There were several different guns represented in til Sicherungsstellung Nord.
10,5 cm fieldgun
From the very common 7.5 cm field gun to 15 cm field haubits, field guns from the army with ordinary artillery crew and naval artillery with associated naval crew.
We know that in at least one battery where war booty (Schützgebäute – Beutekanonen) was used, (French Schneider-Canet guns.)
Canet had delivered exclusively to the Danish and French armies until the outbreak of the war. It cannot be ruled out if guns of foreign origin have been used in the stronghold.
In several batteries in the stronghold there were guns taken out of old Kiel forts such as Herwarth, Röepsdorff, and Freienfelde. Guns of the late nineteenth century, and with modern artillery eyes, obsolete. The new and modern artillery was more needed on the Western and Eastern Front.
Under the registration of the stronghold 1975-1990, batteries with 9 cm guns is mentioned. This caliber is not normal in the German artillery. This is either a war booty or the commonly used 10.5 cm field cannon.
In general, there was great pressure on the distribution of the artillery.
There was a 6-fold increase in the manpower, leading to major reorganizations. From 669 to 2,300 infantry battalions and from 642 to 2,900 field artillery battalions. From the fact that the Army Corps was a large unit (two infantry divisions and an artillery brigade), it gradually became divisions that, in number depending on the task, were subject to a corps of troops.
The division consisted of an infantry brigade (three regiments) and an artillery command (a field artillery regiment, a heavy artillery battalion, and possibly assigned heavy artillery).
In order to obtain cannons for the many new artillery units (the armor industry could not supply sufficient numbers) Germany went from batteries of 6 pieces to batteries of 4 pieces.
At the same time, old equipment was also used.
War booties were probably used in stronghold, which was a secondary position. In general, it seems that the artillery commands have been separated and built up as the artillery could be procured.
The individual batteries
Battery 3
4-gun battery divided into two half batteries.
The two half batteries must have been connected to some zig-zag tombs, and the command station must have been a relatively large observation bunker close in front of the left half battery. There is some doubt about the caliber of the relatively heavy guns. Some think they were bigger than field guns. Others believe it was naval guns in pivot affutage.
A German officer should have stated that it was difficult for the army artillery with these naval guns, but that a few men from the Navy had been assigned to help. This could indicate 15 cm ship artillery. This was the most common secondary firing on the German ships, and is small enough to be confused with heavy field artillery or heavy coastal artillery on wheels.
Battery 4
Battery of two light field guns, not exceeding 9 cm. It was located on a hillside immediately east of Sønderballegård. The battery was manned by army artillery
Battery 6
Four pcs. of 15 cm. guns from Fort Herwath, Ziegelhof at Kiel 1700 meters south of Hoptrup, in the sole that leads from the Haderslev-Åbenrå main road up to Hovgaard. The crew consisted of marine artillerists.
The guns stood on a rectangular piece of concrete . In front of his north side a 2½ meters high and 8-10 meters wide rampage.
Along the alley must have been a number of small bunkersspaces, and behind these two further larger bunkers. One should still be completely intact, but covered.
A telephone exchange with conversion was found in the living room at the Ottesgaard farm, 900 meters south of the battery on the east side of the main road.
Battery 7a
The half-battery (called 7A) made up the battery along with 7b.
The caliber is unknown. On the west side of the main road, approx. 500 meters south of Hoptrup, there is a deep gorge whose west side forms a steep slope towards the field opposite.
Two bunkers were found on the site. There is nothing else about the half battery.
Battery 38
Battery of Four guns mounted on wheels. German designation Battery 8. The battery was set up on the slope near the north-west part of the small road that goes from Skovbyvej at battery 7b to the south to Hovlundsvej 1200 meters west of the main country road.
A battery trench has been made with notches provided with timber mplacements for the guns.
Concrete has only been used for casting an ammunition magazine at the western end of the battery.
Holes have been dug for two bunkers that have never been casted.
In front of the battery there were strong barbed wire fences.
Battery 7b
Half-battery 7B, as part of the battery containing the half-battery in Hoptrup 7B. The caliber is unknown.
It was located on a steep hilltop 1400 west of Hoptrup.
An observation pile that served as a command station was located in a burial mound on top. On the southern slope, some distance up, there should have been two excavations on which two cannons had been erected.
The ammunition magazines were small magazines, covered with corrugated sheets and open at both ends.
The location of the crew bunkers is unclear, but on the neighboring property, under a garage building, there is a fairly large room which should have been a crew bunker.
In the middle of the south side of the hill there is an entrance to a 5 meter long walk. It is said it was supposed to have been connected to the observation bunker, but never became. Other plans for underground corridors were also not carried out.
