Diepenbeek Lock Bunker D1

This is bunker D1 and is located north of the Albert Canal as part of a defence bridgehead set up to provide additional support at the canals locks .The recently built Albert Canal with positions on the south and west banks of the canal from Antwerp to Liege formed the Belgian Army's principal line of resistance in 1940.

The bunkers here were constructed in the period between the war being declared in September 1939 and early 1940 using similar techniques as those employed on other bunkers built on the K-W line and at Gent. When the Germans captured the bridges over the Albert Canal at Veldwezelt and Vroenhoven unleashing the 3rd and 4th Panzer Divisions ,the Belgian rear was threatened ,and so the troops along this part of the canal withdrew.

The prefix letter D denotes the bunkers location, and originally there was five bunkers within the Diepenbeek lock bridgehead. There are still three bunkers remaining : D1, D2 and D3 . A fourth was located near the lockkeepers house and controlled the passage over the lock .A fifth was built into the lock itself.

Along with the bunkers the bridgeheads had an anti-tank barrier .Here an anti-tank ditch was not constructed as planned ,and so the anti-tank aspect was made up with cointets( C-elements) and tetrahedra .

Unfortunately, at the time of writing in 2021 D1 was located on private property behind a house among a number of outbuildings and fences ,and so viewing is somewhat restricted. The 1.3 meters thick reinforced concrete walled bunker like D3 has three shooting sides ,and as such is a three- chambered bunker.

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Source

• Text: Ian Paterson
• Photos: Ian Paterson