A German aircraft during WWII - Mary Evans / Sipa

A German anti-aircraft defense site dating from World War II was discovered in Bretteville-sur-Odon (Calvados) by a team from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap), reports France Bleu Normandie. The excavations started five weeks ago and have just finished.

In Bretteville-sur-Odon (#Calvados), the @ Inrap unearthed the remains of a vast German defensive unit from World War II. Structures, materials and construction techniques nuance the image of an Atlantic wall deemed impassable https://t.co/qeiyaOqr2r pic.twitter.com/7cgMVi7T3q

- Xavier Mauduit (@XavierMauduit) July 16, 2020

They were initiated before the construction of housing and businesses in this area located in the defensive perimeter of Carpiquet airport, adds local radio. The site discovered belonged to the Luftwaffe, the German air force. Its good conservation is due to the fact that this area was spared from bombardments.

Two thousand objects unearthed

The base housed 120 soldiers and had different roles in organizing German defense. “A first pole, linked to the cantonment, is to the north. […] Another part, more at the center of the site, is linked to storage. […] And the southern part was more devoted to combat with gun sites and defense positions, ”explains Benoît Labbey, archaeologist and operations manager, at France Bleu Normandie.

These excavations provide many elements on the Atlantic wall, some of which "were not known to date", reports the radio. The archaeologists have also noticed that the constructions were atypical, carried out "with local construction materials, taken on site" instead of reinforced concrete. If bone remains, toothbrushes or even perfumes were discovered on the base, the professionals also unearthed "a clock whose hands remained frozen", which suggests that it was time. bombardment.

Archaeologists have been able to collect around two thousand objects but only three hundred and fifty will be studied. At the end of this examination, some will join the reserves of the State, others could be integrated into the collection of museums in the region, specifies the radio.

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  • Science
  • Caen
  • Second World War
  • Archeology