Battery 8
Four field guns mounted in two half batteries manned by naval artillery. Calibrated unknown, but probably 9 cm. (8.4 cm ??) The 9 cm caliber is not common, but 10.5 was very normal on German coastal batteries. The crew with naval artillery could indicate ship or coastal guns. It could also be the beet cannon (war booty)
It was located with a half-battery on each side of the small private road that went from the road Skovby-Vedsted towards Pothøj, 1300 meters NNW for Skovby. Head shot direction is known, and the battery had living rooms of the same type as at Skovby. (Corrugated iron)
Battery 12 Skovby
Powerful medium battery with 6 pcs. of 12 cm. guns from Fort Freienfelde at Kiel. It was located at the intersection 600 m northwest of Skovby.
The cannons were in high fortifications on rectangular concrete piles of 4 × 6 meters, where 2×2 pieces of hard timber were bolted where the wheels were placed in between.
The command station was special. 2.5 × 3.5 beam room with concrete floor, built into a small hill so that only the entrance was visible. From here a hallway of timber led into the room itself, also erected by timber. Here, a staircase upstairs led to a room of the same size, but erected by vertical iron beams.
Battery chief Kapitän-leutnant Vogel, according to those who have seen the battery, should have been a true master of camouflage. The battery, which was almost flat, was almost invisible at a distance of 50 meters. (ref. Mogens S. Hansen)
Battery 13
Battery consisting of 5 pcs. 12.5 cm guns from Fort Schrevendorff. The battery was located on a small tuber in the Abkær Moor, the only place possible.
The Crew were from the Naval artillery.
The Guns were on wheels and was mounted on a timber deplacement . The cannons were camouflaged with som nets containing vegetation.
The battery compartments were made of concrete and the ceiling consisted of rail sleepers.
Battery 14 Torsbjerg (Ottersböl)
15 cm. naval gun (SMS Ostfriesland)
Battery of 4 pcs. naval artillery in pivotal deplacements. Caliber unknown, but probably 15 cm. as this was the most common caliber for medium-range guns on German warships.
The guns were mounted on concrete empålacements.
Living rooms were cast over curved corrugated iron, and ammunition rooms were of concrete.
The surrounding burial mounds were ½-2 meters wide and 2 meters deep. Graves were stiffened with machines and several places were laid stairs to the battery.
Upon arrival, these guns were reportedly much better guarded than gunshots to other batteries, which is why it was thought to be a key battery and shot similarly modern.
Battery 16
Battery with 4 pcs. 9 cm. field cannons, manned by army artillery. The emplacement was probably timber.
There have been both living quarters and magazines for the battery, but nothing about this is known for certain.
A very peculiar battery, the crew regarded it with the utmost contempt and openly stated that it was outdated and useless. So useless that it was never inserted unlike many other batteries. The guarding of the battery was similarly poor and the area boys could play around it unobstructed. From here it is told that there was no stored ammunition at all.
9 cm is not a common caliber on the German field ship, so this 84 mm cannon model 1887 could well match both the attitude of the crew and the description given in M. Scott Hansen.
Battery 17
15 cm. guns
Battery with 4 pcs. 15 cm. It was manned by army artillerists. It was deposited against the Valsbäk marsh.
The battery was placed on a small sandy hill and a few burial mounds were damaged during the construction of it.
There was both a living room and magazine for the battery.
Battery 19
15 cm. Canet (Danish drawing)
A Haubits battery with two guns on pivot emplacements located on the west edge of Hyrup. It consisted of two living quarters and two ammunition magazines.
The guns were special in that it was of 15.5 cm and thus not German, but French.15 cm haubitz System Canet M / 1892 (Schneider-Canet) It was the same type as the Danish army bought in 1892 for the battery train on Copenhagen’s Vestenceinte)
No guns of this type were delivered to anyone other than Denmark and France, which is why these leaflets must carry the spoils of war.
The observation site was located 800 east of the battery
Battery 34
Four-gun battery located 400 west of Hyrup.
There is no information that a battery is actually installed here. It may have been an alternative position. There was metered a stand for the 1st and 3rd cannon as well as the observation stand.
Battery 20 Hyrup Forest
Battery with 4 pcs. of 10.5 cm. haubitzer in Hyrup Forest’s southwestern part. Battery to provide flanking fire in the area in front of Toftlund. It consisted of 13 rooms, with 2 ammunition magazines and a living room per room. pamphlet. In addition, an additional crew room serving as a command station.
Observation was made from a so-called Baumbeobachtung. A wooden box strapped between 4 wooden crowns. From here, ladders led down to the ground. The observation post stood southeast of the battery.
There were also ordinary observation bunkers in the front yard.
Battery 21
Battery of 4 pcs. 12 cm. guns from Fort Feldscheide, located 2500 meters west-southwest of Hyrup.
The crew consisted of naval artillerists. The battery had previously been installed at Højbjerg north of Arrild.
