Stützpunkt XV H M – Marine Seezielbatterie ‘Kamp’

To the south of the stretch of coastline known as the Hondsbosche Zeewering, two bunker complexes were built during the first years of the war. The northern one was the actual battery Camperduin [with the guns], whereas the southern complex contained a variety of supportive installations. After their completion, the complexes were combined and issued a single numerical tactical designator.

Four artillery casemates of type M158 S.K., replacing older open emplacements, were built on top of the Hondsbosche Zeewering [Hondsbosch sea wall], the abbreviation SK indicating that this was a Sonderkonstruktion or one-time design. In this particular case, it meant that the bunker was “verschartet”, i.e. it had a roof shielding it against aerial attack. Ordinarily, this type of emplacement was not verschartet. When the battery first became operational, the fire control post was located in between the artillery emplacements. After the completion of the M158 S.K. bunkers, a new fire control post, a rather standard M162a “Leitstand für leichte Seezielbatterie”, was built farther south, in the first line of dunes inland from the Hondsbosche Zeewering. The crew was quartered in homes and farms in the neighborhood, as well as in several newly-built bombproof type 501, 621 and 622 shelters, some of which are still in existence. The ammunition was stored in a type FL246 bunker. The complex included two type FL242 bunkers for secondary artillery and a type 667 Kleinstschartenstand in the center of Camperduin. The latter was a bunker for enfilade fire and it covered the hinterland.

In the southern part of the battery was a “Kommandeursstand”. This was a bunker resembling a MarKoStand like the ones erected in Katwijk and Hoek van Holland. Scattered around the Kommandeursstand were a few thin-walled navy bunkers. A FuMO 214 ‘Würzburg Riese’ radar that supported the fire control post, was located just north of the Kommandeursstand. One of the crew quarters, the type 622 with construction number 4519, was a provisions storage bunker as well as a shelter. It contained an office of sorts where soldiers could order supplies and personal care items. Field research has uncovered order forms for a broad range of necessities such as razor blades, buttons, shoe polish and soap.

Most of the battery has been torn down. A few hundred meters from the beginning of the Hondsbosch sea wall, one can find a section of “Höckerhindernisse” or dragons’ teeth. Most of the bunkers have been buried under sand.