Võiküla 36th 10-inch Coastal Defence Battery and cobbled road
Military equipment
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This coastal defence battery is situated between the villages of Võiküla and Rässa. The 36th 10-inch Coastal Defence Battery formed part of the 1st Battalion of the Muhu Strait fortifications during World War I. Its construction began in 1915. The battery comprised five 10-inch (254-mm) Durlacher-type guns, which were mounted on wooden barbettes later upgraded to concrete emplacements standing 70 metres apart. The artillery was protected from the front by a 400-metre-long sand wall piled without the use of machinery, 15 metres wide at its ridge and 25 metres wide at its foot.. The battery was active in combat during Operation Albion, the German offensive in 1917.
It is in good condition, considering its exposure to the elements, but all of the gun emplacements and the cemented front wall are partially overgrown. The cobbled road is in good condition.
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Thank you very much for spotting the error! We made a correction in the Estonian text (254 mm).
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Recollections of the famous blacksmith of Muhu
Andrus Müüripea (1877-1945), aka Puka from the village of Andrus Lepik, was a famous blacksmith in Muhu before the war.
10 inches is still a 25.4 cm cannon, not 254 cm!