The BDU West between WWII and Cold War

Abstract

In this article the recent history of the Domaine de Pignerolle, near Saint-Barthelemy d'Anjou, the organization of the BDU West and its role during the WWII, the after war and the Cold War are described. The visits on the BDU site showed that all the BDU barracks disappeared and all the BDU bunkers were in good preservation state. In particular, the visit of the Admiral bunker showed that its transformation in anti-atomic bunker for the French president and government was in an advanced phase, but not terminated and consequently it never was operative. The reasons of this transformation, despite the existence of other similar anti-atomic bunkers, and of its interruption remain to be determined.

The WWII Bunkers of the <i>Hôpital Morvan</i>—Brest (FR)

“…The Great Bunker 12 placed between the buildings 3 and 4 was foreseen for accommodating and protecting administrators and seamen in case of air attack and bunker 13 in front of building 5 for accommodating and protecting officers. The air attack protecting function of Great Bunker 12 and bunker 13 was actually the same accomplished by the German bunkers 47, 50, 56 of the BDU (Befehlshaber der Unterseebootes) West, admiral Dönitz, on the Domaine de Pignerolle (Tomezzoli, 2019). The water reservoir 11 was intended as a pool as those at Murs Erigné (To-mezzoli, 2016) and at the Domaine de Pignerolle for providing relax to the officers and seamen and water in case of fire to the buildings and bunkers in the hospital area (Tomezzoli, 2019).…”

“…The air attack protecting function of Great Bunker 12 and bunker 13 was actually the same accomplished by the German bunkers 47, 50, 56 of the BDU (Befehlshaber der Unterseebootes) West, admiral Dönitz, on the Domaine de Pignerolle (Tomezzoli, 2019). The water reservoir 11 was intended as a pool as those at Murs Erigné (To-mezzoli, 2016) and at the Domaine de Pignerolle for providing relax to the officers and seamen and water in case of fire to the buildings and bunkers in the hospital area (Tomezzoli, 2019). An athletic field was arranged between the water reservoir and building 4.…”

The German <i>Stutzpunkt</i> Kerloich (Le Conquet-FR)

“…The ditch is not visible on post WWII French air reconnaissance images. Therefore, it is not possible to assume that it could have had the functions of either hosting and protecting one or more shacks for personnel lodgement as those at Cap Fréhel (Tomezzoli & Moser, 2021), Qu 500 and Qu 13 at the Pointe du Raz (Tomezzoli, 2021), on the Menez Hom (Tomezzoli, 2017a) and at Flescou (Tomezzoli, 2022) or be a pool as those at Murs Érigné (Tomezzoli, 2016) and at the Domaine de Pignerolle (Tomezzoli, 2019) for providing relax to the personnel in service and water in case of fire to the devices of the Stp. Mr Clochon is of the opinion that it was excavated after the WWII for providing water in case of fire at the buildings of the after WWII Radio Conquet components.…”

The German Radar Stations at the Pointe Du Raz (FR)

“…All the shacks disappeared before 1948. Probably they were disassembled and rebuilt elsewhere as lodgements for the homeless French population (Tomezzoli, 2019).…”