Bunker 23f Border Defence Zuid-Willemsvaart

Bunker 23f Border Defence Zuid-Willemsvaart

The only remaining of the seven so-called bunkers-counter-breach, Abris Contre Irruption.
This heavy anti-tank bunker housed a 47mm F.R.C. field gun on a fixed mount, a Maxim machine guns and a standard machine gun on the sloping sides. There was also a searchlight parallel to the gun and a Cloche F.M. steel observation clock on the roof. The space for the machine guns differs from the now disappeared counter-breakthrough bunkers numbers I to VI. These 7 bunkers were all built by Lemmens Leon from Leopoldsburg in 1935.
This bunker fell under the deployment of the Cie. Kaulille border cyclists. (bunkers 12 to 31)

This bunker is part of the forward position that was constructed during the interbellum along the Limburg canals. This Grensstelling consists of the Zuid-Willemsvaart, the Bocholt-Herentals canal section and the Briegden-Neerharen connecting canal. This starts at Mol, after which it goes east along Lommel, Neerpelt via Bocholt, Bree, Neeroeteren, Maasmechelen to Lanaken west of Maastricht. There were a total of 72 bunkers for defence; of which 44 flanking bank bunkers, 11 gun bunkers, 7 heavy bunkers and 10 machine gun bunkers.
 

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Geert-Jan van Glabbeek
• Photos: Geert-Jan van Glabbeek