German Bunkers and Barrage Balloon, Cannitello, Calabria, Italy

Discussion in 'Italy' started by dave500, Sep 16, 2018.

  1. dave500

    dave500 Senior Member

    Another eBay photo from the estate of Günter Schlosser, 29th Panzer Grenadiers.

    Photo likely taken July - Sept. 1943.

    I found its location on 19 Sept.

    Dave

    Messina Two.jpg
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  2. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    It could be Germany and essentially in the Berlin area.The industrial building to the right of the photograph looks like a electricity generating station of its time.The domed low building could be associated with a military function.

    Apparently Berlin had a large air balloon defence so much so that the Germans prior to the war breaking out, were boastful that the RAF could not penetrate these defences. The Times of February 23 1939 reported that "Berlin had announced that Berlin and other major cities would soon be capable of being protected by balloons which were capable of reaching a height of six miles.Great hopes were reposed on the aerial "minefields" by which all the large towns were to be protected", it reported.Then on July 12 1939,the Lokalanzeiger reported "Should the British bombers try to attack German towns,not a single one would succeed in its purpose,so good are the German defences"

    Digressing...for their part the RAF had a 624 balloons defending Britain prior to the war outbreak. Dowding ensured that the London Balloon Barrage scheme established in 1937, the Balloon Command formed in November 1938, the Observer Corps and elements of the Anti Aircraft Command were part of an integrated command under him.
     
  3. dave500

    dave500 Senior Member

    Hi, Harry.

    It is probably Italy since all of the photos from his album have been either from Sicily or Italy.


    Dave
     
  4. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Thanks Dave,

    I was thinking that the building looked like a number of old power plants seen through the UK and northern Europe....usually dating back from post Great War.....never seen old Italian power plant architecture.
     
  5. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    This is Italy.

    The large building on the right is a church (I have seen many such and my Italian husband confirms this) with its roof blown off, hence the 'tin hut' in front of it which has a small steeple and a cross. What do you make of the water? River or lake? We think the church is too close to the shore for it to be the sea, but the bunker would perhaps contradict this.

    Vitellino
     
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  6. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Hello again,

    The photo is of Villa San Giovanni in Calabria, across the Straits of Messina from Sicily. The church is Santa Maria di Porto Salvo.

    The photo on Google shows the factory chimney and the building in front of the church,

    Vitellino
     
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  7. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Nice one Janet:)

    Lesley
     
  8. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Thanks Lesley - I just had to find it!
     
  9. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Wow, that was a great bit of detective work!
    Santa Maria.jpg
     
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  10. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Thanks Tony.

    I assumed that the Germans would have withdrawn across the Straits using the same route as is used today and that's how I found it.
     
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  11. dave500

    dave500 Senior Member

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  12. dave500

    dave500 Senior Member

    Photos from Google Maps, Credit Google.


    Dave Salvo, Calabria.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

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