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IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN By: Dreadnought & AP Chapter 51: THE PHOTO TOUR 07 BATTERY SCHARNHORST On the night of 11 November 1940, the Royal Navy launched 21 Fairey “Swordfish” biplanes from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. Each of the “flying stringbags” carried either a bomb or an aerial torpedo and the attack formation took a heading for the main Italian naval base of Taranto. By the time the sun rose the following morning, the British had successfully executed the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval engagement in history – and fully half the capital ships of the Italian Navy rested on the bottom of Taranto harbor. Just thirteen months later, the Imperial Japanese Navy bombed Pearl Harbor and effectively put an end to the dominance of the battleship in naval warfare. Prior to the emergence of the aircraft carrier, all nations bordering the sea used a combination of battle fleets and powerful coastal gun batteries to defend strategic bases and port cities from attack by enemy battle fleets. Imperial Germany had been developing a system of coastal defense batteries since the early days of the empire in 1871. By the early 20th Century, German islands, ports, deep water channels, and naval bases were well protected by strong concrete gun emplacements mounting powerful Krupp artillery. “Battery Scharnhorst”, defending Cuxhaven, is an example of just one of the many coastal defense batteries scattered all over the world. “Battery Scharnhorst” (center of picture) sits on a headland on the east side of the Jade’s deep water channel and provides a defensive cross-fire with “Battery Gneisenau” on the western shore. (See Imperial Dockyards: Wilhelmshaven for details of Battery Gneisenau.) The site was originally occupied by an earthwork shore battery that was expanded into an enclosed fort. The earthen ramparts were backed by brick and masonry walls where heavy cannon were mounted “en barbette” on open carriages (about 1880). As the new main anchorage was constructed, it was decided to protect it and the deep water channel with a modern concrete battery along the lines of the “fortresses” constructed around Metz. Battery Scharnhorst is an all concrete bunker, replacing the previous rampart walls that had no overhead protection. The thick concrete walls facing the sea were sloped at a 60 degree angle to deflect direct fire from heavy guns, and were further covered by thirty feet of packed earth to absorb impact energy. The concrete roof was built in two thick layers with six feet of sand sandwiched between them (same theory as a protective coal bunker). In this view you can see a road entering the bunker complex through a reinforced tunnel mouth. This entrance was used for any foot traffic as well as vehicles. You can also see a rail line running into the bunker, which would bring heavy equipment, spare parts, supplies, and powder and ammunition for the guns. Goods were unloaded from the rail cars and shuttled through the bunker complex with hand-cars on a narrow gauge track. This rear view shows the two entrance tunnels as well as the small exterior entrances to the magazines used for truck traffic and small loads. As you can see, there are only four openings into the bunker complex, two of which are rather small. And there are no exterior buildings or other infrastructure elements that might be destroyed during battle. Everything necessary to the operation of the bunker is contained within its protective walls. Like a warship, the powder and shell handling rooms are directly behind each gun turret and connected to the gun houses by shell hoists. Accommodations for the gun crews and bunker staff are located in rooms along the interior rear walls, and there are dynamo rooms, food and water storage, messing arrangements, offices, and repair shops scattered throughout the complex. The roof of the bunker has virtually nothing on it. There are, of course, the five gun turrets – and a large, square, air intake shaft with a thick steel grate to prevent shells from entering. Just behind the intake shaft are three duct pipes to exhaust fumes from inside the bunker (usually cordite smoke that leaks into the structure from the turrets). Again, like a warship, the bunker operates on the “forced draught” principle. The air intake fans draw air into the bunker and create a “positive” pressure. The fume extractors remove the air around the guns, and from specific handling compartments adjacent to them. You can see earth has been banked-up along the front edges of the bunker and some vegetation has been allowed to grow. The vegetation will prevent erosion of the protective earthen bank, while also making the bunker a difficult target. In an age when air reconnaissance was in its infancy, the bunker would have to be ranged upon by warship rangefinders – at sea level. The vegetation would act as natural camouflage – or – could be removed in time of war to clear the field of fire. This is a close-up of the gun turrets atop the bunker. The concrete bunker complex with revolving turrets was inspired by similar concrete fortress installations built along both sides of the Franco-German border – but most especially by Fort Copacabana, built between 1908 and 1914 to guard the waters of Rio de Janeiro Bay, Brazil. The fort was taken out of service in 1975 and is, today, a very well-preserved national monument. The gun turret is a Krupp model CD/4-1906 fortress turret mounting Krupp model 1906 SK-L/40 12-inch guns. Note the thick concrete and steel reinforcing ring placed around the turret base to prevent shell penetration and possible jamming of the turret race. The fortress