Known during the war as "Norway's little Gibraltar," Ny-Hellesund coastal fort sits on the island of Helgøya in the Søgne archipelago. The Germans designated it HKB 21/979 and began construction in 1942 to protect coastal traffic and the western sea approach to Kristiansand. Russian prisoners of war were used in the building work.
The fort was armed with four 10.5-centimetre coastal artillery guns with a range of roughly 12 kilometres. Defences included machine guns, mortars, flamethrowers, radar, searchlights and smoke systems. At full strength it had a garrison of 150, spread across 31 buildings and 26 bulletproof stone bunkers.
After the war the site fell into disrepair, but volunteers from the local Defence History Association have carefully restored large parts of the fortification. The island has free public access year-round, either by private boat or public boat transport from Høllen marina in Søgne.
The fort was armed with four 10.5-centimetre coastal artillery guns with a range of roughly 12 kilometres. Defences included machine guns, mortars, flamethrowers, radar, searchlights and smoke systems. At full strength it had a garrison of 150, spread across 31 buildings and 26 bulletproof stone bunkers.
After the war the site fell into disrepair, but volunteers from the local Defence History Association have carefully restored large parts of the fortification. The island has free public access year-round, either by private boat or public boat transport from Høllen marina in Søgne.
