Bunker MN 1 Les Margarins

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

MN refers to the sector 'Les Margarins-Neufchâteau' where it is the 1st of a total of 31 bunkers. The sector borders sector Manaihant-Les Margarins to the south, and sector Neufchâteau-Visé to the north.

The bunker is in the middle of a private plot and is in use as a sheep pen. No so-called "DN" (Defense National) posts were present anymore. The military plot was cordoned off with four of these posts and a fence to indicate that it was a military domain. Because the bunker was in the middle of a sheep pasture, it could not be examined up close.

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 1930s. 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.

The holes above and below the gun opening (not visible here) served for ventilation. When both doors of the bunker were closed and the machine gun was firing, the smoke had to get out quickly and fresh air brought in. That is what these ventilation holes, in addition to the gun opening, served for. They are constructed in the concrete in such a way that they do not have a straight connection from outside to inside. They run through the concrete in the shape of a periscope, so to say.

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. Also, most of the plots on which they were situated were sold, so many bunkers are now on private plots. Like bunker MN 1.

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

Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Ed Lewandowski
• La Position Fortifiée de Liège, Coenen & Vermeer