MSB Heerenduin

In order to defend the entrance to the North Sea Canal (Noordzeekanaal), the navy built a number of coastal batteries in the dunes near the beach. South of the canal, this was Marine Seeziel Batterie (MDB) Heerenduin. Together, the batteries had to prevent Allied ships from gaining access to the locks, the navy base, the harbors and IJmuiden’s industrial sites. Also intended was a denial of access to the nation’s capital, Amsterdam - important for its symbolic value as well as for its port and infrastructure.

The Heerenduin battery originally comprised a simple fire control post and four open artillery emplacements. When it was decided that the open positions rendered the battery too vulnerable, the German navy replaced them with a line of four type M272 artillery bunkers and a centrally located type M178 fire control post. The bunker designs are remarkable for the Dutch theater of war. The fire control post was of medium size and featured two observation decks above the ground level entrance. The four artillery bunkers each covered a 120 degree horizontal field of fire. The guns were set up in one area, with two modest ammunition magazines in the rear. After the available ammunition had been fired, new shells would have to be brought in from the central ammunition bunker. This large type FL246 depot was located just behind the fire control post. Two smaller type 134 ammunition bunkers were located near the artillery casemates. The battery also featured a large number of less fortified buildings that served as shelters, storage facilities, a canteen, an office building, a kitchen, and a dressing station. Almost all of the bunkers can be visited today. The IJmuiden Bunker Museum has a permanent exhibit set up in several shelters. One can visit a type 451a shelter, a type 450b shelter and a type FLA 24 anti-aircraft emplacement. The area’s appearance has changed considerably since 1945. Today, the beach is much wider as a result of sand deposits against the southern mole of the harbor. Consequently, the battery is further from the shore than it was sixty years ago. In addition, the beach area has seen a lot of high-rise construction in recent years.