Coastal Gun Battery Frederikshavn South

Immediately after the occupation of Denmark in April 1940, the Germans built the first gun battery on Pikkerbakken just south of Frederikshavn. The port was an important naval base for the Germans supply line to Norway and this required protection against enemy warships and bombers. Expanding the area began in late 1942 with the casting of bunkers to include close defense and a great command bunker to the German commander of north Jutland.

In autumn 1943, the gun battery was upgraded to four 150 mm. guns with a range of 18 km. The four 150 mm. guns came from the Danish warship Niels Juel, who in August 1943 had been interned by the Germans. The ship was built in 1922 and equipped with a total of ten guns. The guns that were operational in the spring of 1944, was produced by Bofors in Sweden under license by Krupp in Germany. Three were built into pillboxes and one was placed in an open position.

South of the gun battery, there was set up a super modern air defense battery with four 105 mm. aircraft guns.

After the war, the guns battery was used by the Danish navy and was named Bangsbo. The fort was closed in 1962 and is now partially opened to the public, including a museum in the command bunker.

Guns from the Niels Juel are preserved and are still in the pillboxes on Pikkerbakken.