gun model was graciously provided by @Barroco Hispano. This is a close-up view of the rear area, where most of the unusual detail can be seen. The bunker was created by raising the terrain, and sculpting it to shape using the “road-piece-plop” method. (Very simple – but very effective.) The raised areas were then covered using the “Paeng” Grunge Concrete pieces to create the bunker – especially the Paeng pieces with overhanging props. Some Paeng lots were modified to handle the gun turrets, air shafts, exhaust ducts, security lamp posts, and those with sailors. The road and rail entrances are from the “WMP” Doc Rorlach Tunnel pack – as suggested by “Mattb325”. And the tunnel pack was graciously updated and brought out of “retirement” for me by the hard-working @Tiberius6 (MANY - MANY thanks). The tunnels were plopped in recesses in the bunker area, then covered over with the overhanging Paeng pieces. A bit tricky, but far better than anything else I tried. The exterior entrances to the magazines are the “PEG SNM Series” small ammo bunkers. They were modified so that the bunker prop overhangs the rear of the lot. That allowed me to plop them “into” the raised side of the bunker so that only the entrance was visible. I then used Paeng overhanging pieces to fill in the concrete wall effect. The following three pictures are landscape details. I used “Heblem Sands” brown sand to indicate earthen spots here and there, as well as using them to cover sloping sides of hills. I used the “Heblem” light gray sand texture to create the appearance of loose gravel in many places to show valleys or depressions in the hills. You have to be very careful when texturing slopes and hills. Using a texture (sand) or too much ground cover on a slope tends to obliterate it – and the sloping effect simply disappears into the “clutter”. Where possible, I used my custom made 1x1 “tree filler” lots (to save time). And I have used virtually every possible ground cover, bush, or tree MMP in the Stex Catalog to paint the terrain. It is an extremely tedious exercise to fill in the landscape in this manner – but I think it produces an excellent level of realism. NEXT TIME…… CUXHAVEN: THE PHOTO TOUR 08 MANY THANKS to @Barroco Hispano for his beautiful warship models. SPECIAL THANKS to my friend and partner, @AP, for his talents, meticulous models, colorful imagination, and extreme dedication. If you enjoyed anything – please punch the “like” button so WE will know. A comment would be even more informative. Comments and critiques requested and gratefully accepted. All questions answered promptly to the best of our ability. THANK YOU for your visit! You may wish to visit these CJ’s as well…… SERIES I: IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: WILHELMSHAVEN SERIES II: IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN Appearing – Work In Publication SERIES III: IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: BREMERHAVEN Appearing -- ??? And please feel free to drop in at… THE SIMTROPOLIS SHIPYARD https://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/761469-simtropolis-shipyard/?tab=comments#comment-1766496

On a brisk January morning in 1810, the bells of Parliament House rang out across Port Arthur. Crowds filled the Old Town Square, anxiously awaiting the announcement that would shape the course of the young nation over the next five years. Arthur Portsman stood beside his step-brother William Buck, quietly confident that he would fulfil the role of Commander one final time, telling reporters from the New Southland Herald that he had faith in the people to "choose a steady, proven hand". Meanwhile, Gaspard Devenue, the powerful industrialist, had taken a more theatrical approach, reserving an entire restaurant overlooking the square for him and his entourage. His aggressive campaign had, however, raised eyebrows in its later stages, with rumors circulating of incentives promised to his many employees for their vote. Far from the hustle and bustle of Port Arthur, Agada had chosen to remain amongst his supporters in Port Gilbert, quietly hopeful that his message of equality and fairness had won over young families and the Hakawan communities just enough to take him across the line. As Speaker of the House, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine held the responsibility for delivering the election results. He stood at the balcony of Parliament House high above the crowds with a folded paper in his hands - in it the results of the people's vote: "with 498 votes - William Buck" "with 822 votes - Arthur Portsman" Arthur and William stood in disbelief - this was certainly not what they had been expecting. "with 1099 votes - Agada Nokolufa" Lemoine's hands began to tremble as he came to the final two results: "with 1642 votes - Gaspard Devenue" And with enormous pride and emotion, Lemoine finally proclaimed: "and the new Commander of New Southland, with 2274 votes - Jean-Baptiste Lemoine" Applause erupted from the crowd below. The people of New Southland had delivered a striking blow to the old establishment, voting instead for change, progress and unity. With 36% of the vote, Lemoine had won over a third of the electorate. But his vision extended far beyond his supporters - it was a vision for all New Southlanders. Lemoine's new government wasted no time. Delivering on his election promises, in the first few months he had established a National Roads Board (NRB), tasked with overseeing and coordinating the rapidly growing road network; the New Southland Immigration Bureau (NSIB) to deliver his agenda of increased skilled migration; drafted the Workers' Rights Act detailing minimum working conditions, as well as the Education Act, which mandated compulsory