La Coupole at Wizernes was one of two permanent sites which were built as launch facilities for German V2 Rockets during World War Two. Hitler had ordered the building of the facilities in the Pas de Calais, the closest occupied territory to Britain and therefore providing the greatest operational range.
La Coupole Wizernes
The V Vergeltungswaffenweapons were long range artillery with the principle aim of targeting cities as a means of inflicting terror. The Germany Army developed the V2, a rocket with a range of 320km (200 miles) which delivered a 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds) warhead.
German V2 Rocket
The first site to be built in the Pas De Calais for the V2 was a Blockhaus at Watten. Construction commenced in March 1943. The Blockhaus soon came to the attention of the Allies and a bombing campaign targeting the facility started in August 1943.
The V2 bunker complex would be built into the side of a hillside and protected by a 71 metre diameter reinforced concrete dome. The complex would house V2assembly / servicing areas, a liquid oxygen (LOX) production plant, and storage in 7 kilometres of tunnels. External launch sites were located in an adjacent quarry, the rockets would be moved from under the dome on rails to the launch pad.
Wizernes site showing V2 assembly areas under the dome and path to the external launch site.
Wizernes site V2 assembly areas under the dome
Wizernes site V2 external launch site.
The tunnel complex would be used for the storage and assembly of the V2 components.
Wizernes site showing entrance tunnels from the quarry.
Wizernes site plan tunnel complex
Wizernes La Coupole WW2
Wizernes La Coupole
Entrance Tunnel to La Coupole 2019
Wizernes Entrance Tunnel WW2
Wizernes Entrance Tunnel 2019
Wizernes Entrance Tunnel 2019
Wizernes Storage Bay 2019
The Allies were aware of an abnormal building site near St Omer, but it was not until March 1944 that the location began to be targeted. Over a period of 3 months, 10 air raids were mounted by the US Airforce dropping 2,000 lb bombs. La Coupole remained intact, however the logistics for the site were destroyed.
RAF dropping Tall Boy Bomb
On the 24th June 1944, 617 Squadron RAF bombed the dome with 12,000 pound Tall Boy bombs, but failed to damage the Cupola. Another raid with Tall Boys was launched on the 17th July. Although the dome was not hit, the earthquake effect of the bombs caused a land slide which collapsed the hillside. The dome support was undermined and the two vertical entryways to the launching site were blocked. The site deemed unusable and was abandoned at the end of July 1944.
Wizernes 1944 showing landslide blocking entryways to launch sites
Wizernes 1944 showing landslide blocking entryways to launch sites
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The Germans had attempted the construction of two permanent V2 sites, the Blockhaus at Watten and the La Cupola and Wizerenes. The efforts of the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Airforce resulted in no V2 Rockets being launched from the Pas De Calais. The Allied advance form the Normandy bridgehead into the Pas De Calais forced the Germans to look at using mobile launch sites in the Netherlands. The first site was erected in the Hague on the 6th September 1944. On the 8th the first V2 rocket landed on London.
