the Belgian coast. It has a historical background and will be fun to play, and it may also be fun to figure out how the British have brought their troops to the shore and the effects of air power in that kind of landing.
I hope you enjoyed this. C U.
