• Jay@lemmy.ca
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      2 months ago

      But the vast majority of the shell fire is not as a result of the battle which raged around St Malo for nearly two weeks. After the battle, the Americans brought up various tanks and other anti-tank weapons into range and fired at them to see how much punishment they would take. It is incredible to see that virtually all the hits show shells bouncing off or merely embedding themselves into the armoured steel without penetrating it. I found only one shell hole which had penetrated the cupola straight through, whilst one other shell appears to have found a way in at the point where the moveable gun port shield slots into the turret.

      https://www.historyalive.je/2017/10/08/fort-de-la-cite-dalet-st-malo-roman-ww2-german-fortifications/

      Edited for context

      • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        Though it held up, I bet if anyone was hiding in there they would be concussed into vegetation

          • skulblaka@sh.itjust.works
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            2 months ago

            You mean you don’t want to be inside the world’s thickest bell when it gets hit with a main battle cannon?

            Say it ain’t so.

    • pixeltree@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      2 months ago

      If this is at the beach landing, decent odds it was shore bombardment from some of the smaller weapons. The amount of naval fire directed at the opposing forces on the beach was incredible. My favorite little moment I’ve heard about from that was a battleship engaging a sniper nest that infantry had radioed in with their 16" main guns. There’s a naval historian on YouTube by the name drachinifels, I highly recommend watching his video on operation Neptune.