# Zuydcoote Battery, Atlantik Wall, France - April 2016



## SlimJim (May 4, 2016)

I haven't checked in for a while, I've been major busy catching up with work, but I thought I'd bung up a nice mooch I did over the weekend on the continent! 

This time round I went with my dear old Dad. We don't get to spend much time together any more because of distance, work commitments, etc and we said last year we'd do a road trip to France so I could break my Euro driving cherry and also see some monuments and museums. This was the only proper derp we did as we were mostly hitting cemeteries, monuments and battlefields further inland (had a family member injured in the Somme in WWI).

The battery is located right on the border with Belgium. I wanted to walk into Belgium during our mooch, but the Old Fellah got a bit puffed out, bless him  I'm sure this battery has been mooched by tons of Frenchmen as it's covered in their shite graffiti and most of the buildings are barred off. The site has 18th century origins and was strafed by aircraft when it was manned by the French, killing 30 soldiers. When the Nazis invaded and occupied France, they added to it and hardened it, no doubt using slave labour.

Walking along the beach to the battery.






Mirror mosaic pillbox.





Selfie 





The shapes, angles and textures of these things are great. They've obviously slipped down the dunes over time.





This looks a lot like the Observation Post of the battery. We sat on the top for a bit of a rest.





Looking to the West from the top of the OP.





Looking over at the rear of the battery.





My Dad adjusts his trousers before dropping down.





The pock marks on the wall look to be from shrapnel. I'm not sure if this was from the strafing in 1940 or from later attempts to destroy the battery after the liberation.





Wrecked up emplacement on the beach.





On the road with the Old Geezer.





To conclude, it was a great mooch and a great trip! We had a fantastic time driving around France and enjoyed some memorable and comedy father & son moments.

Big up Dads, big up gammy French town road systems, big up Coeur de Lion cheese, big up the ever helpful and cheerful French! 

Thanks for looking!


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## jsp77 (May 4, 2016)

I enjoyed this one,looks like you and your dad had a good mooch Slimjim


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## smiler (May 4, 2016)

Nasty looking buggers, I'm glad I never had to attack em, or defend ours, Nice One Jim, Thanks


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## Dick Derpin (May 4, 2016)

Well done mate, interesting write up as usual and cool shots.
I wanna meet your dad I think we are both as old as him mentally...


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## oldscrote (May 4, 2016)

Wish I'd had a chance to do stuff like this with my dad,thanks for sharing the adventure.


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## krela (May 5, 2016)

Love it, that one covered in mirrors looks great. Thanks.


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## flyboys90 (May 5, 2016)

Sounds like you had a great time.Brilliant shots, the mirrored bunker is awesome!


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## SlimJim (May 5, 2016)

Prickly_buzz said:


> Well done mate, interesting write up as usual and cool shots.
> I wanna meet your dad I think we are both as old as him mentally...



Cheers brah  Aye mate, we're all the same breed of men, with similar interests - mostly history and outdoor geared. Quite rare now. I tell other men within our age group about what I and We do and I just get blank stares!


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## Rubex (May 5, 2016)

Excellent report Slim, looks like you had a brilliant time! Your dad is looking very dapper


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## UrbanX (May 6, 2016)

Excellent! Love the mirrored one! Hats off to you and your old bean!


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## Mox83 (May 7, 2016)

Excellent photos, I really need to pull my finger out and do some reports  I've got some taken of the battery with the concrete turret further down the coast, and the one at Oostende.


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## SlimJim (May 8, 2016)

Mox83 said:


> Excellent photos, I really need to pull my finger out and do some reports  I've got some taken of the battery with the concrete turret further down the coast, and the one at Oostende.



Do it!  There's one on the harbour arm at Dunkerque too and another a few km to the West from that. Loads of 'em!


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## Mikeymutt (May 8, 2016)

Loving this slim.i need to see some of these defences and had the chance a few months ago but could not make it sadly


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## SlimJim (May 9, 2016)

Mikeymutt said:


> Loving this slim.i need to see some of these defences and had the chance a few months ago but could not make it sadly



They're very close to the UK and quite cheap to get to in low season! It's easier to get to France than it is Canterbury to Cambridge I'd say haha


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## degenerate (May 9, 2016)

Love it SlimJim. These coastal defences are fascinating


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## Lone Wanderer (May 9, 2016)

really nice! good report


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