covered trenches

[der bunkermann]

Hi all,
Here a topic about covered trenches..
There were alot built along the atlantikwall coastlines, i wonder if there is a standard design, of was it locals/ a.o.k. based designs?
In holland we have a lot brick trenches with arched brick roof (33 cm.) Or concrete plates (15-20 cm).
On regular distance there were light and escape shafts, or a combination of both.
Also there were no long straight covered trenches, after +/-10 meters the trenches changed direction to prevent an intruder shooting long distances.
I will post drawings and images later.

I also wonder if there were covered trenches in normandy, and if and how there was fought in them..

Gr, Tim

[Eax-E]

Hello Bunkermann,

Here is a famous pic of a GI inpecting a german trench covered by woods on Omaha Beach


Furthermor there are concrete covered trenches at the H.K.B. Azeville.

There was hard fightings in some trenches in Ohmaha Beach, especially on the west side (Pointe de la Percée). For Azeville I don't think they fought in the trenches, just aroud the casemates I think.

Bye

[der bunkermann]

very nice picture eax-e!
do you know where i can find lecture that describes the fightings in the covered trenches?

in the Dutch soil trenches as on your picture were not possible because of the sand ground...
they built brick walled open trenches, sometimes later converted to a covered trench (see attachment).

most of the covered trenchsystems are built in the dunes, were there was little natural camouflage available.


attached some examples of covered trenches in Stp. Gr. Scheveningen:

[der bunkermann]

this is the central part of MKB Scheveningen Nord.
there was over 2 kilometers of covered trenches in this batterie

some still look very nice..

gr, Tim

[der bunkermann]

here a (bad) image of a covered trench with concrete plated roof at kernwerk festung IJmuiden..

gr, Tim

[Clive Mortimore]

What is the difference between a covered trench and a tunnel?

[der bunkermann]

What's a name.. it's the same i guess .
Although when i hear the word tunnel i visualise a coal or calc mine or hand dug subterrain thing..
Covered trenches as we know em in holland have escape exits and daylight shafts and were designed to move subterrain between bunkers and battlestations

I wonder if there were manual or guidelines for constructing covered trenches?

[wimve]

What is the difference between a covered trench and a tunnel?

Maybe the depth into the ground ?

[kstdk]

Hello

Tunnel are dug under earths surface - covered trench are dug from above and afterwards covered - in my understanding any how :O)

[der bunkermann]

Hehe, that's a good explanation!
Gr, Tim

[Eax-E]

Hello

do you know where i can find lecture that describes the fightings in the covered trenches?

I have never read so far an accurate description of the fightings, only fragements from time to time in diverse books. Unfortunately I don't have the book with me to check it, but in the book "Omaha Beach" of Georges Bernages I can remember a short narrative with a sketch of fightings in the Pointe de la Percée.

Bye

[MNO KI]

An example of covered trenches in Guernsey built from grey granite at Batt.Georgfeste.

[AvB]

Very nice ones!

[der bunkermann]

Nice brickwork

Gr, Tim

[Bo2]

Bonjour

Some exemples :
trenchs:
well know but old photo

another

tunnels: