As the name suggests, the anti-aircraft chief was responsible for directing the firing from control station 1. Once the enemy aircraft had been spotted, the first thing he did was give the approximate elevation and azimuth angle and the approximate target height. The azimuth and elevation numbers on the measuring device swiveled the device according to these details. Once they had the planes in their sights, the E-meter reported "Target detected! Target coming!" His job was to measure the distance to the target. Once this had been done, he reported: "Set!"
The values of elevation angle, azimuth angle and distance were sent electronically to the calculator (Kleinkog C5). The calculator determined the hit values based on the rate of change in the three areas. These were then also sent electronically to the guns.
The windage and elevation numbers on the guns were used to aim the gun using the follow-up pointer system. The distance was converted into fuze setting time and was set on the fuze setting machine.
Durch Einlegen der Flak-Granaten in die Zünderstellmaschine und das maschinelle Einstellen des Zünders, waren die letzten Vorbereitungen getroffen. Die Ladenummer schob dann die immerhin 26,5 kg schwere Granate (Patronenmunition) ein. Auf Zeichen des Flak-Leiters (Hupton) zog der Geschützführer ab. So wurden in dem Augenblick alle 4 Geschütze der Batterie abgefeuert (eine Salve). Bis zum nächsten Abfeuern standen an Zeit nur 5 Sekunden zur Verfügung (Salventakt). Die Hülse wurde ausgeworfen, durch den Hülsenfänger geborgen und die folgende Granate wurde geladen.
Bemerkung: Man schoss also dorthin, wo das Flugzeug bei Beibehaltung der Geschwindigkeit, des Kurses und seiner Höhe dann voraussichtlich sein müsste. Bedenkt man dabei, daß das Rechengerät die Werte errechnete, dann der Salventakt 5 Sek. ausmachte ‚dazu die Zünderstellzeit gerechnet werden musste, so kann man ermessen, wie schwierig das Schießen auf bewegliche Luftziele ist. In 25 Sekunden kann sich vieles ändern!
Harald Schönemann
Eine Geschützbedienung war ein eingespieltes Team, würde man heute sagen. Während die Höhen- und Seitenrichtnummer von den Marinehelfern besetzt waren, hatten die Artilleristen die Zünderstellmaschine und die Stationen, die mehr körperliche Kraft in Anspruch nahmen. Die Russen waren als Munimänner (Munitionsmänner) eingesetzt. Sie hatten die Aufgabe, die immerhin 26,5 kg schweren Granaten herbeizuschaffen. Der Vorrat an Munition für das Schießen war in den Abseiten des Geschützes verbunkert, also in der Nähe griffbereit. Der Vorrat für die gesamte Batterie belief sich zwischen 5 000 bis 6 000 Granaten, die in den Kasematten und in den Geschütztürmen lagerten.
Jeder Geschützführer setzte seinen Ehrgeiz darein, daß die Bedienung möglichst schnell auf der Gefechtsstation war und die "Klarmeldung” an den Leitstand gehen konnte. Je präziser der Ablauf des Geschützexerzierens war, umso schneller konnte die Feuerfolge sein (Beim Saventakt und vor allem beim Sperrfeuer). So musste jeder Handgriff sitzen.
Ebenso war es auf den Leitständen. Feste Ziele wurden angemessen. Beim Übungsschießen auf Seeziele mußte die von einem Schlepper gezogene Scheibe so schnell als möglich und mit möglichst wenig Munition getroffen werden. Übungsmäßiges Luftzielschießen wurde während des Krieges äußerst selten durchgeführt. Wohl flog manchmal eine W 34 in unseren Bereich. Sie wurde dann vom Leitstand angemessen, vom Rechengerät ausgewertet und dann wurden die Geschütze nach den Werten ausgerichtet. Geschossen wurde nicht.
Harald Schönemann
As naval helpers, we had only recently arrived at the battery and our training on the guns or the control station was not yet complete. As we could not be deployed yet, we felt almost superfluous. But one night it was particularly tough. Long alarms, many incoming flights and a lot of shelling by the battery. The ammunition consumption was very high and the grenades that had been bunkered around the guns were almost used up. We were therefore ordered to bring the necessary ammunition from the bunker below control station 2 to the guns. So we had to carry the heavy grenades on our shoulders almost 100 m to the guns. It was sweaty work, but it had to be done. Hans Jürgen St.
