Main artillery: Until June 1943: Three 12 cm L/44 Armstrong from the Norwegian boat "Tordenskjold"
After June 1943: Four Skoda 12,7 cm SKC/34(t)
Ready for battle: November 1940
This battery was one of the two navy batteries in the county of Sogn & Fjordane.
Located at Nesje in Hyllestad municipality, it was a part of the defence on the shores
of the heavy fortified Sognefjord, the world's longest and deepest fjord. On the shores on the
other side of the fjord, HKB 15./981 Kirkeøen
and Torpedo-Batterie
Rutledal were located, together with HKB 16./981 Risenaes further out.
Located in the hillsides above the battery, was HKB 14./981 Naesje, an army battery meant to
co-operate with the navy battery. To avoid any confusion of the batteries,
they were called Naesje Upper Camp (army) and Naesje Lower Camp (navy).
The battery was more or less completed by the end of the war, and was regarded as one of the better
of the batteries in the county. The 28. of June 1941 a terrible accident occured during shooting
exercises with the "Tordenskjold" guns. The whole gun crew of fourteen perished when the powder cartridge, and
maybe also the grenade, went off before the bolt screw was locked. A memorial stone was put up sometime later, with the
names of the dead carved into it. This memorial stone still stands today.
Many of the barracks put up during the war still stands today and are in use. When visiting the site,
I had problems with my camera, and hence there are not many pictures from the site on these pages.
To look how the 'leitstand' and the bunkers looked like, refer to
MKB 9./504 Nordfjord.
Taken from the top of a Flak position and towards the shoreline. There are two gun emplacements
behind the trees before the sea. One can also see the back of the 'leitstand'.
On the shoreline on the other side of the fjord, to the left in the picture,
HKB 15./981 Kirkeøen
and Torpedo-Batterie Rutledal are located.
HKB 16./981 Risenaes is located a bit further out, past the right edge of the picture
Room under Flak position. The wood and oven is post-war added. Note armoured door on the right
Same room as above. The text reads: Selbstbefreiungs Gerat. It means "Apparatus for Self-rescue" (Emergency exit).
Thanks to Eric van Dijk and Peter Heijkoop for sending a translation.
