Defense Bunker VM15

This is bunker VM15 of the 1st defense line of defence fot the city of Liège, La Position Fortifiée de Liège, PFL 1.

It is the 16th of a total of 34 bunkers in this sector, Vesdre-Manaihant. Since bunker VM1 had a “side” bunker, it is the 16th bunker in this sector.

The bunker, unlike the others, looks rather angular. Not rounded like the others. Reason for this is that this bunker was camouflaged on the outside as a house. Around the bunker a brick wall was constructed, complete with roof.

Only a few 100 meters to the north bunker VM 20 can be found, which was camouflaged in exactly the same way. Again, the angular shape of the bunker is immediately noticeable. In later years, the walls deteriorated and the bunker got increasingly demolished, revealing its angular shape again.

Once the bunkers lost their strategic value for the Belgian army, all the steel was sold. The plots of land on which they stood were also sold. For this reason, they now often lie in farmers' backyards or meadows and are privately owned. This bunker is in use by a construction company.

The walls and ceilings of these bunkers are of 1.30 m reinforced concrete. They could withstand shells of 150 mm.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Joost Verheijden (1, 2, 3), Ed Lewandowski (4, 5)
• La Position Fortifiée de Liège, Coenen & Vernier.