It stood near a private estate and the crew seized most of it. Ammunition was stored in the stable.
The battery had 4 observation stands. The main observation post (Hauptbeobachtung) in a burial mound 300 m. North of the battery and Reservebeobachtung 200 m. East of it. A Baumbeobachtung (Observation post mounted in a tree) was situated in the northwest corner of the long clearing in the Hyrup Forest.
A further Vorgeschobene beobachtung (forwarded observation post) was situated at a road branch at Gøttrup 2000 meters north of the battery.
Battery 23
A two-gun battery 400 meters south of roundabout south of Toftlund. In addition to two stands, the battery contained 7 bunkers.
There have have never been observed any guns in the battery, and this may have been an alternate position.
Battery 25a and 25b
Four-gun battery, divided into two half-batteries, located 1400 meters west-northwest of the roundabout south of Toftlund. There were approx. 200 meters between the half batteries.
Only guns in the western half battery have been observed.
The grenades, which were stacked outdoors, are described as having a diameter of approx. 15 cm and a length of approx. 60 cm. The cut-outs of the position were stiffened with garnet baskets.
The Observation site in piles located approx. 600 meters north of the battery.
Battery 24 Allerup Krat
Battery of approx. 150 meter length with 4 pcs. of 12 cm. guns. It was located on either side of a forest road that divided the battery in two. A tunnel was therefore dug under the forest road.
It was manned with Army gunners.
The target area was a meadow area at, and a little north of, Lindet Forest.
Observation piles were approx. 400 m west of the battery.
Battery 35
500 meters long battery with 4 pcs. 9 cm. field guns. The guns were set up in pairs with great distance between them. Location west of the junction at Hønning.
All rooms were smaller log rooms connected to a long lightly twisted battery trench. This one was paved with planks due to very moist bottom.
At the rear of the battery trench lay the rooms, which were connected by short runs to it under the forest road.
It is known that the battery shot with shrapnels and had the same target range as another battery.
Battery 32
Battery with 4 pcs. 12 cm. fortress cannons from Fort Feldscheide at Kiel. The battery was installed in two half-batteries (east and west) in the gardens at two properties 800 m north of Arrild. The crew consisted of naval gunners.
The battery was not completed. In half battery west there are the number of belonging to two guns, while to half battery east there was only a small ammunition room. In both half-batteries there was a battery tomb stiffened with machines. The guns stood on concrete emplacements with bolted planks.
On the south side of the property stood an observation tower called PionierBeobachtungswarte Höhberg. From here, the shooting was observed. The actual observation site was 250 m. North to the north east of the battery.
There was a lot of moisture in the area and extensive drainage work was done. Still, there was water in the plant.
The cannons were inserted into a marble tomb just northwest of Fiskholm. After the insertion, the battery was inspected by Prinz Heinrich, who discarded it.
Then Batterie Dieckmann (named after the Battery Manager) moved to Hyrup Vestermark.
Battery 26 Arrild Præsteskov
Battery of approx. 250 m. Consisting of 4 guns. It was heavy 12 cm. guns on high wheels from Fort Höhe near Kiel.
Located in Arrild. The battery was a replacement for the discarded battery at Højbjerg, 600 meters north.
The crew consisted of naval artillerists.
The received artillery inventory amounted to:
per protected 100 grenades
Scrapnels 50 pcs
Cartes and cartons 10 pcs
The battery was tested in 1917, and there has been told about a strike in a marshy area between the Lindholmgaard farm and the Lindetgaard Farm.
Another battery was tested at the same target on the same day.
The observation bunker was located 800 meters west of the junction at Hønning.
Battery 27 Öster Gasse
Battery of approx. 250 m. Consisting of 4 guns. It was heavy 12 cm. guns on high wheels from Fort Höhe near Kiel. Location west of Øster Gasse school where the road Arrild-Skærbæk ran through Øster Gasse.
The battery was situated along the north side of the road.
The crew consisted of naval artillerists. Battery Chief Captain Lieutenant Dill.
The battery was divided into two half batteries. 1. Zug at the school and 2. Zug 220 m. Further west.
The cannons were placed stood on heavy concrete emplacements that had a vertical concrete wall in front to hold onto the ground.
Behind the two bridges were 3 small magazines, which were supplied from a large ammunition and crew room.
The target area was a mossy area 600 m. NNE for Gejlbjerg.
Here too, large drainage works had to be done to keep the battery dry.
The observation bunker was located 600 meters east of Gasse High and a bunker at the former junction at the northern tip of Kalby Forest.
Battery 36
Battery with 4 pcs. 9cm field cannons. Located between a double burial mound approx. 700 m west south west of Gasse High trigonometric station.
Told to have been in holes with timber to hold on the ground.
Not even camouflaged.