Bunker Belt Bruggenhoofd Gent – Advanced Bunker AV10

Belgian bunker, part of the Ghent Bridgehead. This defensive position was constructed between 1934 and 1938, eight kilometres south of Ghent. Its construction was part of the fortification policy that Belgium pursued after the First World War.
The actual bridgehead consisted of two resistance nests – Betsberg and Muntekouter – and three strong points – Semmerzake, Eke and Astene.
The resistance nests and strong points were connected to each other by a curtain consisting of three defence lines.

There are 8 bunkers on the territory of Gijzenzele. Some are on private property and are therefore inaccessible, others are overgrown.

AV10 was an advanced bunker on the front line between Betsberg and the Brussels-Ostend railway line. It was the leftmost of three bunkers advanced on the actual front line that started in the village of Gijzenzele.
The bunker had a rough stone appearance of the camouflage type Tyrolean hunchback.
It was originally painted in a light green base colour with ochre yellow and green spots on it. It was largely dug into the hill of a mill and was therefore not conspicuous in the terrain. There is now a small remnant of the original hill left.
The bunker had a unique access system via the roof, it was also one of the two bunkers on that line that was equipped with an emergency exit along the Gijzenzelestraat.
The two loopholes were closed with metal trapdoors.
AV10 consisted of two rooms connected at the back and an airlock that was hidden behind a large retaining wall. It was equipped as standard for the positioning of Maxim machine guns but also for Hotchkiss or Colt machine guns.
The bunker was involved in the heavy fighting in May 1940, many bullet and projectile impacts can still be seen. Just like bunker AV11, it changed sides several times during the three days of fighting.
The bunker is clearly visible at the intersection of Gijzenzelestraat and Wettersesteenweg next to a small electricity cabinet.

Extensive information about this bunker belt can be found on the site Bunkergordel Bruggenhoofd Gent. It also contains photos, plans and technical data of the bunkers. A map shows the locations per municipality.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck