#Fortification
Tussenwijck battery
Outside the so-called northern Landfront of Festung IJmuiden lay the field battery Tussenwijck. This German divisional battery provided supporting fire for the artillery positioned within the Festung itself.
The guns used at the Tussenwijck position, known as Beutewaffen (“captured weapons”), were literally and figuratively spoils of war taken from occupied territories. The four howitzers stationed at Tussenwijck had a caliber of 12.2 cm and originated from Russia.
Not many bunkers were constructed in this position. The heaviest structures were the ammunition bunkers, which still exist today. Scattered throughout the dunes were several personnel shelters and bunkers for supporting tasks.
Gun bunkers, however, were not built here. The Russian 12.2 cm guns were positioned in so-called open emplacements. The advantage of these open positions was that the guns could fire in any direction, allowing them to cover a large area with artillery fire.
Because the bunkers were above ground and visible, they were camouflaged as houses — roofs were added and the structures painted to resemble civilian dwellings.
To reach the gun positions, the Germans built a concrete road from the ammunition bunkers. The construction of such roads was a typical German feature — they were quick and easy to build. The concrete road still winds through the dunes in a loop and makes for an interesting walk through the former battery site.
The area is freely accessible and invites visitors to explore it on foot.