One of our everyday tasks was the B.Ü. watch. B.Ü. meant command transmission. This watch was below control center 1 (the three-car) and had to ensure the connection to the staff, but also within the battery. Other tasks included receiving the Balta report (a detailed weather report that mainly included the wind speeds at different heights). This report was very important in the event of an operation, because the anti-aircraft commander could use these values to correct the advances determined by the computer. The incoming report about every aircraft that touched the airspace of the Elbe estuary also had to be passed on to the battery's lookouts. For example, after specifying the exact time: "An Me 109 on the flight from Jever to Jagel." (Balta report = ballistic daily report) Harald Schönemann
We were all affected by an experience that at first seemed inexplicable to us all, but was eventually solved. One night we had spotted a group of enemy aircraft using the FUMG (radio measuring principle of radar measurement) and fired at them. It seemed as if the planes were not moving from the spot in the air. The battery fired 50 salvos, i.e. 200 shots, at the measured target in 5-second salvo intervals. This was unsuccessful. It was not until the next morning that everything became clear. For the first time, the aircraft had dropped large quantities of Stalinol strips, thereby disrupting the measurements of the radio measuring device. A corporal in our battery thought about how the enemy aircraft groups could be forced off course. He developed and calculated two barrage systems, which were used for our battery after being tested by the battery commander and the commander. One was used for a direct approach and had the code name "Lili Marleen". The other, "Blue Angel", was fired in the event of a flyby. There were very often rival disputes about the success, i.e. the number of kills, of the individual batteries, as far as we as naval helpers knew about this underlying dispute. A direct kill that had to be confirmed was awarded the highest number of points. Less so for participation in a kill. If a certain number of points were achieved, the battery was given a number of anti-aircraft badges to award. If a direct kill was recorded, EKs were also awarded. The commander decided on the distribution and awarding. Harald Schönemann
This does not mean "Schünemann" at all, as he was called succinctly among us naval helpers. His official name was "Staff Sergeant", the old, grumpy man, the only real Cuxhaven native in the battery, apart from us boys, respected but also loved. He had been in the battery for so long that he was almost part of the inventory... and he was our gun commander! The "failure" made it clear to everyone that he was not a failure. And this is how it happened... Night alarm and the battery was firing on all cylinders. The firing went off like a routine matter. But suddenly, the gun commander pulled the trigger... and nothing happened... The shot did not go off!... "Failure!" We naval helpers had never experienced that before. But there was no excitement among the "old hands" at the gun. After a few seconds of waiting, the order came: "Re-cock!" The firing pin was cocked by hand. The gun commander pulled the trigger again. ...nothing again..."Failure... Re-cock!" The same thing happened three times, while the other guns continued to fire. The shot didn't go off! What now? Any civilian would have waited in fear. But not with the anti-aircraft guns. The command immediately followed: "Open the bolt!" The loading number, a Russian pushes the lever upwards, the bolt wedge goes down and the ejector claws throw the cartridge and grenade out to the rear. Extreme danger, because the thing could go off at any moment. But Schünemann, not a Russian, is already ready, catches the cartridge carefully and carries it out with swaying steps, like a baby in his arms. And yet, when he is already outside, we are still expecting a terrible crash at any moment... But nothing happens! Schünemann has put the cartridge down in the grass, returns to the "third floor" with outward calm, and the shooting continues. If the cartridge had gone off under the protective cover, we would have been all blew up. But Schünemann rose in our esteem like a comet, he was definitely not a failure. Harald Schönemann
Zur Alarmierung der Batterie gab es verschiedene Stufen:
KWR = War Guard Rest - (normal state, or after the operation "all clear" meaning transition to everyday duty, - at night "retirement for night rest").
EKW = Restricted War Watch (enemy aircraft are in the wider area, the possibility of them flying into our area exists).
KWA = War Watch Attention (enemy aircraft are heading for the German Bight. If they had not turned away, there was usually a
Alarm = All hands to combat stations, entering our area.
The alarm was usually given by the alarm bells which could be heard in every shelter and throughout the battery. The civilian population in the nearby houses could not hear this.
If members of the battery were in the mudflats, in the outer dike or in the wider vicinity of the battery, the battery siren on control station 1 was triggered by the lookout there and an alarm was raised.
When the alarm went off, it was everyone's duty to get to their gun or combat station as quickly as possible. (At night - get dressed - start running.) Every gun commander wanted to give his "clear report" as early as possible.
On September 1, 1939, the battery received general permission to fire at 3:38 a.m. The first enemy reports came in the very next day. The lookouts were on duty day and night, with binoculars to their eyes. On September 4, the battery commander went to the beach with the off-duty watch to swim. They wanted to take advantage of the good weather. Suddenly the runner came out of the battery and reported to the boss: "Increased alert!" They ran to the battery as quickly as they could. After a short time, the control room and the guns were manned and had given their "ready report". At 6.24 p.m., three Wellington bombers were reported and spotted heading north down the Elbe towards Cuxhaven. At 6.25 p.m., the Kugelbake battery opened fire. The anti-aircraft chief, Petty Officer Renner, had "worked his way" to the target by improving his right-hand side and, according to his observations, a hit must have been scored. At 6.27 p.m., the fire ceased. In fact, the bomber had been hit and was so badly damaged that it had to land near the "Elbe 1" lightship. Of the aircraft crew, only one sergeant was rescued alive. His statements confirmed the hit. The Kugelbake battery was thus awarded the first coastal anti-aircraft gun shot down in the North Sea. But what did it look like in the few minutes of shooting in the battery! The soldiers wore sports gear and more or less civilian clothing. This is how they were in the control room and at the guns. Some of their trousers were still wet from swimming. The battery commander stood on the slope of the 3rd gun in his suit: swimming trunks, cap and the later added cotton coat. It was a big day for the whole battery when on October 11th the commanding admiral of the North Sea, Admiral Schulze, was able to present the EK2 to Sergeant Renner. From the "Chronicle of the Kugelbake Battery" 1940.