Bunker C - Position Avancée Beusdael

The defense lines of the city of Liège, known as "La Posistion Fortifiée de Liège" consisted of 4 lines of defense built around Liège. It consisted of 16 fortifications with numerous linebunkers in between.

In addition to these linebunkers, there were also so-called 'Position Avancées', advanced positions. These were located in Beusdael, Bilstain, Dolhain, Goé, Grunhaut, Henri-Chapelle, Hèvremont, Hockai, Hombourg, Jalhay, Limbourg, Malmedy and Stavelot.

Beusdael is a village located just below the Dutch border in southern Limburg. It is part of the Walloon municipality of Plombières. Near this village you can still find a number of small bunkers that belong to "La Posistion Fortifiée de Liège.

There were in Beusdael a total of 3 bunkers, A, B and C.

Bunker C is located in the forest just behind a meadow. Entrance door and gun opening are bricked up. Special about this bunker is the protective wall near the entrance door. This protective wall was built in case the bunker had to be left under enemy fire. The wall then protected the first yards out of the bunker, after that one was on his own. Most other bunkers in the PA do not have this protective wall. The bunker has been buried over the years by landslides due to heavy rains, leaving it only 1 meter above ground level.

It is worth mentioning that before 1914 the municipality of Plombières was known as Bleiberg. After the war, the Belgians thought that Bleiberg sounded German and the name was changed into French equivalent, as Plombières. (Blei means lead in German, Plomb means lead in French).

The bunkers of the forward posts are small bunkers (3.5 x 3.5 m) that were used as observation and protection bunkers. They were equipped with a machine gun. The holes above and below the gun opening served as ventilation.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Ed Lewandowski