Bunker VM 11 Soiron

This is bunker VM11 of the 1st defense line of defence fot the city of Liège, La Position Fortifiée de Liège, PFL 1.

It is the 12th of a total of 34 bunkers in this sector, Vesdre-Manaihant. Since bunker VM1 had a “side” bunker, it is the 12th bunker in this sector.

The bunker is next to the road in a meadow, but is part of a private plot. The front has damage near the gunopening. This appears to be damage due to concreterot. Over the years, moisture and frost have done their work and part of the facade has crumbled.

The bunker still has its original entrance door, a barred gate. This version differs slightly from the other types that have round bars. This one has flat bars.

The steel hatches for the gun opening are gone. It is possible that a steel door is still present inside the bunker. 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 backyards or in farmers' pastures and are privately owned.

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

The bunkers of the PFL were built in the 1930s.

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Source

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