K418(f) open emplacement and Stp. Ost-W 049 (4./252)

[myt1prod]

Hi

Since some time now many trees and bushes have been cut down at the domain Cabour in Adinkerke (BE) to restore the dunes into their 'original' shape. Thanks to this effort many hidden and inaccessible remains of the Stp. Ost-W 049 (Adinkerke/Cabour) became visible.
Some interessting features I found, (for those who haven't visited the spot recently).... and some related questions.

7 holes surrounding the gunmount + drainage (?)

cabour open gun emplacement.jpg (318.39 KiB) Viewed 1979 times

What could have been the purpose of these quite deep holes? The ammostorages are built into the masonry wall (not visible on photo) surrounding the emplacement.

double layered niche built into emplacementwall

notice the remains of metal framework at the lower corners and the metal bar of which the end has rusted off. If i'm not mistaken this niche is not present in each of the six emplacements on the domain (found another one without the many details on it). As the masonry and conrete is too britle I didn't wan't to disturb it to find out if any cables lead to this niche under the moss. Anyone any ideas or material to document it's purpose?

communication-/electricssocket (??)

I guess this was a socket for communicationconnections; perhaps to obtain firinginstructions from the 610 on the domain. Could of course be an electriccircuit, but I couldn't imagine why.

[myt1prod]

...

drainagepipe

Before well hiden, now clearly visible this drainage pipe which seems to lead to the entirely demolished 611.

landmarkfeatures

cabour trenchemplacement.jpg (277.9 KiB) Viewed 1977 times

Found these features in the landscape which indicate an emplacement of some sort standing here (or a dug-out). It could date back to WW1 as many of the visible remains of trenchsystems in the domain date back to WW1 or as far back as 1945 when Tchech forces held the grounds.

Jean

[myt1prod]

how it could have been... A quick scenery of the R610 at the domain Cabour (De Panne-Adinkerke)

[M19 MADMAL]

I guess this was a socket for communicationconnections; perhaps to obtain firinginstructions from the 610 on the domain. Could of course be an electriccircuit, but I couldn't imagine why.

Hi,
Nice report!
You are correct. It's a socket which would have had 2 screw terminals inside, and also a cover, for attaching a field telephone or the like. The socket is called Innenanschluβdose in German.

Regards,
Malcolm

[myt1prod]

interesting fact;
the 'inaccessible' 611 of the Stp. Bochum is built over a freshwaterwell. (the domain was used already before the war as a groundwater pumpingstation; due to raininfiltration in the dunes, which purifies the water, underground freshwaterreservoirs can be found on the domain which where exploited already long before and after the war.)
The waterwell is situated in the Bereitschaftsraum of the bunker...

important note!!
The bunker lies in inaccessible naturereserve which is often frequented by the forestguard as the nature reserve is very unique and contains very rare flora... also; the person responsoble for the museum also keeps an eye out for 'illegal' visitors..; especially around 'his' bunkers.
But most of all; ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK and WITH CARE... you could get stuck in the bunker or tangled up in the metal netting covering the entrance. inside the bunker there are 2 PITS which you could FALL INTO!!! Both are open and unprotected!! The first one in the gunroom (the cellar for the shells) is full of water but has it's climbingirons still in place... if you fall into the second one; chance are you can't be rescued on time (or not at all if you are alone!!)... it's a small tube of unknown depth full of water and no possibillity to get out again!... As the bunker has no remarquable features or artefacts, it's better not to go there (the other 611 and 610 can be visited on the occasion of the guided historywalks organised by the cabour museum)

[dirk Peeters]

00.jpg (63.26 KiB) Viewed 1473 times

here our plan of the room with the zisterne
did you notice the thickness of the exteriorwalls ?

[myt1prod]

When looking at the gate from outside, the left backwall measures 7,7m, when taking out the measurement of the ammostorage (3,9m) and the dividingwall between the ammoroom and the corridor (+/-1m), leaves you with 3m for the sidewalls! (I took no measurements yesterday, as I wasn't planning on crawling into the bunker)

[dirk Peeters]

all is measured there included your open emplacement (which was much more fee when we visited it
but what i didn t took was the heights ....
Dirk

[dirk Peeters]

did you notice that the OB have doors ?

00.jpg (27.19 KiB) Viewed 1470 times

and Jean never never ever visit bunkers without paper and measuring equipment hahaha

[myt1prod]

another interesting fact;
the bricked up 611, doesn't have the strange square passage between the two seperate ammostoragerooms!

here it can be seen on a plan of the other 611 (which can be visited on occasion of a guided walk)

cabour passage ammoroom.jpg (180.23 KiB) Viewed 1470 times

[dirk Peeters]

00.jpg (44.75 KiB) Viewed 1470 times

for me the holes in the OB are for fixation of the gun?

[myt1prod]

I don't think I have a photo, but I think at least some of the OB's had doors; as I've seen hinges on some of them

[myt1prod]

about the holes in the OB's...
I wouldn't know there function, but according to me those must have been covered up during the operation of the gun, otherwise it would be hazardous for the men to fall into... As water doesn't collect in these holes, we can assume they have no concrete bottom... could they be pits for empty shells??

[dirk Peeters]

you are absolutely right with the hinges

[myt1prod]

if I recall well, the bricked up 611 has 3 niches in the entrance, it certainly has the AEG-socket in one of the niches on the righthand wall (oposite the bunkernumber which is mostly covered by calcification). The other 611 has only 2 niches in the righthand wall

A sketchup 3D model i've made of the 611 with 2 niches (sadly I lost the sketchup file)