To understand the defence of a bunker, I have made this little info:
(The facts are based on larger structures, not small pillboxes etc.)
When approaching a bunker, you often see the "Main weapon" as the only purpose of a massive construction.
The "Main weapon" could range from a single MG, to a triple barreled 38cm naval turret!
You probably never think of all the small details making this a impressive piece of work!
These structures were allways built gas-tight, and with the possibility to be "sealed" in case of an attack.
Most often a manually operated ventilation system was added inside. Working togeter with filters and
overpressure valves, these bunkers were able to withstand a gas attack.
All ventilation shafts are "S" shaped and closed with several nets inside, making it impossible to roll a grenade inside.
How was a bunker defended?
How was a bunker defended?
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- ventilation.jpg (12.96 KiB) Viewed 2671 times
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- ventilation2.jpg (13.8 KiB) Viewed 2669 times
When approaching a bunker you often see the "Eingangsverteidigungs scharte" which means something like "Entrance defence hatch"
The hatch gives a full view of the entrance, making it possible to see who`s coming.
You enter the bunker trough the "Kampfraum" (Battleroom). Here is the main door protected with another "Eingangsverteidigungs scharte"
Which has view over the entire battleroom. The main door is always divided in 2 parts, upper and lower. This makes it possible
to open, even if the battleroom is filled with debris. The maindoor leads you into the "Entgiftunsnieche" wich is a little room where the
air can be filtrated before entering. Inside the bunker there are several rooms depending on it`s purpose.
Each room is divided with armoured doors, so even if the enemy got trough the battleroom, the bunker is not lost....yet.
There are sleeping rooms, radio room, generator room and ventilation room to mention a few.
Rooms containing machineguns also has their own ventilation which filtrates the poisonus gases from gunpowder.
The hatch gives a full view of the entrance, making it possible to see who`s coming.
You enter the bunker trough the "Kampfraum" (Battleroom). Here is the main door protected with another "Eingangsverteidigungs scharte"
Which has view over the entire battleroom. The main door is always divided in 2 parts, upper and lower. This makes it possible
to open, even if the battleroom is filled with debris. The maindoor leads you into the "Entgiftunsnieche" wich is a little room where the
air can be filtrated before entering. Inside the bunker there are several rooms depending on it`s purpose.
Each room is divided with armoured doors, so even if the enemy got trough the battleroom, the bunker is not lost....yet.
There are sleeping rooms, radio room, generator room and ventilation room to mention a few.
Rooms containing machineguns also has their own ventilation which filtrates the poisonus gases from gunpowder.
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- entrance defence outside.jpg (38.82 KiB) Viewed 2665 times
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- entrance defence battleroom.jpg (33.43 KiB) Viewed 2665 times
Bunkers with only one entrance often has a emergency exit. This is constructed in a way that makes it impossible to enter from the outside.
First you open a small armoured door. Then you slide out 15-20 "Iron rails" behind the rails there is a
brickwall which must be removed. Aftre removing the bricks you have to dig to the surface(2-6 meters!)
First you open a small armoured door. Then you slide out 15-20 "Iron rails" behind the rails there is a
brickwall which must be removed. Aftre removing the bricks you have to dig to the surface(2-6 meters!)
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- emergency exit 1.jpg (19.31 KiB) Viewed 2655 times
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- emerg. exit instruction.jpg (17.98 KiB) Viewed 2657 times
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Dan Reinbold
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Kafkaesque emergency exit
Couldn't help thinking, when reading your description of the emergency exit, of Kafka.
Anyone read "The Burrow"? I think it was originally "Der Baum", but I'm open to corrections on that one.
The protagonist in that story is a paranoid troglodyte who is eternally afraid of someone else digging into his burrow. He isn't sure if the best thing to do is to dig an escape shaft for himself, giving himself an extra exit (but giving them an extra entrance!) or to seal himself in.
The form of emergency exit given here seems to be a good compromise; One can't, as the enemy enter the room with fixed bayonets, open the emergency hatch and nip out like Dr. Evil, but one can nonetheless be sure that no enemy is going to make a sudden appearance through the back door. Not least of all because I assume that the enemy would not know where the emergency exit would be, and hence where to start digging for it.
I'm wondering; how often did these emergency exits get used? Where any soldiers ever able to escape through one after a bunker caved in (due to enemy activity, I presume), or are there few known instances of this escape shaft being called into service?
Thanks for the posts Erik
Zygmunt
Anyone read "The Burrow"? I think it was originally "Der Baum", but I'm open to corrections on that one.
The protagonist in that story is a paranoid troglodyte who is eternally afraid of someone else digging into his burrow. He isn't sure if the best thing to do is to dig an escape shaft for himself, giving himself an extra exit (but giving them an extra entrance!) or to seal himself in.
The form of emergency exit given here seems to be a good compromise; One can't, as the enemy enter the room with fixed bayonets, open the emergency hatch and nip out like Dr. Evil, but one can nonetheless be sure that no enemy is going to make a sudden appearance through the back door. Not least of all because I assume that the enemy would not know where the emergency exit would be, and hence where to start digging for it.
I'm wondering; how often did these emergency exits get used? Where any soldiers ever able to escape through one after a bunker caved in (due to enemy activity, I presume), or are there few known instances of this escape shaft being called into service?
Thanks for the posts Erik
Zygmunt
