Observation Bunker MN11

This is bunker MN 11 of the PFL 1, the 1st line of defense for the city of Liège, 'La Position Fortifiée de Liège'.

MN refers to the sector 'Les Margarins-Neufchâteau' where it is the 11th of a total of 31 bunkers. The bunker is one of the four observation bunkers of Fort Aubin-Neufchâteau. For the fort, this observation post was OP281. The other 3 observation posts were the bunker MN18 (O368) , bunker NV2 (O369) and bunker NV5 (OP296).

This bunker was attacked by the Germans on May 11th, 1940. Witness to this are the various bullet and grenade impacts on the turret. During this attack, soldier Nyssen , who had taken up post in the turret, was killed. During the morning, Fort Aubin-Neufchâteau fired around 120 shells at the position of the bunker to drive away the German attackers. Finally, the decision is made by the commander of the fort to abandon the bunker. The crew present is asked to surrender, after which the bunker is eliminated.

The bunker can still be entered. But the entrance is still half bricked up. Over the ages it has been almost hidden from view by heavy shrub growth (with thorns) and ivy. The dome is completely covered with ivy.

Photos are still available from previous photographic reports showing the attack marks, see photo 5.

As general information, it can be mentioned that this bunker, like most bunkers of the PFL, are made of reinforced concrete and were built in the early 30s. The walls and ceiling are 1.30 m thick. They had to withstand shelling with 150mm shells. Only the walls at the rear are slightly less thick, because in principle they were not exposed to enemy fire.

When the bunkers lost their strategic value for the defense of Belgium after the war, the metal of the hatches and doors was sold as scrap metal. Normally, the turret was also sold, but in the case of this bunker, the turret was preserved.

Also, most of the plots on which they stood were sold. Bunker MN 11 now lies in the middle of a meadow.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Joost Verheijden (1, 2, 4), Ed Lewandowski (3), www.lignemaginot.com (5)
• La Position Fortifiée de Liège, Coenen & Vernier
• La Lignemaginot.com
• 18daagseveldtocht.be