Bunker BN9 Border Defence Lanaken

Bunker BN9 of the Border Line at Lanaken, sector Briegden-Neerharen. Located along the Connection Canal at Lanaken. It is the 9th bunker from this sector of a total of 11 bunkers. Bunker BN1 was never built. Next to bunker BN9 a second bunker BN9 with the addition 'bis' was built which brings the total to 11 bunkers. Bunker BN9 was equipped with a Maxim machine gun.

The two square openings at the rear of the bunker (photo 3), are so-called grenade chutes for proximity defense. On the inside, the chute was covered with a small hatch. When there was a threat that the bunker would be overrun, the soldiers could drop a grenade out through these chutes, which then came out near the door and could take out the enemy present there.

These grenade chutes are present in almost all bunkers in this line but also those of the PFL (la Position Fortifiée de Liège). They for example bunker CS 6 photo 4. This bunker is located in the Comblain-Sougné sector of the 1st defense line of the city of Liege, la Position Fortifiée de Liège 1 (PFL 1).

One could not shoot from the outside with a rifle through the gutter opening. The chute was built with some angles, like a kind of periscope.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Joost Verheijden (1, 2, 3), Jente de Roust (4)
• Les fortifications belges au 10 mai 1940, F. Vernier.