education for children ages 6 to 12. One of the first priorities of the NRB was to provide an overland link between Port Arthur and the booming agricultural towns of the Western Highlands, as well as the growing industrial hub at Whale Cove. The NRB put forward a proposal to extend the Great Southern Road to Port Clarendon in the North, as well as to Whale Cove in the South. The new road would be constructed in stages, first focusing on the Northern route, followed by the Southern route. The proposal was quickly endorsed by the Parliament and road works began in 1811 with Stage 1a (Shepheard's Bay to Bournemouth) and Stage 1b (Springtown to Bournemouth). These relatively short sections of road were completed within 6 months and works on Stage 2 (Bournemouth to Sutton Bay) and Stage 3 (Sutton Bay to Port Clarendon) followed thereafter, taking a further 18 months to complete. By the end of 1814, Stage 4 had been opened (Strathmore to Whale Cove), bringing a close to Lemoine’s first major infrastructure project. The opening of these roads not only improved mail and freight transport but also brought remote communities into the national economy. Over the years, Arthur's Convict Settlement Agreement with Britain had worked well for New Southland, bringing in essential labour for the growing nation. But Lemoine's vision reached far beyond convict labour - the time had come for a targeted immigration program seeking skilled artisans and intellectuals. With the establishment of the NSIB in 1810, agents had been dispatched to France, the Low Countries, Scandinavia and the German states to recruit masons, engineers, teachers and doctors. In order to attract these individuals, subsidised travel passes and generous land settlement packages were offered. As a result, between 1810 and 1814, over 5,000 skilled migrants arrived in New Southland - nearly tripling the annual immigration rate. To accommodate this surge of immigrants, Lemoine drew inspiration from Arthur's earlier Eastern Expansion Scheme, building on its foundations and establishing a new Public-Private-Partnership - The New Southland Company. Investment from local businesses and entrepreneurs was swift and the company was able to quickly source enough capital to deliver on its ambitious plans. The flagship project of the company was the founding of a new planned city: Salisbury. Situated along the coast of King Louis Bay, Salisbury was envisioned as a commercial and industrial hub to rival Port Arthur itself. Ground was broken in early 1811, and immigrants soon began arriving at the new Salisbury docks, ready to start a new life in New Southland. Designed with wide boulevards, central civic spaces, and zoned precincts, the city was advertised as the "Jewel of the South" and quickly gained prominence with investors both at home and abroad. However, with this large influx of immigrants, new challenges arose. In 1812 and 1813 a series of epidemics plagued New Southland, particularly affecting the Hakawan population in Port Gilbert. The hospitals that existed in the major towns were rudimentary and ill-equipped to service the needs of the nation's growing population. In response, Lemoine's government allocated funds to expand hospitals at Port Arthur, La Perouse and Port Gilbert, and in 1813 works commenced on a quarantine station on Seal Rock in Charlotte's Bay. Over the past twenty odd years, the local seal population had been decimated by Devenue's NSWC, and the settlement had largely been abandoned in favour of the more successful Whale Cove and Little Cove stations along the South Coast. By mid-1813 the new Seal Rock Quarantine Station was opened, becoming the first point of call for all new immigrants to New Southland. Meanwhile, investments in civics continued to be pursued by the Lemoine administration. The Education Act of 1812 established rural schoolhouses in every town with a population above 250, and by 1814, New Southland’s first public high school had opened in Port Arthur. Lemoine also laid the foundations for a High Court in La Perouse, a Customs House in Port Arthur, and opened a new public park honouring the nation's founder - Portsman Square. Despite all this, the nation suffered a tragic loss in April of 1814: the death of Jean-Francois La Perouse, aged 73. A statesman, explorer, and bridge between cultures, La Perouse had served New Southland faithfully as a Governor, diplomat and trusted advisor. His passing was mourned nationally, with a state funeral held at the St Joan of Arc Church in La Perouse, and a bronze statue was commissioned in his honour. Dignitaries from across New Southland, as well as from abroad attended the service. An emotional Arthur, who had formed a close bond with La Perouse ever since their fateful encounter back in 1789, addressed the service: "To many of you gathered here today, La Perouse was a great man - a true leader. Humble, caring, true to his word - he was an inspiration to us all - myself included. But to me... he was much more than that... to me he was and will always be a true friend... rest in peace my friend..." As the year drew to a close, Lemoine had delivered much of what he had promised. Infrastructure had improved, public health and education were no longer afterthoughts, and the economy was growing strongly. But not all were satisfied - some saw the rapid increase in immigration as a threat to New Southland's identity; conservatives feared the rapid pace of change; and murmurs about rising public debt were growing louder in the press. Yet Lemoine’s popularity remained high. And late in the Spring of 1814, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine once again stood on the steps of Parliament House to announce his candidacy for a second term.